The head of the branding department shrank back and quickly pointed to the next option: "How about... Sega 32? It directly reflects the 32-bit architecture—"
"Too clunky," Takuya Nakayama interrupted ruthlessly. "What's with the 32-bit, 64-bit talk? It just sounds like some outdated appliance. Don't forget the joke Atari made two months ago. Gamers don't care about your console's bit count. What matters are good games and a reasonable price."
Several proposals were rejected, and the atmosphere in the meeting room grew somber.
Takuya Nakayama closed the folder, leaned back in his chair, and said, "Actually, I have a suggestion."
All eyes instantly focused on him.
"According to our internal generation classification, the SG-1000 was the first generation, the Mark II was the second, the Mark III was the third, and the currently dominating Mega Drive is our fourth-generation home console."
Takuya Nakayama raised four fingers, then extended his thumb. "So, this one would be the fifth generation."
"In the Solar System, what is the fifth planet?"
"Jupiter," Director Takahashi blurted out, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
"Precisely, Jupiter," Takuya Nakayama stood up and walked to the whiteboard, writing the letters "JUPITER." "In Greek mythology, the deity corresponding to Jupiter is Zeus."
"Zeus..." Nakayama Hayao savored the name, his eyes gleaming with increasing intensity.
"King of the gods, ruler of the sky and thunder," Takuya Nakayama turned to face his father, a confident smile playing on his lips. "With Sega's global market share now exceeding sixty percent, we are the de facto king of the industry. Naming the new console after Zeus, the embodiment of power, not only aligns with the fifth generation's numbering but also symbolizes Sega's dominance over the market."
Compared to the earlier, less innovative proposals, "Jupiter" clearly better reflected Sega's current aggressive, world-conquering stance.
"Moreover," Takuya Nakayama added, "Jupiter is the largest and fastest-rotating planet in the Solar System. This symbolizes our new console's immense power and lightning-fast processing capabilities."
A moment of silence fell over the conference room.
"What a fitting name—King of the Gods!"
Nakayama Hayao slammed his hand on the table.
The directors, who had been considering other suggestions, pondered for a moment. Realizing their ideas couldn't compare to this name, they abandoned their proposals and nodded in agreement.
"Jupiter—it sounds so powerful."
"The symbolism is perfect. Fifth generation, fifth planet—it's a natural fit."
"I agree. It's far better than those flashy names."
"Naming it after a star in the cosmos is both romantic and forward-thinking. Young people will definitely think it's cool."
Nakayama Hayao surveyed the room and waved his hand. "Then it's settled. The code name is Jupiter. Also, inform the Public Relations Department that the teaser poster should blend Greek mythology with interstellar sci-fi. I want that sense of overwhelming power that hits you the moment you see it!"
Thus, the name Jupiter was unanimously approved for the new console.
February 1994. The Northern Hemisphere's cold snap still clung stubbornly to its last stand, but the game market's frozen period had finally ended.
The game cartridges, kept under wraps all winter, finally burst from their cages like wild beasts, roaring as they rushed onto the shelves of game stores across the country.
If last year's end was a wild frenzy of big companies throwing money around, now it's the era of warlords sharpening their swords and fighting it out.
After years of grinding and the iterative development of new tools, third-party manufacturers seemed to have unlocked the Ren and Du meridians, pushing the limits of the Mega Drive and Super Famicom to a near-insane degree.
Square is the perfect example.
The Mega Drive version of Final Fantasy V immediately gave RPG fans who had been waiting and watching a massive surprise.
"Is this graphics really running on the Mega Drive?" Players gathered around a demo unit in an Akihabara game store stared with wide eyes.
On screen, Bartz swung his greatsword with impossibly smooth animation, and even the explosive magic effects showed no noticeable frame drops.
Compared to its predecessor, Final Fantasy IV, the improvements were visually striking. Most impressive was the job change system, which actually reflected in the character models in real-time.
"People used to say the Mega Drive's color palette was weak. Now look—these Square folks must be using microscopes to tweak every pixel!" The manager remarked, counting cash as the Final Fantasy V copies on the shelves vanished at a visible rate.
While Sega's games were performing exceptionally well, Nintendo was not to be outdone.
Although Shigeru Miyamoto was still recuperating, Nintendo's deep reserves of talent and experience were undeniable.
Gunpei Yokoi, who had once been marginalized after the Game Boy project's failure, only to be reinstated to the core development team after exposing Sony's scheme to substitute inferior components, finally delivered his masterpiece.
[ Super Metroid ].
The game lacked the bombastic marketing blitz of its competitors, and even its cover art exuded a stark, sci-fi aesthetic.
But the moment players inserted the cartridge into the Super Famicom, they were instantly captivated by the suffocating sense of isolation and the exquisitely crafted level design.
"Is this Yokoi-san's counterattack?" Takuya Nakayama sat in his office, holding the newly purchased [ Super Metroid ] cartridge, his expression complex.
He had to admit, the old guard still had it.
With this 24MB cartridge, Gunpei Yokoi proved one thing: in the art of game design, he remained the master who made countless younger developers kneel and call him "sensei."
The figure of Samus Aran navigating the labyrinthine corridors not only saved the galaxy but also propped up Nintendo's image at the start of 1994.
"Managing Director, should we consider a PR response to Nintendo's new release?" Hideki Sato asked tentatively, standing nearby. "Perhaps emphasize how much more exhilarating our ACT games are?"
"No need," Takuya Nakayama said, waving his hand and tossing the cartridge to Sato. "A good game deserves respect. Besides, while players' wallets are limited, they always find a way to squeeze out money for something truly exceptional. Instead of fixating on the competition, let's focus on our own achievements."
He turned to face the project progress chart on the wall.
On the densely filled chart, the System32 board section was circled in red.
Bold black letters stood out: The King of Fighters 2.
If Super Metroid was Super Famicom's defensive counterattack on the console front, then this new arcade title, running on Sega's System32 board, was Sega's arcade market's opening salvo for the year.
In a large arcade in Shibuya, the air was thick with the smell of smoke and sweat.
The row of new machines at the back was completely mobbed, the aisles crammed with heads craning forward on tiptoes.
"Move it! Let me see that red-haired maniac!"
Someone behind jumped up and down in frustration.
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