We have other products to sell

In Japan, esports is thriving.

Takayuki provided a detailed development plan, outlining the general direction esports should take. He also reminded several regional business magnates to leverage their respective connections and secure more government advocates. It was crucial to ensure that esports wouldn't be classified as a gambling industry from the start, allowing Japan's esports scene to thrive.

Finally, Takayuki directly hired management talent from professional sports leagues to oversee the operation, giving them a direction to follow while allowing them to manage the rest themselves.

However, progress had to be gradual. The actual day of the Japan-US competition was set for the end of the year, so there was still time. Takayuki instructed his subordinates to finalize the overall framework, while he focused on managing each critical development phase.

By now, it was July 1996.

Time had passed quickly, and he had been in this world for over three years. From initially feeling out of place to gradually getting used to it, he found himself truly enjoying the perpetual opportunity to immerse himself in his favorite activities.

If it were his past life, he would have been stuck in a never-ending cycle of 9-to-5 work. But now, he was determined to continue his efforts and strive to enter the 3D era as soon as possible, aiming to impress the world with his first official release, the final version of "Doom."

Thinking ahead, he considered establishing a special effects team, preferably by acquiring an existing company. There were many such enterprises in the United States, most of them in their early stages, making it an opportune time for acquisition.

Meanwhile, in a supermarket in the United States, a middle-aged man was searching for something.

Before long, he arrived at the section dedicated to children's toys.

He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and glanced at its contents.

"A Super Famicom console and several game cartridges. Are these the items?" he muttered to himself, then tucked the paper back into his pocket and entered the toy store.

"Hello, sir. How may I assist you today?"

"Hello, I'd like to buy a... a... gaming..."

"A gaming console, right?" the store attendant promptly reminded him.

"Oh, yes, a gaming console. Do you have any here?"

"Of course, they've been selling like hotcakes lately. Some are even frequently out of stock, making them hard to buy."

The store attendant was accustomed to such inquiries.

With the popularity of video games skyrocketing, the number of players was growing at an astonishing rate. At the beginning of the year, there were probably only two to three million gamers in the United States, including PC and console players.

Wall Street experts predicted that by the end of the year, this number could double, making it a highly promising industry.

Upon hearing this news, numerous investors poured into the industry, fueling its rapid expansion.

In just over half a year, by July, the number of players in the United States had already exceeded four million, much faster than previously estimated. At this rate, it was likely to surpass double by the year's end.

This was astonishing, something even the people on Wall Street hadn't anticipated.

As a result, more capital flowed into the industry, and the entire sector flourished.

Currently, there were as many as ten types of gaming consoles sold in department stores alone.

There were 16-bit consoles and three officially released 32-bit consoles.

The variety of games was staggering, enough to dazzle any player.

"So many options," the middle-aged man looked somewhat bewildered as he gazed at the shelf filled with consoles and game cartridges.

He didn't understand much about video games; he was just buying a console based on his child's request.

"If you're not sure what to buy, sir, I can recommend some options for you," the attendant offered.

"Oh, right, I have this," the middle-aged man immediately pulled out the note his child had written for him.

The attendant took the note and read its contents.

Then he looked apologetic. "I'm very sorry, sir, but this product is temporarily out of stock because it's in high demand."

"Oh, is that so?" the middle-aged man sounded disappointed.

"But sir, you can purchase other gaming consoles and games. Look, the Super Famicom console is priced at $199, and the average price for each game is over $60. It's actually quite expensive."

The middle-aged man nodded instinctively. "It seems... that's the case."

The attendant pointed to the gaming consoles on the shelf and said, "Sir, as of now, we actually have many better options available. For example, this 16-bit console is priced at only $129, and each game averages around ten dollars. Games are essentially the same, so you can buy this one and get more games for the same price. I think your child would be very happy with that."

Large quantities and lower prices sounded indeed very appealing.

The middle-aged man seemed unable to take his eyes off the consoles.

It seemed like a good idea after all. Buying more games for the same price. Showing my child the gaming console and games I bought with the same money, I've got more games for the same price. Isn't that a great thing?

"All right, then, help me pick out a few games, and I'll buy this gaming console."

"Of course, sir. Thank you for your patronage!"

The attendant was delighted.

Another gaming console sold.

Due to the recent popularity of video games, Super Famicom had been in short supply all along.

Takayuki had considered increasing production, but he needed factories to help with OEM production. The previous production rate could meet the demand of Japan alone, but combining the demand of the United States and Japan proved somewhat challenging.

Takayuki had been trying to find ways to increase production, but there hadn't been much progress in the short term.

This, in turn, gave other game companies an opportunity.

With Super Famicom and Game Boy out of stock, customers had no choice but to buy these other gaming consoles.

Sometimes, the games available on Super Famicom and Game Boy alone weren't enough to meet players' demands. Children always had plenty of free time and couldn't get enough of playing games. In the end, they had to find more gaming consoles and games.

The middle-aged man spent $200 on a gaming console and bought nine different types of games.

Looking at the bag filled with products, he smiled with satisfaction, already looking forward to seeing his child's happy reaction to so many games.