The sunlight at the end of July was almost scorching.
The cicadas' chirping also seemed to grow more incessant, as if roasted by the high temperatures.
The streets of Tokyo were bustling with the unique energy of summer vacation.
Students emerged in groups of three or five from cram schools, arcades, or ice cream shops, their faces beaming with carefree smiles.
Sweeping across Japan with this heatwave was a new gaming craze.
It didn't come from the deafening sounds of arcade halls, nor the flickering lights of television screens.
Instead, it was a quieter, yet swifter, trend—handheld gaming devices.
Specifically, it was Sega's newly released handheld console and the tetris game pre-installed on every unit.
Initially, this trend only spread among students.
As the holidays began, children were delighted to discover that tetris, which they usually could only play in arcades, could now be carried in their pockets.
Its compact body and simple buttons made the rules clear at a glance, and operation was easy to pick up, yet it contained an irresistible magic.
On park benches, under the shade of trees, and even on the train ride home.
Teenagers engrossed in intense battles were seen everywhere.
Children gathered together, no longer chasing and playing, but each holding a handheld console, connected by data cables, competing in their block-clearing skills.
Summer vacation might have had various activities and part-time jobs, but many people dedicated their fragmented spare time to tetris.
This craze quickly broke through the boundaries of the student population.
Inside train carriages during the morning rush hour, there was no longer just the rustling of newspapers and drowsy faces.
Many more figures were seen looking down intently, their fingertips lightly touching the buttons of the handheld consoles they held.
These were office workers in suits, using their commute time to immerse themselves in the joy of clearing blocks.
During lunchtime, offices also became a bit different.
It was no longer a scene of people napping or hurriedly eating their meals.
Colleagues gathered, no longer discussing work trivialities, but rather their new tetris high scores from the previous night, or sharing exclusive game tips.
Even housewives joined this nationwide block-clearing craze.
In between cooking, or after putting children to sleep, they would also pick up their handheld consoles to relax and pass the time in the world of blocks.
The compact and portable nature of handheld consoles, like invisible tentacles, quietly permeated every corner of social life.
From children to the elderly, from students to white-collar workers, almost everyone was swept into this block-clearing storm.
By the end of August, the handheld version of tetris was no longer just a popular game.
It had become a social phenomenon.
Its widespread influence even caught the attention of Japan's authoritative media, NHK.
The television station produced a special social documentary, delving into why the tetris handheld console had garnered such widespread acclaim.
The program interviewed players of all ages, analyzed its addictive mechanism from the perspective of game designers, and further interpreted the cultural implications behind the game's popularity from a socio-psychological level.
NHK's cameras truly documented the omnipresent sight of the tetris handheld console in Japanese society.
In the park, children sat in a circle, their handheld screens flickering.
On the train, commuters were engrossed, their fingertips busy.
Housewives in a corner of the kitchen briefly escaped the trivial of housework.
At the end of the program, the host's summary was thought-provoking.
"The tetris handheld console, perhaps, is not just a game; it is more like a mirror, reflecting a common psychological need in contemporary Japanese society—simplicity, focus, and instant gratification.
In an increasingly fast-paced modern life, people yearn to find moments of relaxation and a sense of control from fragmented time."
End of August, Sega Headquarters.
The atmosphere of the monthly summary meeting was completely different from usual.
The head of the sales department walked onto the stage with a light step, his face beaming with unprecedented excitement and pride.
He cleared his throat, looked around, and his gaze finally settled on Hayao Nakayama, who was seated at the head of the table.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I will first report on the sales data for the handheld version of tetris."
Inside the conference room, silence instantly fell.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the executive.
The air seemed to solidify, leaving only the executive's slightly hurried breathing.
"As of the end of August, the handheld version of tetris…
Cumulative global sales have exceeded…
12 million units!"
"Hiss—"
A collective gasp filled the conference room.
Even the executives who were mentally prepared were stunned by this number.
In their daily lives and work communications, they had already felt the immense popularity of the tetris handheld console.
People holding handheld consoles were seen everywhere, in every street and alley.
But when this number was truly presented before their eyes, they still felt an incredible impact.
One month, 12 million units.
What kind of concept was this?
It was simply a miracle in gaming history.
After a brief moment of shock, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly boiled over.
Exclamations of admiration and congratulations rose and fell.
Executives stood up one after another, flocking to Hayao Nakayama, scrambling to express their respect and praise.
"President, this is truly amazing!
12 million units in one month, this is an unprecedented feat!"
"Like father, like son!
Takuya-kun truly inherited your excellent genes; his vision and boldness are admirable!"
"I said from the beginning that Takuya-kun's project would definitely succeed!
The concept of fighting games definitely has potential too!"
Those executives who had previously been skeptical or even dismissive of Takuya's new project.
At this moment, they all changed their tune, enthusiastically expressing their admiration.
Takuya sat in the corner, smiling slightly shyly, and stood up to nod in thanks to his seniors.
"You all flatter me, seniors; this is all the result of the company's strong resource support and the team's collective efforts.
I just did some insignificant work."
His posture was humble and modest, yet it made him appear even more steady and reliable.
Hayao Nakayama's face also showed an uncontrollable smile of satisfaction.
He looked at his son, surrounded by everyone, his heart filled with relief and pride.
This was not just a huge commercial success.
It was also a perfect validation of his son's abilities.
Takuya was no longer just "the president's son."
He had already used his strength to earn the recognition and respect of everyone at Sega.
Through the dual immense success of the tetris arcade and handheld versions.
Takuya completely established his position within Sega, especially in the development and marketing fields.
Far away in Kyoto, at Nintendo Headquarters.
Hiroshi Yamauchi also learned of the astonishing achievements of Sega's handheld tetris and its huge impact on Japanese society through NHK's special program and market feedback from various channels.
The faces of the people immersed in the block-clearing game in the NHK program deeply stung Hiroshi Yamauchi's nerves.
The sales figure of 12 million units was like a huge rock pressing on his heart, causing him a faint, inexplicable unease.
Especially the potential of handheld gaming devices, this emerging market.
It seemed to far exceed his previous estimates.
However, this worry did not last too long.
Soon, good news from North America dispelled the gloom in Hiroshi Yamauchi's heart.
With the successful large-scale NES offline playtests.
The powerful charm of the super mario bros. game completely conquered North American players and retailers.
The previously rampant negative public opinion was also gradually suppressed.
NES's sales momentum in North America began to rise strongly.
It achieved initial success.
Hiroshi Yamauchi's strategic focus quickly shifted back to the North America market.
In his opinion, the current core battlefield and main source of profit remained in the home console sector.
While the threat from the handheld market was worth vigilance, its priority was temporarily lower.
He still held the ingrained perception of the handheld market as "non-core players" and "niche."
At the subsequent high-level meeting.
An executive brought up a piece of intelligence worth noting.