As Smith's soul-stirring performance ended, the powerful music abruptly ceased, leaving only the faint hum of the equipment's cooling fans and the heavy breathing of the people.
Smith leaped off the machine, his face alight with extreme excitement, and flashed a victory sign towards the control room.
Young employees gathered in small groups, their cheeks flushed with excitement, gesticulating animatedly and imitating some of Smith's signature moves, which drew another round of good-natured laughter.
The air was filled with joyful elements, rising like champagne bubbles.
The executives, meanwhile, had re-seated themselves in the bar area, their excited emotions having slightly calmed, but the sparkle in their eyes had not faded.
Mitsui Chuta picked up the almost untouched coffee in front of him; it was already a little cool to the touch.
He took a small sip, his gaze sweeping over everyone's excited faces, finally settling on the arcade machine that had just fallen silent but still seemed to radiate astonishing energy.
"Gentlemen," he began, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor, breaking the momentary silence born of lingering enjoyment, "such a groundbreaking product—no, I should say a work of art—needs a resounding name, a name that can define a trend."
Director Yoshikawa nodded in deep agreement; he had completely shed his usual stern, intimidating demeanor, leaning slightly forward, hands clasped on the bar, like a child anticipating a new toy.
"Exactly, a name that's unforgettable, one you can even shout out!"
Almost telepathically, the entire bar area fell silent, and everyone's gaze focused on this young man.
They waited, expecting this young man who had created a miracle to once again provide an astonishing answer.
Takuya Nakayama felt the weight of everyone's gaze, that heavy expectation, yet it only fueled the heroic spirit in his chest.
Then, he clearly and forcefully uttered a few words.
"I suggest this game be called—'Dance Dance Revolution'!"
"Dance Dance Revolution"!
This string of English words, spoken by Takuya Nakayama with clear Japanese pronunciation, not only had no sense of incongruity but instead carried a strange international flair and sense of fashion.
Maruyama Shigeo, President of Sony Records, almost instinctively slapped his thigh, his eyes bursting with an even more intense glow than before.
"Dance Dance Revolution!"
He excitedly repeated it, even reciting it several times with different inflections, and the more he said it, the more he felt the name was imbued with magic.
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! This name is full of dynamism and the spirit of youth trends; it inherently carries an appeal!"
He was practically gesticulating wildly, his smile even brighter than when Smith was performing.
"Listen, 'Dance Revolution'! This is practically a declaration!"
The other executives also nodded in agreement, satisfied smiles on their faces.
This name not only directly highlighted the game's core gameplay but also carried an assertive aura of overturning tradition and leading a new trend.
"Dance Dance Revolution," this name seemed to possess a life of its own, quickly taking root in everyone's hearts.
With the name decided, the atmosphere in the room was once again pushed to a new climax.
The conversation naturally shifted to the subsequent content production and market operation of this revolutionary game.
This was key to transforming an "artwork" into real money.
Maruyama Shigeo, as the head of Sony Records, naturally took the lead in expressing his views; his excitement was palpable, his voice eight octaves higher than usual.
"Nakayama-san, Sony Records will provide the most comprehensive support for 'Dance Dance Revolution'!"
He vigorously waved his arm, as if what lay before him was no longer a conference room, but mountains of platinum records and surging crowds.
"All of our music library resources, including those hot singles about to be released, can be prioritized for DDR's use!
We will also actively coordinate with our artists, whether top superstars or promising newcomers, to participate in dance choreography and promotion!"
Takuya Nakayama wore an appropriately subtle smile, nodding slightly.
He was naturally aware of Sony Records' power in the music industry, and he understood the weight of this support.
After Maruyama Shigeo's impassioned speech came to a close, Takuya Nakayama unhurriedly took over the conversation.
"Mr. Maruyama's strong support undoubtedly lays a solid foundation for DDR's success."
He paused, his tone thoughtful.
"In terms of song selection, in addition to professional dance tracks like 'Bad' that are highly technical and explosive, which can set DDR's professional benchmark and attract core players.
But I believe we also need to target niche markets more precisely, especially—"
His gaze turned to Maruyama Shigeo, looking completely confident.
"—the young female player demographic."
At these words, several executives showed thoughtful expressions.
The arcade market had always been a male domain—fighting, shooting, racing, all were.
DDR's explosive performance and operation, at first glance, also seemed to lean more towards men who were passionate about street dance and pursued technical skill.
Takuya Nakayama's suggestion undoubtedly opened a new window.
"We can introduce songs and dances from popular female idol groups," Takuya Nakayama further elaborated his idea, his voice steady, logic clear, and persuasive.
"While the dances of these idol groups may not be as complex and varied in professional technique as those of top dancers, their advantage lies in their youthful beauty and immense charm.
Their dance moves are easier to imitate and learn, and they align more closely with the aesthetic preferences of young girls.
This can greatly lower the entry barrier, attracting them to participate actively, even coming for their favorite idols."
A knowing smile played on his lips.
"Once female players form an initial scale, their inherent social attributes will come into play, drawing their classmates and friends to join in.
One girl starting to play will quickly turn into a group of girls.
They will form a unique community culture, sharing high scores, discussing new songs, and even arranging to go to the game center together.
Not to mention," he changed tack, with a hint of imperceptible playfulness, "wherever cute girls are, boys' eyes and footsteps will follow.
I believe all you seniors here understand this better than I do."
These words were like a stone dropped into calm water; the male executives present first paused, then broke into knowing and somewhat subtle smiles.
Maruyama Shigeo's eyes, in particular, lit up; his mind almost immediately conjured images of the popular female idol groups under Sony Music, or those being heavily invested in and nurtured for their singing and dancing talent.
"Nakayama-kun is absolutely right! This idea is brilliant! Allowing girls to easily enjoy the fun of dancing—the market potential is enormous!"
Seeing this, Takuya Nakayama knew his idea was approved, so he continued to present his other brilliant strategy.
"Furthermore, we can also consider IP collaboration, designing exclusive dance content for some widely popular IPs."
He paused briefly, observing everyone's reactions.
"For example, we can design some slightly clumsy but adorable 'mascot dances' for characters like pokémon, which are deeply loved by young people, combining them with their theme songs and related music."
He even mimicked the clumsy swaying of mascots from his memory, drawing a round of good-natured laughter.
"You can imagine, just like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at Disneyland, or the mascots of professional leagues in North America, when they dance, even though their movements are simple, their endearing clumsiness is even more popular."
These words were like a bolt of lightning, splitting open everyone's ingrained way of thinking.
Before their eyes, it was as if Pikachu and Eevee, these adorable characters, were on the DDR stage, dancing simple yet utterly charming dances to cheerful music.
That scene, just thinking about it, made people chuckle, and at the same time, they realized the enormous commercial potential.
If these characters' dances were put into DDR, then the copyright holders of these characters would have to pay Sony for promotion.
Ken Kutaragi, who had been silent, also rarely curled his lips upwards.
This Takuya Nakayama, how many novel ideas did he have in his head?
Mitsui Chuta, even more so, looked at Takuya Nakayama with burning eyes; this young man's insight into the market and understanding of user psychology were simply monstrous.