Bomberman's development progressed swiftly. It wasn't a massive game; its difficulty lay solely in the level design.
In October, Bomberman was released as scheduled.
At the Atlas Offline Experience Store in Akihabara, several customers were already waiting outside when Hideo Kojima opened the doors.
Kojima glanced at them, his expression unflinching. As the saying goes: "Those who harbor thunder in their chest yet wear a tranquil lake on their face are fit to be game developers!" Hideo Kojima was precisely that kind of person.
"Would you like an in-store demo, or are you here to purchase the game?" Kojima asked enthusiastically, inviting the group inside.
The store had only one other employee besides him, so the two of them formed the entire staff. When it got busy, Kojima naturally had to take the initiative to greet customers.
The group walked in, looking around with fresh eyes.
"Not bad!"
"Why isn't there any Super Mario?"
"Are you kidding? This is the Atlas Offline Experience Store! Of course, it only has Atlas games!"
The young people chuckled and joked. Kojima, among them, didn't feel out of place; he was just out of university himself.
Though he hadn't finished his courses yet, Kojima had already left to intern at the company.
Amid the banter, the group finally settled down.
"I heard Atlas opened an offline experience store."
"Manager, are you an employee of Atlas?"
Hideo Kojima scratched his head.
He felt like he was!
"Sort of. This is the first authorized Bomberman experience store approved by Atlas," Kojima explained. "So, what game do you want to play? Sonic or...?"
The group chimed in eagerly.
"Bomberman, of course! Bomberman!"
"I heard it's a new version."
"Who buys NEC stuff anyway—?"
Amid the chatter, Kojima connected the Bomberman game and gave a quick rundown of the controls. The group immediately dove in.
Kobayashi Tetsu hadn't been involved in this updated Bomberman version. After setting the design requirements, Iwata Satoru had led the development team. As a result, the core gameplay remained largely unchanged from the original Bomberman. However, the number of levels had been drastically reduced to just fifteen, with subsequent levels being recolors of earlier stages.
Armed with his arms crossed, Kojima watched the group play. The first level was relatively easy, as it was designed as a tutorial. But starting from the second level, the difficulty skyrocketed.
"No way! How did I die like that?!"
"I blew myself up!"
"Damn it! Why didn't he just keep moving?!"
Hideo Kojima smirked smugly. "Don't underestimate the enemies in this game. The first level is just a tutorial."
Facing several pairs of eager eyes, Kojima began to show off, his voice dripping with superiority. "Atlas games have enhanced AI. These monsters will cooperate to some extent and won't just stupidly run into bombs. You need to at least avoid their patrol routes."
"Except at the very beginning, you always need to keep moving. If you stand still, you'll quickly be surrounded and trapped."
Kojima's explanation was logical and convincing, earning him admiring glances from the group.
*A master! He's clearly a master! To know so much!*
The self-proclaimed worst gamer, Hideo Kojima, wore an enigmatic smile.
*As long as I never play, I'll always be a master!*
More newcomers arrived at the Atlas Offline Experience Store. Kojima, unable to attend to the earlier group, quickly went to greet the new arrivals.
The store had seen a steady stream of visitors, far more than Hideo Kojima had anticipated.
Upon closer questioning, most customers had only learned about the Atlas Offline Experience Store's opening from recent newspaper articles and had rushed over to check it out.
Though most browsed without buying, Hideo Kojima didn't shoo them away, allowing them to linger in the store.
Fortunately, the store's size was substantial; otherwise, it wouldn't have accommodated the crowd.
By mid-morning, both cartridges and gaming consoles had been sold. Hideo Kojima estimated that this direct sales channel, bypassing traditional retail stores, would significantly boost profits.
*Still, the construction costs of these experience stores are a significant expense. And not every store will have a store manager as exceptional as me!*
With this thought, Hideo Kojima approached a new customer.
Clad in a black trench coat with a spiky hairdo, the man exuded a fashionable air. After a moment's silent observation, Hideo Kojima concluded the man was merely trendy, not a member of the Yakuza.
*No one in the Yakuza would dare sport such an idiotic hairstyle.*
"Hello, I'm Hideo Kojima, the manager of the Atlas Offline Experience Store. Can I help you?"
"Hello." The man in the black trench coat bowed. "I am Black Flame Dragon."
Hideo Kojima: —————?
*This can't possibly be his real name!*
Hideo Kojima welcomed Hei Yanlong into the Atlas Offline Experience Store, briefly introducing the premises and equipment.
Hei Yanlong nodded attentively before finally settling into a seat and beginning the game.
Hideo Kojima watched from behind for a while.
The first level was straightforward, just a basic introduction to the game.
The second level saw the difficulty skyrocket.
Hideo Kojima suddenly hummed in approval.
