"Good," he said, looking up at his subordinate.
"Contact the media outlets we're familiar with."
"It's time to give consumers and investors a heads-up."
He paused, a hint of mockery in his tone.
"Remember the 'Atari Grave' in the Alamogordo Desert in New Mexico?"
His subordinate immediately understood.
"You mean…?"
"Give them a hint," David Rosen's smile deepened.
"Just say that history always repeats itself in surprisingly similar ways."
"Remind everyone to be vigilant. What is the intention behind such secretive promotion? Don't let another 'ET the Extra-Terrestrial' farce play out again."
He didn't need to attack directly; he only needed to gently pluck the string of fear in the hearts of consumers and investors.
Atari's bones were still fresh; this was the most powerful weapon.
In the following days, the smell of gunpowder in the media suddenly intensified.
Although most of the articles questioning the true identity of the NES were bought off, sporadic dissenting voices still emerged from time to time, appearing endlessly.
Sega's "timely"Thrown "Atari Grave" argument was like pouring a ladle of cold water into boiling oil, instantly igniting public opinion.
"Nintendo NES: Innovative Entertainment, or the Next Atari?"
"Warning! The Gaming Console Ghost in the Gray Box!"
"The Alamogordo Desert Warning: Do We Really Need Another Gaming Console?"
Blinding headlines filled newspaper pages and television screens.
The phones at Nintendo of North America headquarters rang incessantly, and Minoru Arakawa felt unprecedented pressure. Although the strategy of throwing money to silence most media outlets had some effect, there were always some that slipped through the cracks. The reminder of the "Atari Grave" stirred up even more readers' rebellious sentiments, and the tide of public opinion seemed to be on the verge of completely washing away the dam they had carefully constructed.
"Something must be done," Minoru Arakawa mused to himself; the current situation was not optimistic. His fingers tapped lightly on the desktop, his thoughts surging like a tide. Finally, he made a decision. "Arrange a press conference. I'll handle it personally."
Minoru Arakawa quickly gathered his team to arrange the details of the press conference, with the time and location being finalized amidst intense preparations. Hours later, facing the flashing lights and the barrage of microphones and cameras from numerous reporters, he adjusted his tie, trying to appear composed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming," he said in a clear voice, attempting to command the room. Reporters eagerly raised their microphones, impatient to ask questions. Minoru Arakawa smiled slightly, secretly steeling himself for the challenge.
"Mr. Arakawa, what is your view on the media's skepticism regarding the NES?" a reporter asked first, his gaze as sharp as a knife. Minoru Arakawa took a deep breath and said firmly, "We have always strived to make the NES a paradigm of home entertainment; that is our original intention."
"But some commentators believe this is a deceptive promotion. What do you think?" another reporter pressed, clearly not intending to let him off the hook. Minoru Arakawa frowned slightly, his heart tightening, but he quickly adjusted his emotions and continued, "We haven't hidden anything. The NES is indeed a brand new entertainment system, designed to bring joy to families."
"Are you concerned that this negative public opinion will affect sales?" Questions from reporters poured in like a tide. Minoru Arakawa's forehead beaded with sweat, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I believe consumers will judge with their own eyes; our product will speak for itself."
Just then, a reporter suddenly interjected, "Do you think the 'Atari Grave' analogy is too much?" Minoru Arakawa smiled slightly, a hint of humor in his eyes: "The analogy is indeed a bit exaggerated, but I hope everyone can see the true value of the NES, rather than being overshadowed by past shadows."
As the conversation deepened, the atmosphere gradually eased, and Minoru Arakawa's confidence steadily grew. The reporters' questions began to become more rational, and some even started to show interest in the NES. Minoru Arakawa secretly congratulated himself, it seemed his efforts had not been in vain.
"Thank you for your questions. We will continue to work hard to make the NES the first choice for home entertainment," he concluded, a faint smile on his face, but a quiet sigh of relief in his heart. Perhaps today's press conference could bring a glimmer of hope for their future.
"I know there have been some discussions, and even some… misunderstandings, about our Nintendo Entertainment System recently."
"I want to emphasize that the NES is not just a game console."
"It is a brand new family entertainment center that will bring an unprecedented interactive entertainment experience."
"We have the highest quality game software, produced by top developers worldwide, which is incomparable to the shoddy products of the Atari era."
He tried to steer the conversation towards the product itself, emphasizing its innovativeness and high quality.
However, the reporters would not indulge a Japanese man. This was the peak period of Japanese goods impacting North America, and their not disliking this Japanese man was already out of respect for the dollar. Their questions remained sharp.
"Mr. Arakawa, if it's not a game console, why is the entire launch lineup game software?"
"How do you guarantee that the NES won't be abandoned by the market like Atari?"
"Have any distributors contacted Nintendo?"
"Is the term 'entertainment system' merely to circumvent consumers' resistance to game consoles?"
Despite Minoru Arakawa's best efforts to showcase the charm of the NES and Nintendo's sincerity, once the seed of doubt was sown, it was difficult to easily eradicate.
Many media outlets and consumers still believed that Nintendo's explanation lacked sincerity and was more like a cunning word game.
Far away in Nintendo's headquarters in Kyoto, Japan.
Hiroshi Yamauchi listened to Minoru Arakawa's frustrated report over the phone, along with his complaints about the media and competitors, his face showing no emotion.
Only after Minoru Arakawa finished his report did he speak coldly.
"Enough."
The simple two words instantly silenced Minoru Arakawa on the other end of the line.
"The media's clamor is being pushed by someone behind the scenes; this is normal."
Hiroshi Yamauchi's voice betrayed no emotion.
"Sega's petty actions, don't pay them any mind."
"Do you think a few reports can stop Nintendo's progress?"
There was a hint of disdain in his tone.
"The setback in promotion is because they haven't truly experienced the fun of the NES yet."
"Words are pale; games are the most powerful weapon."
Hiroshi Yamauchi's thinking was crystal clear.
"Stop wasting energy on the media."
"Immediately prepare for the NES offline trial event."
"Let those players, those retailers, touch it with their own hands, see it with their own eyes, and personally experience super mario bros.!"
"Let word of mouth speak."
"Let the players' astonishment and love drown out those voices of doubt."
Hiroshi Yamauchi hung up the phone, his eyes sharp.
The defeat on the public relations battlefield was just a small ripple.
The real victory or defeat will ultimately be determined by the product itself.
He believed that as long as players experienced the charm of the FC (NES), all negative publicity would collapse on its own.
The storm in the North America market had just begun.