Chapter 468: Chapter 468: Time Skips to March Part 2 [December 1993]

December brought a whirlwind of developments. First and foremost, while OutRun—the groundbreaking arcade game featuring real steering wheels, brakes, and gas pedals—was still making waves in both the U.S. and Japan, ZAGE dropped another bombshell: Dance Dance Revolution. This innovative rhythm game featured a dance pad with four directional arrows on the floor and a support bar behind the player. The game displayed 16-bit characters dancing in sync with the music, rewarding players for hitting steps accurately. Players could choose between two default avatars—John Dance and Karen Dance—each bringing their own flair to the screen.

DDR quickly became a cultural sensation. Not only gamers, but casual players and even non-gamers praised its originality and physical engagement. The public began mocking Sonaya's marketing slogan—"Play arcades at home"—with sarcasm: "Can you play OutRun or Dance Dance Revolution at home?" Hikaru Kurata, Sonaya's executive, was particularly infuriated. How could Zaboru keep producing such wild, imaginative arcade machines? Kurata had never expected this—never even dreamed that arcades could be reinvented in such ways. He had always believed the only advantage arcades had was superior graphics. But Zaboru had proven him completely wrong.

Despite this, Titan Drive sales held steady, keeping Sonaya afloat. Still, the shadow cast by ZAGE's arcade innovations was impossible to ignore.

Interestingly, ZAGE didn't release any new titles for their ZEPS or ZGB consoles this month. Rumors began circulating that ZAGE was abandoning the home and handheld console markets in favor of arcades. This wasn't true—but it did stoke speculation that ZAGE was secretly preparing a groundbreaking new console. Excitement surged among fans. Even without new releases, third-party developers continued launching games on ZAGE's platforms, keeping them alive and relevant.

Meanwhile, Akaishidan submitted a new title—this time a personal project from Akechi Hamazou , Ayumi Older brother. To everyone's surprise, it was a ninja-themed RPG titled Shin. Players followed Shin, a ninja tasked with protecting his master, Takeru the Strong Monk. Their journey to retrieve the mythical Evil Sphere took a dark turn when Takeru betrayed Shin, absorbing the Sphere's power for himself. The real story began here, as players guided Shin on a quest for revenge. Along the way, he gathered powerful equipment and forged strong bonds with allies, each contributing to his evolving sense of purpose. By the end of each stage, Shin was no longer just a ninja—he had grown into a capable and inspiring leader. Killing his own lord was considered a grave blasphemy among ninjas, but Shin knew he had to do it—for the sake of humanity. This powerful character transformation, combined with a gripping narrative twist, earned Shin widespread critical acclaim. Even Zaboru was deeply moved, praising Akechi for his bold and emotional storytelling. 

December also marked the annual Game of the Year (GOTY) event. As usual, excitement ran high, with the ZEB (ZAGE Event Building) filled to capacity. This year's highlight was the introduction of a cosplay competition, much to the delight of fans, many of whom arrived dressed as their favorite characters.

The GOTY ceremony featured separate awards for ZAGE-developed and third-party games. For ZAGE, the winner was Castlevania 2: Dracula's Curse. The best third-party title went to Sun Knight 3 for the Titan Drive. Junpei Hoshida, head of Sonaya's home console division, accepted the award with a beaming smile. Hikaru Kurata, however, frowned silently. "How does ZAGE still host grand events like this when their consoles can't even compete with Titan Drive?" he thought bitterly—but kept his resentment to himself. Awards like these would only enhance Sonaya's reputation moving forward.

During the event, Zaboru delivered a keynote speech on the future of the gaming industry. He praised Sonaya's success with 16-bit consoles and, to everyone's surprise, announced that ZAGE would release their own 16-bit console the following year. "ZAGE is developing its very own console, set for release next year. Stay tuned!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. Kurata, once again, found himself silently fuming.

In this month, Zaboru began preparing to introduce Motion Capture Technology, initially for use in his Mortal Kombat and Tekken projects. However, the technology was still in its early stages. Recognizing the need for external expertise, he asked Ryan and James from Emerald Wings to find a company already using motion capture—ideally one working in movies or TV ads, though such examples were rare. Eventually, they discovered a company named Zen Tech. Despite having its own motion capture studio, Zen Tech was struggling financially. Seeing an opportunity, Zaboru invested heavily and acquired a 70% stake in the company, officially designating it as ZAGE's Motion Capture Studio. When ZAGE acquired Zen Tech, the team at Zen Tech was overjoyed—finally, a major company had recognized their potential. Zaboru didn't just invest money; he offered hands-on expertise to help elevate their motion capture technology to a whole new level. With this collaboration, Zaboru swiftly began using the upgraded motion capture systems to enhance the development of Tekken and Mortal Kombat arcade machines, 

Next, Zaboru began searching for skilled martial artists and actors to accurately capture realistic combat movements for the upcoming Mortal Kombat and Tekken arcade machines. He entrusted this task to James Yoel of Emerald Wings. Though James initially struggled to find the right individuals for the project, his persistence and networking eventually led him to assemble a talented group capable of bringing Zaboru's ambitious vision to life.

Meanwhile, Marvel Comics continued to flourish. This month saw the release of a new Fantastic Four series under the MRU (Marvel Re Universe) banner, and it quickly became a hit. The revitalized Marvel lineup was gaining strong momentum. Since the release of MRU, Marvel's sales had been steadily rising, much to the delight of company executives and artists alike. Once brought to the brink of collapse, Marvel was slowly reclaiming its former glory—thanks in large part to its new owner, Zaboru. Even U.S. media took notice, with one magazine hailing him as "Zaboru, the Saviour of Marvel."

Lastly, December marked a personal milestone for Zaboru—his 20th birthday. He was officially no longer a teenager. His employees were once again stunned by just how young their brilliant boss really was.

The celebration itself was modest. Zaboru spent it quietly with his family and girlfriend, happy and content.

Zaboru was also planning to marry Ayumi, either next year or the year after. They were still young, but he felt confident in their bond. In his heart, Ayumi was the perfect girl for him—he truly loved her. Not only was she a talented game developer, but she consistently supported Zaboru in her own way, something he deeply appreciated. He also knew that being married might discourage the obsessive attention he sometimes received from certain fans, which he considered a relief. Zaboru had no interest in having many women—Ayumi was more than enough for him. He was committed to her and determined never to become a scumbag, no matter what happened. Besides, Ayumi was stunningly beautiful, something that made Zaboru quietly proud.

Meanwhile, Zaboru visited the ZAGE Tower, which was still under development. Construction on the tower had begun in early 1992 and was progressing steadily, though completion was expected to take another four years, give or take. Zaboru was brimming with excitement about the project. He had grand ambitions for the building—it would be a true skyscraper, boasting more than 50 floors. He envisioned the tower housing a wide range of facilities and innovations that would reflect ZAGE's forward-thinking spirit. Of course, the tower wouldn't be called "ZAGE Tower" once it was finished; Zaboru intended to come up with a more fitting name in the future.

And that's overall what happened in December 1993 end of year of 1993.

To be continue

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