While he wasn't particularly skilled at playing games himself, his discerning eye quickly recognized that this player possessed remarkably clear strategic thinking. Bomberman didn't demand the same level of precise manual dexterity as other action games, but it required razor-sharp tactical awareness. Improperly placed bombs could easily blow up the player, and as enemy AI grew more sophisticated, the need for strategic bomb placement became even more critical.
Yet Hideo Kojima observed that Hei Yanlong's strategic thinking was exceptionally sharp.
Though he died a few times, he quickly became adept, mastering all the necessary maneuvers and even deploying chain bombs.
Gradually, a crowd began to gather in the store. Most were just watching, not buying, but the lively atmosphere drew curious passersby, who frequently paused to wonder what kind of store could attract such a crowd.
As the crowd swelled, Hei Yanlong remained oblivious, fully focused on clearing the levels.
Initially, a single bomb was enough to kill an enemy, but now, a single bomb was far from sufficient. It now required three or four bombs placed in coordination to have any chance of eliminating an enemy.
Moreover, the enemies in the levels had evolved from their sluggish beginnings to become swift and agile, even capable of passing through walls, though Bomberman always managed to counter them.
By the time the game reached the fifteenth level, even Hideo Kojima couldn't help but hold his breath.
He'd never seen a level last this long!
In the fifteenth level, the number of monster enemies had sharply decreased, no longer the swarming hordes of previous levels. However, the remaining few enemies could not only pass through walls but also coordinated their movements with eerie precision.
Watching Bomberman circle around and place four bombs to surround the target, even Hideo Kojima secretly felt confident.
But then, just as the bombs ignited, the monster unexpectedly darted into the heart of the explosion, somehow surviving the direct blast.
"I—"
Hideo Kojima choked back the expletive that nearly escaped his lips. He instinctively raised his middle finger to adjust his glasses.
Though he had developed this AI system with his friends, even Hideo Kojima hadn't anticipated it being fine-tuned to this extent.
*What on earth has Atlas done to my AI?!*
In the game, Black Flame Dragon finally failed to clear the fifteenth level, ending the session. The spectators behind him collectively sighed in relief.
Hideo Kojima stepped forward, his expression unchanged, and shook the player's hand.
"You're doing well, but your strategic placement of bombs still needs improvement. You must place them more deliberately."
Black Flame Dragon's head snapped up, staring at Hideo Kojima.
*There's another expert here?*
Hideo Kojima brushed his hair aside, showing no intention of playing the game himself.
"Give me a game cartridge," Black Flame Dragon demanded.
Hideo Kojima accepted the payment.
*3,480 yen in hand.*
Throughout the day, many people visited the Atlas Offline Experience Store, but most only watched without buying. By the end of the day, they had sold one gaming console and thirty to forty game cartridges.
Just before closing that evening, Kobayashi Tetsu arrived at the store.
"President Kobayashi," Hideo Kojima said, rising quickly to report the day's results. "Not many customers?"
Kobayashi Tetsu shrugged. "Who cares? This is an experience store. The point is to let people try the games. We never expected it to turn a profit anyway."
He pulled up a chair for Hideo Kojima across from him. "Do you know why I opened this place?"
***
Hideo Kojima naturally knew: "To establish our own sales channels, connect all levels of the organization, and create a coordinated strategy—aligning our efforts—"
"Enough, enough. Only the first sentence was useful," Kobayashi Tetsu interrupted, raising his hand. "At the end of the day, sales channels are just added value. The key is the experience! By letting players experience our products, we can build brand loyalty and trust. Even if Atlas later releases something as questionable as 'Depend Poo,' players will still buy it to see if it's any good. From another perspective, I also need an experience store to promptly gather feedback on player needs."
Kobayashi Tetsu casually pointed at the TV.
"Players aren't TVs, of course. They don't understand how TVs work, but they can tell a good TV from a bad one, and they can judge the picture quality. We can't make games based solely on player feedback, but we need a channel to understand what they like and what they dislike, so we can make targeted improvements. The experience store itself won't be profitable, but it will add value. We've just opened this store, and I estimate it will take several years before it starts turning a profit."
Only someone like Kobayashi Tetsu would buy a storefront in this prime location. Otherwise, the annual rent alone would be several million yen, and it would be impossible to break even without generating at least five or six hundred thousand yen in monthly net profit.
With net profits already at five or six hundred thousand yen, actual sales must be approaching a million yen.
However, the real value of an experience store lies in the intangible benefits it brings.
Kobayashi Tetsu's strategy is to build these stores like various "phone homes."
Even if the stores themselves don't turn a profit, as long as users come in, experience the brand, and form a positive impression—even if they don't make any purchases that day—it's still a win. The added value will manifest elsewhere.
Hideo Kojima looked thoughtful, then his face lit up with sudden understanding.
He hadn't considered this aspect before.
Hideo Kojima sincerely admired, "President, you truly have a far-sighted vision."
Kobayashi Tetsu raised his hand.
Sat down.
Standard procedure!
Atlas only needs one court jester: Naka Yuji!
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