283 Attention

After Shin had been in South Korea for a few days, negotiations between KiShin and SamStar were underway. Shin entrusted Lee Han, equipped with the key employees of KiShin, to represent the company in the negotiations. Simultaneously, Han Woon-Sook delegated the negotiations to the capable employees of SamStar Group.

As the negotiations would take some time to finalize, Shin returned to Japan after a week and a half in South Korea. Naturally, he brought back souvenirs to later gift to Mira and their child.

***

In Tokyo, Japan, the video game industry thrived, with various genres gradually permeating the market in the capital of the global video game industry. Over the years, the number of console gamers in Japan has grown to approximately 30-35 million, experiencing slow but steady growth.

Beyond Japan, many countries, including the USA, Canada, the UK, and China, are capitalizing on the profitability of the video game industry. Additionally, the side-scrolling style, originating from KiShin, has been incorporated into numerous games produced by various video game companies.

Whether it was a 2D fighting game, a 3D first-person shooter, isometric RPGs, or puzzle games with logic-based mechanics and engaging challenges, as well as sports games featuring realistic simulations with limited player models and animations, most of these genres drew inspiration from KiShin. The video games that introduced some of these genres first were actually able to do so because KiShin incorporated them into the toolkits and libraries provided to video game developers. Consequently, some video game companies, releasing their games on various platforms, paid KiShin higher royalty fees.

Regarding the new consoles that have entered the video game market in recent months, despite KS1 and TSX Fusion expanding their game libraries, SKES video games gained more users than initially anticipated, not only in Japan but also globally.

The 2D platforms proved to have a broader appeal to new players, leading KiShin to experience unexpected profits in the sales of SKES video games. This outcome surprised Shin and the executives when they first reviewed the report. In response to this success, Shin decided to continue releasing video games for SKES, ensuring they would also be available on KS1.

Simultaneously, Tora and Suzuki recognized the increasing potential of video games. Consequently, the board members made the strategic decision to invest more effort in the development sectors of their video game projects.

Itori Tanaka, Shiko Suzuki, Seki Suzuki, Nikko Tabata, and Taro Ikeda, the leaders of the Tora-Suzuki alliance, were exhilarated by this development. As a result, the research capabilities of Tora-Suzuki significantly strengthened in the development of their next game console.

Their expertise in semiconductors, including CPU, GPU, and other semiconductor technologies, surpasses that of KiShin, thanks to their concurrent development of computers and components. The only challenge for Tora and Suzuki lay in game console development lagging behind their progress in computer development, particularly in hardware design. Although Tora and Suzuki were making swift strides in video game console development, KiShin was advancing at an even faster pace.

Furthermore, KiShin possessed a deep understanding of gamers' needs and preferences, enabling them to tailor their hardware and software for a superior gaming experience. New entrants like Tora and Suzuki needed to bridge the gap between their research capabilities and the specific demands of the gaming market.

Moreover, even if Tora and Suzuki made strides in advanced electronics research, catching up to and surpassing KiShin in game console development, KiShin had already nurtured a robust ecosystem of game developers and publishers. Developers were well-acquainted with KiShin hardware and tools, streamlining the process of creating high-quality games for their consoles. New entrants needed to attract developers and provide tools to establish a thriving game library.

For instance, the VG Engine software, utilized by Tora, Suzuki, and emerging video game companies, predominantly in Japan and the USA, was developed by KiShin. The VG Engine software, along with communication protocols integrated into KiShin's software suite, facilitated the transmission of VG Engine data from these companies to KiShin's databases. This exchange not only enhanced the VG Engine software but also played a crucial role in improving the advanced Unreal Engine.

The video game industry remained unaware, but KiShin was steadily shaping the present and future of video game development, with 90% of companies in the industry contributing to KiShin's progress.

As Shinro Suzuki's Forbes magazine cover gained recognition worldwide, some journalists researching the video game industry began drawing parallels. They felt that just as Microsoft holds a pivotal position in the computer industry, KiShin plays a similar role in the video game sector. However, a faction of journalists, disliking Microsoft and Will Gates, extended their disdain to KiShin due to its partnership with Microsoft and Shinro Suzuki's comparable standing to Will Gates.

In Japan, Shin's fame as a tycoon surpassed even Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, the current richest person in Japan, who is a real estate tycoon.

Some media outlets in the USA went so far as to dub Shinro Suzuki as the "Will Gates of Asia" due to KiShin's dominance in the video game industry.

Adding to the intrigue, the latest issue of Fortune revealed that KiShin is the current major shareholder of Apple. Furthermore, KiShin is a major shareholder in Rebolt Technology, a recently publicized company. Unconfirmed reports also suggest KiShin holds substantial shares in other yet-to-be-disclosed companies, shocking many, including the Suzuki Family.