Just as ordinary gamers stared helplessly at the exorbitantly priced Sega CD, either drooling over it or borrowing time on their wealthy friends' systems until the buttons were nearly worn through, Sega's three-announcements-in-one-day bombshell exploded across the gaming community like three massive bombs.
The first announcement appeared in full-page color spreads across major gaming magazines.
The image showed an exquisite wristwatch resting quietly on a velvet cushion. The watch face cleverly incorporated design elements from the time gears of Chrono Trigger, with Casio's logo in the background.
The caption was succinct: "Christmas Gift: Journey Through Time Together—Limited Edition Chrono Trigger Collaboration Watch, Coming Soon."
The second announcement boldly displayed the title Chrono Trigger in large letters, followed by the date "Summer 1993."
"In response to the overwhelming demand from players worldwide, Sega has decided to officially release the Chrono Trigger Mega Drive Cartridge Edition next year."
The third piece of news struck all Square die-hard fans like a bolt of pure joy.
[ "Square Classic Games Concert" to debut at Tokyo College of Music's main concert hall. Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda will join a symphony orchestra to perform the melodies etched in your memory. ]
As soon as these three announcements hit, the gaming community exploded with excitement.
"Hooray! The MD version! My wallet's saved! I knew Sega wouldn't abandon us!"
"Even if the graphics and sound are scaled back, I just want to play it! I've been drooling over Chrono's face in the magazine until it's practically worn through!"
Those players who had been watching helplessly from the sidelines due to their meager savings finally felt liberated. Their longing for Chrono Trigger had been stoked to fever pitch by relentless media hype and enthusiastic recommendations from friends.
Now, a tangible hope had materialized before them. Even if it wasn't the perfect experience, it was enough to make them celebrate.
Meanwhile, the 120,000 "believers" who had already purchased the Collector's Edition focused their attention on the other two announcements.
"A watch! I knew it! I knew Sega's work wouldn't be so simple!"
"We've already spent over 10,000 yen. What's another few tens of thousands for a watch? It's a symbol of status!"
"Brother above, do you think your wife knows you feel this way?"
"Shut up! This is an investment in art!"
For them, the release of the Mega Drive edition not only didn't diminish their sense of superiority, but rather made their choice seem even more precious.
And that limited-edition watch and concert were like a private coronation ceremony.
Especially the news about the concert struck the core fans right where they were most vulnerable.
The main concert hall of Tokyo College of Music—what kind of place was that? It was a temple of classical music.
Now, the game music they loved would be performed there by a professional symphony orchestra.
This meant that the hobby to which they had devoted countless hours and emotions was no longer a mere "distraction" in the eyes of others, but a legitimate art form worthy of being showcased in such a hallowed space.
The feeling of being acknowledged and elevated was far deeper than the joy the game itself could bring.
"I've decided! No matter how expensive the concert tickets are, I have to get one!"
"Just thinking about wearing a suit to hear the Final Fantasy opening theme gives me goosebumps."
"Now I can confidently tell my parents I'm not just playing games—I'm appreciating art!"
Hironobu Sakaguchi watched the player feedback his assistant had compiled, a smile never leaving his lips.
He picked up the phone and dialed Takuya Nakayama's office again.
"Mr. Nakayama, the players are going crazy," he said, leaning back in his chair, his entire body relaxing. "I even think that watch will sell better than the game itself."
"Isn't that great?" Takuya Nakayama's voice carried a chuckle. "This will show Casio and other merchants just how much consumer potential a game IP has. It'll give us more leverage when negotiating future partnerships."
Sakaguchi paused, then chuckled in amusement.
"So even this was part of your plan."
He marveled sincerely, "Your marketing always leaves players willingly devouring it, Mr. Nakayama."
"Don't put it that way, Sakaguchi-san," Takuya Nakayama said, his tone turning serious. "We're just doing the right thing—giving excellent works the recognition they deserve and rewarding passionate players as they should be."
After Sega's three announcements completely ignited player enthusiasm, the situation split into two groups. Core players with deep pockets immediately began scouring for details on the Casio-branded Chrono Trigger watch, while the vast majority of ordinary players, after their initial euphoria, quickly found themselves caught in a delightful dilemma.
Their fervor had nowhere to go.
The MD Cartridge Edition of Chrono Trigger wouldn't be released until the following summer, and the watch symbolizing "believer" status was prohibitively expensive. For now, they were left with boundless admiration for Sega and Square, along with the New Year's money they'd saved to buy new games, but suddenly found themselves without a clear target for their spending.
This peculiar market sentiment was immediately picked up by astute distributors.
"Managing Director, the latest frontline market feedback."
The department manager from Marketing hurried into Takuya Nakayama's office, his face a curious mix of excitement and bewilderment.
"We've received calls from several major electronics stores in Akihabara and Shinjuku," the manager said, handing over the report. "They've noticed a large crowd of teenagers and young adults lingering around our Mega Drive displays lately. They're pointing at the Chrono Trigger posters, animatedly discussing them, but they won't leave. They pace back and forth, pick up a cartridge, examine it, put it down, pick up another, then seem disappointed."
Takuya Nakayama flipped through the report, a faint smile playing on his lips. "And then?"
"And then... a significant number of them wander over to the neighboring Nintendo displays, frown for a while, and then stroll back. The store managers say it's like a pack of famished wolves circling a mountain of gold, unsure where to start biting. They're worried that if this enthusiasm doesn't find an outlet, the crowd will eventually disperse."
"We have money in their pockets and their feet planted in our stores. What better scenario could we hope for?" Nakayama put down the report, his tone relaxed. "Since our customers want to spend money, let's give them a compelling reason to do so."
He turned to his assistant. "Find the plan for the 1990 New Year's Appreciation Festival event."
The assistant paused, then his eyes lit up as he slapped his thigh. "I get it!"
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