At noon, the group gathered at the McLaren Racing team's leisure facility for lunch.
Conversation naturally turned to Sega's upcoming game release.
"Releasing a Formula One game at the Formula One event itself?" Senna's eyes lit up after hearing Takuya Nakayama's explanation. "That's a brilliant idea. The fans will love it."
"I hope so," Takuya said with a smile. "We've also prepared some small surprises, like our game's steering wheel controller, which is modeled after the MP4/7A's design."
"Oh?" Berger's interest was piqued. "Can we try it out this afternoon? Let's see if your game can make me race faster than Ayrton!"
"I'm afraid not," Ron Dennis interjected coldly from the side. "You have a data meeting this afternoon."
Berger's disappointed expression immediately drew laughter from the group.
After lunch, Takuya Nakayama and his team tactfully took their leave, refraining from further disturbing McLaren Racing's intense pre-race preparations.
October 23rd, Friday.
The first day of the Japanese Grand Prix, featuring practice sessions.
The early morning mist had yet to dissipate over Suzuka Circuit, but the air was already dominated by a unique symphony: the high-pitched, air-splitting roar of Formula One engines, mingling with the distant murmur of a swelling crowd.
Though it was only a practice session, enthusiastic spectators had already flooded the grandstands, forming a human tide.
Unlike other overbearing sponsors, Sega's GG Brand didn't blanket the area with advertisements. Instead, it appeared strategically at key intersections leading to the stands and at the entrance to Motopia Amusement Park.
Beneath the blue and white SEGA logo, two attractions stood side by side: a futuristic-looking VR Racing arcade cabinet, and a Pikachu wearing a miniature helmet and McLaren racing gear, playfully sparking electricity at passersby with a toothy grin.
"Hey, check it out! Sega's new arcade game!" A young man in a Ferrari team jacket nudged his friend, pointing at the VR Racing display on the GG Brand sign. "It's Formula One-themed and looks really hardcore. Wanna try it later?"
His companion nodded, but his gaze was drawn to another corner of the GG Brand sign.
"What game are you talking about? If my son sees that, he won't have a peaceful day."
Following his friend's gaze, the younger man saw the bright yellow electric mouse.
Sure enough, not far away, a small-scale "family war" had already erupted.
A boy who looked no more than ten years old was clinging tightly to the hem of his father's shirt, pointing at the GG Brand sign with his chubby finger, his face crinkled in excitement. "Dad! Dad! Pikachu! It's the racing Pikachu!"
The father looked helpless, trying to reason with him. "We came to see Senna, not some yellow rat."
"But it's wearing a helmet! It's a racing mouse!" The boy's logic was clear, his demand unmistakable, and he refused to back down until he got what he wanted.
Similar scenes played out repeatedly across the Suzuka Circuit.
Some true gaming enthusiasts and racing fans, drawn by VR Racing's advertisements, headed straight for Motopia Amusement Park.
Meanwhile, families with children, "persuaded" by their kids, veered off their original route and headed toward the "limited merchandise sales point" marked on the GG sign.
At the Sega exhibition area in Motopia Amusement Park, Kevin stood with his arms crossed, looking contentedly at the scene before him.
The renovated area had an elegant atmosphere. Players who had collected their tickets were either sipping free drinks and chatting softly on the sofas, or watching the game demonstrations on the big screen with keen interest.
There were no long queues, no loud shouts—everything was orderly and peaceful.
A Japanese youth, his cheeks still flushed with excitement from playing VR Racing, gesticulated wildly to his friend. "The speed sensation was incredible! When I went through the 130R high-speed turn, my heart nearly jumped out of my throat! They even added force feedback to the steering wheel—it felt amazing!"
Hearing this, Kevin grinned from ear to ear.
Meanwhile, at the Sega merchandise stand in the leisure area, a joyful chaos had erupted.
The counter was swarmed by layers of people, but upon closer inspection, the majority of the crowd consisted of a "dwarf army" of children, most under four feet tall.
"I want that one! I want the one with the helmet!"
"Mom! Buy me one! I'm not leaving if you don't!"
"One isn't enough! I want two! One for home and one for school!"
The parents caught between the children wore expressions of both pain and joy.
A man in a suit sighed as he pulled out his wallet. "My entire month's allowance... all to buy a single mouse."
Takuya Nakayama and Mark Cerny stood nearby, quietly observing the scene.
A Japanese employee in charge of sales, drenched in sweat, squeezed through the crowd. Seeing Takuya, he looked like he'd found a savior, his face a mix of excitement and a hint of panic.
"Managing Director! It's terrible!"
Mark's heart tightened, fearing something had gone wrong.
The employee gasped for breath, holding up his walkie-talkie, his voice strained. "The five thousand—limited edition Pikachu plushies—the first batch—they're almost—almost sold out!"
Almost sold out?
Mark froze, momentarily unable to reconcile the words "terrible" and "almost sold out" in a logical way.
"What kind of 'bad' is this? This is practically heaven!"
Beside him, Takuya Nakayama didn't even flinch, as if he'd anticipated this outcome all along. He watched the employee before him, flushed red with excitement and nervousness, and a faint smile crept across his lips.
"Isn't this a good thing?"
The employee was stunned by this casual remark. "Huh? But, Managing Director, our stock is critically low! If we can't get more soon, the disappointed fans will cause trouble! Parents outside are already complaining!"
"Let them complain," Nakayama replied, his voice as calm as still water. "Listen carefully: go back now and take out today's emergency stock from the warehouse. Remember, only today's stock."
He paused, observing the employee's wide eyes, and continued methodically: "Once it's all sold out, immediately post a notice in the most prominent spot at the counter."
Nakayama's measured tone carried a soothing power: "The notice should read: 'Thank you to all our car enthusiast friends for your overwhelming support! Today's limited-edition Pikachu plushies have sold out. To reward your enthusiasm, we will have ample stock ready for sale on Saturday and Sunday, starting promptly at 9 a.m. Please stay tuned!' Make the text large and eye-catching, understood?"
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 30+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon