The theoretical polygon count for Sony PlayStation was around 360,000, and actual games had to cut that down significantly to maintain frame rates.
Sega pushed this number straight to one million.
This technological leap was another display of Sega's raw power to the rest of the industry.
"Just talking about numbers might not give you a clear picture," Oguchi Hisao said, stepping aside to clear the view of the screen. "Let's see the live demo."
The title screen for Virtua Fighter 3 appeared.
Akira Yuki stood on a surface covered in ankle-deep water.
The ripples on the water's surface were no longer simple scrolling textures; they were real-time physical ripples generated by the character's movements.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead, casting dappled shadows across his gi.
The folds in his clothes, the definition of his muscles, and even the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed in his idle stance were all clearly visible.
What shocked the developers in the audience even more was the terrain system.
It was no longer a flat arena, but a landscape of uneven steps and sloping rooftops.
Akira Yuki delivered a Bajiquan Iron Mountain Lean, sending his opponent flying into a stone pillar in the background, which shattered upon impact.
Debris flew everywhere, each fragment calculated with independent physics as they tumbled down the slope.
David's pen froze mid-air.
He recalled the notes he'd just taken during the Capcom presentation. The 2D graphics of the CPS3 arcade board were indeed stunning, but they seemed somewhat thin against the sheer, brute-force 3D power of the Model 3.
"Yu Suzuki is a complete madman," Paul muttered beside him.
The demo ended.
Applause from the audience roared for a full thirty seconds, punctuated by a few loud whistles.
"Sega's pursuit of technology knows no bounds," Oguchi Hisao said calmly as the applause subsided. "VR Fighter 3 will be released in arcades across the US this autumn. We're ready for your coins."
A ripple of good-natured laughter swept through the crowd.
"The arcade is where we showcase our most cutting-edge technology," Oguchi continued, his tone shifting as the screen dimmed. "But the home console... that's where our soul resides. Now, let's talk about the Jupiter platform."
The screen lit up again.
A rain-slicked alley in New Port City.
No deafening explosions. No fast-paced shooting feedback. Only Kenji Kawai's ethereal score echoed through the venue.
Motoko Kusanagi leaped from the edge of a skyscraper, activating her optical camouflage mid-air to blend into the night.
Landing, rolling, pressing against the wall. The UI interface shifted, initiating Tactical Hacking Mode and locking onto the enemy's cyberbrain node through the wall.
Ghost in the Shell.
"They released a trailer for this game last year," David said, looking at the screen with some confusion. "Is development really this slow?"
Oguchi Hisao provided the answer from the stage.
"Over the past year, we have completely re-evaluated and repositioned this game," Oguchi said, addressing the Western media in the audience. "This is not a fast-food game where you mindlessly spray a submachine gun. It requires you to stop, observe patrol routes, think through infiltration strategies, and even read through long stretches of background text on terminals. It explores the boundaries between soul, cybernetic body, network, and humanity. This is a playable cyberpunk philosophy book."
He pressed a button on his remote.
A video tape cover appeared on the screen.
The Ghost in the Shell animated film, published by Manga Entertainment.
"We're not chasing quick, superficial consumption, nor are we planning to fight for the general public's attention during the crowded summer release window," Oguchi Hisao announced, unveiling the new distribution strategy. "The game will launch in mid-July, synchronized with the release of the video tape of the same name published by Manga Entertainment. In one thousand Blockbuster stores across the US, you'll see physical standees of the game next to the video tapes. Buy a tape, take it home, and when you're tired of watching, boot up Jupiter and take a trip to New Port City yourself. This is what we call an immersive cross-media experience."
David quickly scribbled "Simultaneous Video Release" in his notebook.
This was a brilliant move.
It bypassed the meat-grinder release window after E3, where major console titles were bunched together, and precisely targeted the core sci-fi audience—those with both the time and the disposable income.
Sega's distribution strategy had evolved beyond simply selling discs; they were now playing with ecosystem synergy.
"Next, this game," Oguchi Hisao paused, his tone becoming more relaxed. "In Japan, its predecessor created a miracle. Now, it has arrived on Jupiter."
On the screen, cherry blossoms drifted down. The red curtains of the Great Imperial Theater slowly parted.
Sakura Wars 2.
The American and European journalists in the audience reacted with relative indifference.
A romance-sim and tactical RPG with such a heavy Taisho-era Japanese theme had a far smaller audience base in North America than, say, Cars, Guns, and Balls.
But the Japanese reporters in the front row couldn't sit still any longer.
A Japanese journalist beside David shot up from his seat, his camera shutter clicking furiously as he muttered the names of several characters under his breath.
"Is it really that big a deal?" Paul asked, glancing at his frenzied colleague in confusion.
"Cultural differences," David explained. "I heard this game is such a hit in Japan that its stage plays are always sold out. The voice actresses for the female characters have more drawing power in Akihabara than pop stars."
Oguchi Hisao was clearly aware of the game's limited recognition in Europe and North America. Instead of dwelling on the Taisho Romance plot, he went straight to the hardcore technical specifications.
"Sakura Wars 2 will be another title on the Jupiter platform to utilize two high-capacity CD-ROMs," Oguchi Hisao said, holding up two fingers. "What does that mean? Sharper cutscenes, a more expansive branching narrative, and full voice acting for all characters and all dialogue."
Full voice acting.
At those words, even the Western journalists perked up.
In 1996, limited by storage media and development costs, most RPGs and visual novels still used beeping electronic sounds to represent dialogue, only sparing a few lines of voice acting for key CG sequences.
Sega, however, went all out, filling two entire discs with audio data.
This was a blatant display of power—a physical-level crushing blow enabled by the CD-ROM medium.
"The combination of Prince Hiroi and Kosuke Fujishima, backed by Sega's bottomless funding," a Japanese colleague remarked while taking notes, "this game is going to absolutely crush the retail stores in Akihabara when it launches in Japan."
Oguchi Hisao glanced at his watch.
The timing was impeccable.
"Finally, we have a lineup of other games coming soon to the Jupiter platform."
The lights in the hall went completely dark.
High-pitched, fast-paced electronic music blared.
The big screen began rapidly cycling through game footage, each shot lasting no more than ten seconds, delivering an incredibly high density of information.
On the green pitch, players sprinted and tackled in the rain, the particle effects of mud and water splashing everywhere looking incredibly realistic. Pro Soccer World PSW 1996.
In outer space, a colossal robot drew its beam saber, slicing an enemy battleship in two. The stunning 2D effects ran flawlessly, powered by the Jupiter's capabilities. Super Robot Wars Alpha.
On the battlefield, four chibi-style soldiers in a tank blasted aliens and rebels into the sky, the arcade-level frame rate perfectly ported. Metal Slug 4.
David wrote furiously, recording each of these titles.
The depth of Jupiter's game library remained as impressive as ever, covering all sorts of genres, from sports and tactical RPGs to side-scrolling shooters.
Suddenly, the scene changed.
A pink ball appeared in the center of the screen.
It opened its mouth wide, sucking a monster into its belly before spitting out a star.
The classic side-scrolling platformer.
Kirby.
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