Although PCEngine initially sold well, there wasn't much news about it outside the gaming circle. Even within the player community, it was just a new toy for the 'rich kids'.
And the public's attention returned to Sony.
Sony's global GG, launched simultaneously, was like a meticulously planned blitzkrieg, instantly capturing the eyes of major cities worldwide.
The camera shots were rapidly switched by the editor.
The dazzling lights of the DDR machine reflected the energetic dance moves of the players.
These players were either professional dancers, agile in their movements, with every action full of power and beauty.
Or they were attractive young actors, with bright smiles, exuding youthful vitality.
The background music was carefully selected by Sony Records from its vast music library, consisting of popular hit songs with great appeal in various regions.
On the GG screen, prominent slogans flashed continuously.
"Dance to your favorite song!"
"Define your rhythm!"
These inflammatory slogans directly ignited the audience's deep-seated desire for music and freedom.
The giant screen in New York's Times Square suddenly lit up at the scheduled time.
At Shibuya's busiest intersection in Tokyo, the GG billboard, which usually displayed fashion information, was now occupied by DDR footage.
In London's Piccadilly Circus, ancient architecture and modern electronic screens complemented each other, and DDR's GG became the latest focal point.
Sony, leveraging its powerful global channels, ensured maximum exposure for GG during prime time and in core locations.
Maruyama Shigeo stood in a conference room at Sony Headquarters, with photos of GG placements from various global subsidiaries displayed on the projector in front of him.
He looked at the familiar city landmarks, which now glowed with a different brilliance because of DDR's GG.
Success reports came in one after another, confirming the perfect execution of the global simultaneous launch.
He was satisfied and instructed his subordinates to conclude this part of the promotional work, then proceeded to review the game LD recording work handled by Ken Kutaragi, and the arcade production and stocking work he needed to follow up on with Sega.
Tokyo, Shibuya.
When Yoko Oginome's familiar and highly inciting prelude to "Dancing Hero" suddenly blared from the giant GG screen of a large electronics store on the street, featuring the DDR GG version, a group of young girls dressed in the latest fashion were instantly captivated.
Their steps involuntarily stopped.
"Wow! It's Yoko-chan's song!"
One of the girls exclaimed in surprise, her eyes sparkling, fixed on the arrows and dancers moving in sync with the music on the screen.
"This, this dance move looks so cool!"
Another girl pointed at a quick slide step on the screen, her voice full of longing.
Recognizing their idol's hit song, they began to hum along softly, their bodies unconsciously swaying to the rhythm.
A few bolder ones even started trying to imitate the dance steps appearing on the screen. Though a bit clumsy, their excitement and curiosity infected passersby.
"If I can dance to this song, I definitely have to go!"
After the initial exclamations, the girls chattered excitedly, their eyes filled with anticipation for this novel game.
Almost simultaneously, entertainment programs on major Japanese television stations keenly captured this phenomenon-level GG launch.
Commentators began to enthusiastically discuss this grand gesture by Sony and Sega, analyzing the social trends it might trigger.
On social media, topics about "Sony's new dancing game" quickly climbed the ranks.
Discussions related to Yoko Oginome's "Dancing Hero" showed explosive growth.
New York, Times Square.
On the huge electronic screen, Rick Astley's slightly hoarse yet magnetic voice, accompanied by the classic melody of "Never Gonna Give You Up," poured out from DDR's GG.
Passersby, hurrying on their way, were attracted by the sudden familiar song and novel visuals, stopping in their tracks.
A white-collar man in a suit, who had been looking down at his watch, suddenly looked up upon hearing the song, a surprised expression on his face.
"Hey, isn't that Rick's song?"
His female companion, meanwhile, curiously observed the game where players stepped on pedals on the screen.
"Are there electronic games like this? Aren't they those blocky graphics?"
A few street youths, who had been leaning against a wall chatting, now gathered around, some nodding gently to the strong beat.
"A game played by dancing? Sounds completely different from those button-mashing ones!"
Amazement and curiosity spread through the crowd.
London, as dusk began to fall.
Outside a pub, a group of young people who had just finished drinking came out, arm in arm.
On the large screen across the street, the powerful disco beat of Modern Talking's "Brother Louie" DDR GG version instantly caught their ears.
On the screen, players, under dazzling lights, stepped out dazzling dance moves to the rhythm of the music.
"Oh! Look at that! That's awesome!"
A blonde young man whistled, pointing at the screen.
They showed great interest in this new form of entertainment that combined popular music with dynamic dancing.
"Where can I play this thing?"
"Let's find out when it's light, we definitely have to try it!"
Discussions rose and fell, and the excited mood escalated under the influence of alcohol.
Sony's GG offensive, like a prairie fire, quickly ignited the enthusiasm of young people worldwide.
This not only attracted core gamers.
It also made a large number of non-core users who were not very interested in video games, especially young people deeply attracted by local popular hit songs, develop a strong desire to try DDR.
Major media outlets began to predict that DDR would undoubtedly become this year's phenomenal product.
The slogan "Dance Revolution," disseminated through these ubiquitous GGs, like seeds sown in people's hearts, quickly took root and became deeply ingrained.
Market expectations, propelled by this wave after wave of promotional efforts, were pushed to an unprecedented peak.
At Nintendo Headquarters, the atmosphere in the conference room was as oppressive as the sea before a storm.
Reports on Sony and Sega's DDR global GG offensive were laid out before Hiroshi Yamauchi.
Each report clearly demonstrated the scale and determination of their opponent's actions.
The huge GG in New York's Times Square.
The surging crowds in Shibuya, Tokyo.
The heated discussions on the streets of London.
There were even initial feedbacks from other European countries, second-tier North American cities, and even some emerging markets in Southeast Asia.
Without exception, all indicated the craze triggered by DDR GG.
"Sony has invested heavily this time, almost utilizing all of their global music promotion channels."
A senior executive's voice, with an almost imperceptible hoarseness, broke the silence.
"Maruyama Shigeo personally oversaw the command, which clearly shows his determination."
Another executive added, his voice full of worry.
"Takuya Nakayama of Sega, his grasp of market hot spots and his ability to plan such large-scale promotions are truly not to be underestimated. How many times has this been? —"
Hiroshi Yamauchi's face was ashen, he said nothing, just quietly flipped through the reports in his hand.
His knuckles were slightly white from gripping tightly.
He could feel Sony's overwhelming offensive, a dimensionality reduction attack launched by leveraging its absolute dominant position in the music and entertainment industry.
This was completely different in nature from previous simple video game product competitions.
Sony was not just promoting a game; it was exporting a culture, a trend.