Invitations had been sent out in batches, and the GG handhelds had been distributed as well. Even though the Atlas Carnival hadn't officially begun, it was already the talk of the town. Invitations had even been sent to locations in Europe and America that had Street Fighter arcade machines, inviting them to participate in the carnival.
Both game producers and players were welcome to attend—even those who didn't play games could come just to look around.
Coincidentally, Isao Okawa returned from the United States just in time to announce that he would personally sponsor the carnival with a sum of money.
Following this, Sega Corporation announced, in its own name, that it would provide gaming attractions for the event.
As for the other companies, they were naturally still waiting and seeing.
What the hell is Kobayashi Tetsu trying to pull now?!
This question rose from the minds of everyone involved.
Gunpei Yokoi flipped through the GG handhelds over and over, finally reaching a conclusion.
Atlas is trying to go big. This looks like a massive undertaking!
A developer's competition, a video game tournament...
There are several Tokyo Video Game Tournaments, but this specifically refers to the Shimayose Video Game Tournament. Since its inception in 1983, it has been held six times, with each edition featuring different titles, save for the recurring events.
This time, the Shimayose Video Game Tournament has merged with the Atlas Carnival, becoming a part of it.
Gunpei Yokoi pondered this for a while, concluding that this particular detail was unimportant. The real focus should be on the previous matter.
Inviting players to a tournament was something Nintendo had done before. While the results were decent, they weren't groundbreaking. The key point was the other matter: Atlas was inviting individual developers to Tokyo for the Carnival, where the winner, chosen by a live vote, would receive a prize of 20 million Yen!
Inside the Nintendo office, this topic had already been discussed to a swift conclusion.
"It's no surprise that Sega will participate in the tournament. In fact, given the well-known, scandalous relationship between Atlas and Sega—like adulterous lovers working together from the inside and outside—it would be stranger if Sega didn't join."
"Atlas's move might be orchestrated by Sega. It's likely a gesture of goodwill toward third-party developers. After all, even among individual developers, there will be exceptional talents who might one day lead their own companies."
Amidst the discussion, Shigeru Miyamoto suddenly raised his hand, and Hiroshi Yamauchi gestured for him to speak.
"I have a slightly different opinion," Miyamoto said. "There's no doubt they're trying to curry favor with third-party developers. They'll likely even sign agreements—perhaps granting Atlas priority publishing rights or Sega exclusivity, for instance. But game development is a long process, taking anywhere from a few months to several years. With Atlas's size, could they really sustain such an ambitious move?"
Yamauchi looked thoughtful. "Go on."
"I believe there's more to this," Miyamoto continued. "I've heard—Sega is developing a handheld."
With development nearing completion and the marketing campaign about to launch, this was hardly a secret anymore. Everyone knew Sega was about to release the Game Gear.
At the moment, Nintendo's handheld lineup consisted of the Game & Watch. The development of the Game Boy had been delayed, with most of their resources shifted to the 16-bit Super Famicom.
Yamauchi didn't respond, merely lost in thought.
In truth, his intuition told him this was far from simple.
It was just a game competition—Nintendo had hosted those before, so it wasn't a big deal. The real key had to be the previous sentence: the invitation to third-party developers.
Hiroshi Yamauchi's main concern aligned with Miyamoto Shigeru's guess.
Game development timelines were unpredictable, and the capabilities of third-party developers were unknown. Even if Nintendo wanted to attract third parties, a small studio's development process couldn't compare to that of a major company. The reason Nintendo showed favor to specific companies like Namco—even reducing their royalty requirements—was precisely because these large companies could create a clustering effect that far outweighed what a small studio could achieve.
Atlas certainly had the standing to negotiate on equal terms with Namco and others now, but unfortunately, they were still closer to Sega. Though they had grown a bit distant recently, they were still far from being on Nintendo's good side.
"It seems the Carnival is just a front; the real goal is to promote Sega's handheld! Atlas must have a game ready, just waiting to be a launch title for the GG handheld! Based on the available information, this is the only logical conclusion!"
"It's impossible for Atlas to have some kind of black magic that lets them make a game in just a month!"
"If Atlas really had that kind of black magic, it would be terrifying. Hiroshi Yamauchi would have to arrange for a few JKs to fuck Kobayashi Tetsu to death!"
"If all else fails, he'd just have to let Miyamoto Shigeru change his clothes and take the stage himself."
At this thought, Hiroshi Yamauchi turned to Gunpei Yokoi.
Gunpei Yokoi immediately bowed.
"The development of the SFC is basically complete; we can start experimental production. The development of the GB was finished long ago, but it still needs some simple testing before we can start production. Also, there aren't enough games for the GB, so there might be some problems at launch."
"It's June now," Hiroshi Yamauchi said. "Set aside one month for production, and there are still two months left until August! In those two months, port Super Mario to the GB for me. In September, when Sega announces the GG game console, Nintendo will also simultaneously announce the launch of the GB!"
SFC in August, GB in September! The two game consoles would be launched in seamless succession, and with a highly popular title like the first Super Mario Bros., which had sold tens of millions of copies.
Hiroshi Yamauchi's goal was simple: block Sega. He would use the SFC as Nintendo's own 16-bit console to close the gap, and the GB to counter the GG handheld.
With everything in place, Nintendo's machine began to run smoothly.
Yet Gunpei Yokoi's brow furrowed.
Not long ago, Atlas had requested a license from Nintendo and obtained the FC SDK. At the time, he had guessed that Atlas might be switching to Nintendo's camp, but compared to the Sega Mega Drive, the FC had no advantages whatsoever.
Now, connecting this to the current situation, Gunpei Yokoi was still somewhat puzzled.
So, what exactly was Atlas trying to do? They couldn't possibly be planning some kind of "carnival," could they?
What the hell was Atlas trying to pull?
There were all sorts of speculations outside, but that didn't stop numerous small and medium-sized developers, and even players, from being utterly shocked after seeing the news.
Developers would receive a 20-million-yen sponsorship! It was almost completely unconditional! The only requirement was that the game's publishing had to be handed over to Atlas. But for individual developers with no job security, this wasn't a condition at all—it was a benefit!
The players were equally stunned.
Get paid to play games?
A one-million-yen prize for playing well?
And the arcade is even giving out free invitations? That means the best players will definitely be there to compete!
Now, they simply couldn't miss it!
Local Tokyo players were especially thrilled. They wouldn't have to pay for food or lodging—they'd get free meals, play games, and meet fellow enthusiasts. Just thinking about it was a rush!
Moreover, while invited guests received free entry, meals, and accommodations, ordinary players and producers only had to pay for their tickets. All other expenses were minimal, and the food was so cheap it was practically free.
This realization left many in utter shock.
Rumor had it that the President of Atlas still drove a Toyota Corona, never having upgraded to a Maybach. There were even whispers that Kobayashi Tetsu had been spotted cycling around town with his girlfriend at night!
Though, for some reason, it was never the same girlfriend...
At this rate, Kobayashi Tetsu was going to go broke and be forced to take the bus!
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