Wednesday, 23 December 1992
With all the details finalized for the upcoming ZAGE Game of the Year (GOTY) event, Zaboru shifted into high gear for promotion. He commissioned an outsourced company to distribute colorful flyers across Tokyo and worked directly with TV Tokyo, who enthusiastically agreed to air a live broadcast of the event. Scheduled for Monday, 29 December 1992, the televised segment would run from 13:00 to 15:00. Although not every part of the event would be shown on air, the ZAGE Entertainment Building (ZEB) would open its doors at 10:00 a.m. to accommodate early arrivals.
Anticipating a strong turnout, Zaboru prepared a spacious lounge for attendees to relax before the main program began. Because tickets had already been sold in advance, each guest would also be treated to complimentary food and refreshments. It was a gesture Zaboru felt strongly about—he wanted the community to feel appreciated.
Outside of television advertising, Zaboru relied mainly on flyer distribution and the powerful reach of word-of-mouth. To his satisfaction, it was more than effective. The ticket booth, located at the ZEB itself, was open daily since 22 Decmber until 27 December. On just the first day of sales, demand had already surged, with lines wrapping around the ZAGE Entertainment Building. Excited players queued up early, some even before sunrise, eager to secure their tickets and be part of what was shaping up to be a landmark event in gaming history.
In addition to the public, Zaboru had sent personal invitations to third-party game developers who had worked with ZAGE. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Developers were excited not just for the recognition, but for the opportunity to celebrate their work and meet others in the industry. One such developer, Masayoshi Najima of Kiru-Kiru Studio, creator of the ZEPS action-platformer Flame Agent, was ecstatic.
"I can't believe it! ZAGE organized something like this and even invited us!" Najima exclaimed. "I don't care if Flame Agent wins anything or not—I just want to go and meet all the other developers. It's going to be amazing!" Masayoshi already excited thinking about this events.
Meanwhile, at Sonaya's corporate offices, Zaboru made a solo visit. Now seated in a formal meeting room, he casually munched on cookies and sipped a cup of coffee, provided by Junpei Hoshida. Across the table, Hikaru Kurata, Sonaya's CEO, eyed him with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.
"You seem a little too comfortable here, Zaboru," Hikaru said, frowning slightly.
Junpei chuckled at the remark, while Zaboru remained unfazed.
"Well, they were offered, so I ate them," Zaboru replied with a grin, dabbing his fingers with a wet napkin. "Anyway, I'm here to give you something."
He pulled out two premium event tickets and handed them across the table. "These are invitations to the ZAGE GOTY event the next ZAGE events that will be held on 29 December . I'm not doing this to show off or rub anything in your face. Quite the opposite. I respect both of you, and I genuinely hope you'll attend."
Junpei accepted the ticket graciously. Hikaru, however, remained skeptical.
"You came all the way here just to give me an invitation?" Hikaru Narrow his eyes.
Zaboru nodded. "Yes. Out of respect. I may see Sonaya as a rival, but I also see you both as peers I admire."
Zaboru continued, "For this event, I want the entire gaming industry to take part in it. I'm planning to make it an annual tradition, and of course, I want Sonaya involved. Honestly, your games are fantastic—I always enjoy playing them. And tomorrow is your December release, right? I'm looking forward to seeing your new titles," he said with a smile.
Hikaru's eyes widened—he was genuinely surprised. Zaboru's compliment didn't come off as sarcasm or flattery; it felt sincere. And Hikaru, with his years of experience, could tell the difference. He leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "We'll see. If I'm free, I'll consider it."
Junpei smiled. "I'll definitely be there, Zaboru-san. Thank you."
With that, Zaboru stood, bowed politely, and excused himself from the office.
"Well then, my work here is done. I'll take my leave. And by the way, I'm genuinely looking forward to Sonaya's releases tomorrow. Wishing you both the best—so long, Kurata-san, Junpei-san."
After he left, the room fell into a thoughtful silence.
Hikaru broke the silence first. "What a strange man." He shook his head. "He came all the way here just to invite us—and he's genuinely looking forward to our December release? What's worse... he actually seems sincere." Hikaru sighed deeply, still trying to process it.
Junpei chuckled again. "He is—but that's exactly what makes him special. Honestly, Boss, I really respect and admire the guy."
Hikaru rubbed his temples with a groan. "Ease up on the fanboy routine, Junpei. We've got our own release to focus on. Our December lineup drops tomorrow, remember?"
Junpei straightened up. "Got it, Boss. Let's get to it."
As the countdown to the ZAGE GOTY event continued, excitement rippled across the gaming community—and preparations moved steadily toward what promised to be a celebration to remember.
To be continued
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