Hearing this, Oguchi Hisao finally raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Singing?"
"Yes! Singing on a war-torn battlefield!" Takada spoke with increasing excitement, gesturing wildly. "The song's range covers a few surrounding squares. Allied units that hear it get all stats boosted, HP restored, and Morale replenished. Enemy units that hear it suffer a massive drop in Morale, and might even be hit with debuffs like lowered Attack and Accuracy!"
"On a handheld console, which is perfect for short bursts of play, this kind of mechanic could lead to all sorts of unconventional strategies. Players wouldn't need to painstakingly calculate damage for every single stage. They could just use Basara to drive the enemies' Morale to rock bottom and then easily reap the rewards!"
Oguchi Hisao nodded, making a heavy mark in his notebook, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.
"The idea is very innovative. It breaks the established framework of the Super Robot Wars series. However," Oguchi Hisao looked up, his sharp gaze piercing Takada, "what about the social aspect? The Managing Director just emphasized infrared communication. This is a pure single-player strategy game. How do you implement a social element?"
Takada had been prepared for this. He took a deep breath and answered bluntly: "The Super Robot Wars series itself is indeed not suited for in-game interaction. After all, a tactical RPG is a battle of wits between the player and the level design. Forcing multiplayer combat into it would only break the game balance."
"But social interaction in a game isn't limited to multiplayer! It's more about players discussing and showing off the game's content. We will enrich the hidden mechs, branching storylines, and even 'unconventional' playthroughs like Basara's."
"Players in school and in their social circles will spontaneously exchange guides and brag about the hidden IF routes they've unlocked. This 'topic-based social interaction' built on shared interests can also trigger viral growth!"
Oguchi Hisao listened quietly without immediately offering his opinion.
He turned to glance at Takuya Nakayama. After seeing the Managing Director give a slight nod, Oguchi decisively closed the proposal and pushed it forward.
"Alright. The framework is solid, and you know how to play to your strengths and hide your weaknesses. Go back and refine the details."
Oguchi pointed to the development kit at the very edge of the table.
"Take one. Along with the floppy disk containing the low-level translation tools," Oguchi said, his tone stern but his eyes filled with approval. "Polish your work well."
Takada beamed with joy. He stepped forward, scooped up the black development kit, and carefully tucked the floppy disks into the inner pocket of his jacket, right over his heart.
He bowed deeply to Takuya Nakayama and Hisao Oguchi, then turned and strode back to his seat, his back straight as a board, like a returning conquering general.
Meanwhile, the other team leaders stared at the machine on Takada's desk, a growing sense of urgency tightening in their chests.
Ten machines. Now there are only nine left.
Everyone knew the massive resource boost that came with being part of the launch lineup: the marketing budget, the prime release window, even the exclusive privilege of being bundled with the console.
Miss this wave, and you'd be waiting in line until next year for this level of promotional support.
Hisao Oguchi took a sip of the iced water on the table, then set the glass down with a heavy thud on the mahogany surface.
"Next."
The moment the word left his lips, Satoshi Tajiri shot up like a spring. Holding a thick folder in both hands, he strode forward.
"The main series Pokémon sequel, Generation Three!"
The words dropped like a bomb in the conference room. The other team leaders who hadn't been called yet all gasped in unison, their breath catching for a heartbeat.
After all, ever since Sega released the insurmountable sales giants Pokémon Red/Green and Gold/Silver on the GamePocket, the main series had entered a long slumber.
In the meantime, Sega had raked in a fortune with various spin-offs—lightweight titles, pinball games, and card games—yet they adamantly refused to touch the main series' sequel.
Countless players waited in eager anticipation. Some extreme, fanatical fans even sent "blood letters" to Sega Headquarters every month, demanding an update.
Takuya Nakayama leaned back in his chair, swirling the coffee cup in his hand.
The ice cubes inside clinked together, their crisp sound echoing clearly in the deathly silent conference room.
"You've been holding back your frustration, haven't you? I've been the one stopping you from making the third generation all this time," Takuya Nakayama said, raising his eyelids slightly as he tapped the rim of the cup with a faint, knowing smile.
Hearing this, Satoshi Tajiri waved his hands repeatedly, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Not at all, not at all! Managing Director, it's just that the players are pressing us too hard. Famitsu Magazine constantly calls to ask about our development plans. Our team is also frequently cornered by fanatical players on our way home from work, demanding answers."
Takuya Nakayama chuckled softly and set his coffee cup steadily on the table, his gaze sweeping across the room.
"The Game Boy's capabilities have been pushed to their absolute limit. With its pitiful on-screen color palette and processing speed, it simply can't support a massive leap into a new generation. Forcing a third installment onto the old hardware would just be old wine in a new bottle—it would drain the vitality of Pokémon as a top-tier IP."
Takuya Nakayama raised his hand, pointing to the row of sleek, dark-finished development kits on the table. His tone instantly shifted, becoming intensely commanding. "But now, the hardware has caught up. Dual-core architecture, a Sharp 3:2 color LCD, and massive cartridge capacity. I want you to use this platform to completely reinvent the world of Pokémon!"
Hearing this, Satoshi Tajiri took a deep breath and flipped open the design document.
"The stage for the third generation is set in the Hoenn region, based on the island of Kyushu! Beyond the leap to full color, we've introduced revolutionary 'Abilities' and 'Natures' into the battle system!" Tajiri's voice grew more animated, his initial reserve completely gone. "From now on, every Pokémon will have a unique passive ability. For example, Water-type Pokémon could double their speed in rainy weather, while some Fire-types won't just resist Water-type attacks—they'll absorb the damage and convert it into Special Attack!"
Oguchi Hisao quickly flipped through the photocopied documents in his hand, his brow furrowing slightly.
"These numerical and mechanical changes alone aren't enough," Oguchi interrupted ruthlessly, his finger rapping hard on the table. "The Managing Director just emphasized that the core of the new handheld is its social aspect! You're still talking about the same old routine—one person hugging a machine and grinding mobs. How does the infrared communication come into play?"
Faced with Oguchi's harsh criticism, Satoshi Tajiri didn't panic. Instead, a smile of absolute confidence and fervent passion spread across his face.
He flipped directly to the second half of the proposal, his finger pressing firmly onto the page.
"Double Battles!"
Tajiri's voice suddenly rose, his face flushing red. "Before, we were limited by hardware and communication cables, so we could only do one-on-one duels. Now, using infrared communication, players can engage in two-on-two, same-screen linked battles! This won't just test the strength of a single Pokémon, but also the terrifying synergy between two Pokémon's moves, Abilities, and even the entire field's weather! The tactical depth will increase exponentially. This will absolutely revolutionize the existing Pokémon battle environment!"
Takuya Nakayama nodded inwardly.
In his past life, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire had used Double Battles and the Abilities system to lay the absolute foundation for Pokémon in the world of eSports competitions (VGC).
Satoshi Tajiri had clearly already found the key to this door.
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