Chapter 6: Laying the Foundations of an Empire
Chapter 6: Laying the Foundations of an Empire
📅 Date: March 1991
📍 Location: Seoul, South Korea
The sun had barely risen over Seoul when Jin Hoshino stepped into his office at NexTech Studios. The scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the hum of computers and the excited chatter of his growing development team.
The last few months had been a whirlwind of victories and challenges.
✔ Battle Zone had crushed expectations, selling over 200,000 copies on PC.
✔ GameSphere's lawsuit had been withdrawn, and their reputation was damaged.
✔ NexTech Studios had gone from a small startup to a gaming powerhouse.
But Jin wasn't satisfied.
He had won a battle, not the war.
If he wanted true dominance, he needed to do something no gaming company had ever done before.
He needed to create his own gaming console.
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The Birth of the NexBox
Jin called a meeting with his core team:
✔ Kim Seung-ho (Lead Programmer) – The genius behind Battle Zone's game engine.
✔ Park Min-ji (Game Designer) – Creative visionary and early harem candidate.
✔ Lee Tae-jun (Sound Engineer) – The perfectionist behind NexTech's immersive audio.
✔ Choi Da-hyun (Marketing & PR) – The man who made Battle Zone a phenomenon.
Jin stood at the front of the conference room, the Seoul skyline visible behind him.
"We won against GameSphere, but that was only phase one," Jin said. "Right now, the arcade industry is shrinking, and PC gaming is rising. But what if we created a third option?"
Silence. Then, Min-ji's eyes widened.
"You mean… our own console?"
Jin nodded. "Exactly. If we control the hardware and software, we control the entire gaming market."
Seung-ho frowned. "But developing a console takes years. We don't have that kind of time."
Jin smirked.
"We don't have to start from scratch."
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Reverse Engineering & Strategic Partnerships
Jin had spent the past month researching hardware manufacturers.
✔ Korea was already producing some of the best semiconductors in the world.
✔ Existing consoles had weaknesses—loading times, weak storage, outdated graphics.
✔ PC gaming technology could be adapted into a console.
Using his system knowledge of future gaming trends, Jin had already mapped out the NexBox's key features.
📌 Features of the NexBox (1991 Prototype)
✔ CD-ROM-based gaming (Faster & more storage than cartridges).
✔ Built-in internet modem (Online gaming in the future).
✔ High-speed processor (Runs games smoother than competitors).
✔ Exclusive NexTech games (Battle Zone 2 as the first launch title).
The team absorbed the information, the tension in the room shifting from doubt to excitement.
"If we pull this off," Seung-ho said slowly, "we won't just compete with GameSphere. We'll surpass them."
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The First Manufacturing Deal
📅 Date: March 15, 1991
📍 Location: Samsung Electronics Headquarters, Seoul
Jin sat across from Yoon Tae-hwan, a senior executive at Samsung Electronics.
At just 18 years old, Jin looked too young to be discussing a multi-billion-won hardware deal.
Yoon glanced at the NexBox prototype specs on the table. "You're asking us to manufacture a console for a company that has never made hardware before."
Jin smiled. "Yes."
Yoon sighed. "Why should we take this risk?"
Jin leaned forward. "Because in five years, consoles will outsell arcades. In ten years, they will outsell PCs. Whoever controls this market first… wins gaming forever."
Yoon stayed silent.
Then, he smirked. "I like your confidence, kid. We'll discuss terms."
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✔ Samsung agrees to prototype development for NexBox.
✔ Funding required: ₩2,000,000,000.
✔ Estimated release date: Q4 1992.
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Jin had secured the first step toward his empire.
But money was now a problem.
He needed ₩2 billion won to manufacture the first batch of NexBoxes.
He had ₩300 million from Battle Zone sales—but that wasn't enough.
If he didn't find an investor or alternative funding, the entire project could collapse.
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GameSphere's Next Move: The Hostile Takeover Attempt
📅 Date: March 20, 1991
📍 Location: NexTech Studios
Jin returned to his office to find a surprise visitor.
Park Jae-woo, the CEO of GameSphere Korea.
Jin sat across from the older businessman, keeping his expression neutral.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Jin asked.
Jae-woo smirked. "I heard about your little hardware project. You're making a big mistake."
Jin chuckled. "We'll see."
Jae-woo placed a contract on the table.
"We're offering ₩5 billion won to buy NexTech Studios. You get rich, and you avoid the coming disaster."
Jin glanced at the contract. Then, he calmly pushed it back.
"I'll make ten times that in a year."
Jae-woo's smile faded. "If you refuse, you won't survive what comes next."
Jin smirked. "Then bring it on."
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The Start of the Financial War
GameSphere wasn't going to play fair.
✔ They bribed banks to reject NexTech's loan applications.
✔ They spread false rumors that NexBox was a scam, scaring potential investors.
✔ They threatened Samsung to drop the deal.
Jin's company was under full-scale financial attack.
His employees were nervous, his investors were hesitant, and banks refused to support him.
If he didn't find a solution fast, NexBox would die before it even launched.
Jin stood in his office, overlooking Seoul.
GameSphere had tried to crush him before.
They failed then.
And they would fail again.
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End of Chapter 6