After spending a relaxing time with his girlfriend Ayumi, Zaboru returned to his office with renewed focus. Settling into his chair, he began brainstorming ideas for the next project he would assign to the USA team. The Civilization game they had been working on was nearing completion, so it was time to chart out a fresh challenge that would keep the momentum going.
Zaboru leaned back in his chair and let out a small chuckle. "Hehehe, ZAGE's game productivity is decreasing, huh? Well, not at all, actually." He knew that if he personally led every aspect of development, ZAGE could easily produce four to six games a month—just like in the ZEPS 1 era. But these days, he preferred to guide the team with ideas and step in only occasionally to help solve problems. This approach allowed every member of the ZAGE team to grow, developing the skills needed to bring his vision to life. With time on his side, Zaboru had the freedom to carefully plan out many ideas for ZAGE's future projects, storing them both in his mind and on his computer. This method has proven effective, especially when combined with Zaboru's "Aura of Influence" ability, which inspires his employees to work diligently and enhances the quality of their learning and development. As a result, Zaboru's ZAGE team has grown into a truly exceptional group, now confidently regarded as an "expert" team in their field.
Zaboru suddenly found his thoughts drifting toward the idea of fighting games. "Fighting games, huh…? True, ZAGE has already produced four of them so far—Street Fighter, MARVEL VS ZAGE, TEKKEN, and Mortal Kombat—each with its own unique strengths. But is that really enough?" he mused, a small, knowing smile spreading across his face. In his mind, there was no such thing as too many fighting games; each brought its own style, mechanics, and flavor to the table. That's why Zaboru couldn't help but feel the urge to create more, eager to expand ZAGE's fighting game roster and push the genre even further.
"Well, let's decide—the next task for the USA team will be to make a new fighting game. But which one should I choose?" Zaboru pondered. In his previous life, there had been countless great fighting games, but he had no desire to recreate them all. His goal was to produce one truly outstanding title. Since the Tekken community was still in development, he decided to avoid creating another 3D fighting game for the time being. Instead, he turned his attention toward the world of 2D fighters, aiming to craft something fresh, dynamic, and memorable for players.
Then, while deep in thought, Zaboru's lips curled into a grin. "Guilty Gear…" he murmured to himself. In his mind, Guilty Gear stood out as an exceptional fighting game—fast, intense, and brimming with style. It featured an energy combo gauge that rewarded aggressive play and precise defense, allowing a fighter to unleash a powerful Super Attack once the bar was filled through landing hits or guarding successfully. The characters, while dealing relatively low damage per strike, made up for it with relentless speed and an emphasis on flashy, spectacular moves. Beyond the mechanics, Zaboru admired the rich storyline and distinct personalities of the roster—each fighter felt unique, layered, and unlike anything found in the current ZAGE fighting games. This blend of gameplay innovation and narrative depth made Guilty Gear an irresistible candidate for his next big project. Not to mention, in Guilty Gear, one of Zaboru's all-time favorite female characters makes her appearance—none other than the stylish and mysterious I-No. Known for her rock-star persona, distinctive hat, and powerful guitar-based attacks, she perfectly embodies the game's bold personality and intense energy. She gave the vibe "I'm Insane but I'm hot as hell" which Zaboru really loves.
"Okay, so the next game will be Guilty Gear… hehehe. This will add another title to ZAGE's fighting game arsenal. Should I create the next King of Fighters next?" Zaboru chuckled and shook his head. King of Fighters, in his previous life, was a fighting game from SNK, built around many of their iconic characters from various fighting titles. While he could certainly replicate the idea by making a ZAGE version featuring all of the company's fighting game characters in one crossover brawl, he decided to hold off—for now. There was no rush, and he preferred to focus fully on Guilty Gear before diving into such an ambitious project.
Zaboru then thought about the current state of fighting games in this world. Many developers were producing titles for both consoles and arcade cabinets, and while they were impressive in their own right, the majority leaned heavily on formulas pioneered by ZAGE. There were occasional innovations and fresh ideas from other studios, but overall, the variety and experimentation still felt lacking. To shake things up and inspire new creativity within the fighting game community, Zaboru resolved to introduce a new title—"Guilty Gear"—as a fresh source of ideas, mechanics, and style for players and developers alike.
Zaboru then thought, "With this many fighting games, I think we can create a competition that's far bigger than the previous ZAGE tournament, which focused on just one title." His eyes lit up with excitement as the idea took shape. This time, he envisioned a grand event where every ZAGE fighting game would be part of the lineup, drawing players from across the country to test their skills in multiple arenas. Zaboru grinned, already imagining the energy and rivalries such a multi-game tournament would spark. The decision was made—this would be the year ZAGE launched its first all-encompassing fighting game championship.
With that, Zaboru began outlining a detailed plan for Guilty Gear, carefully mapping out the gameplay systems, character roster, and visual style he envisioned. At the same time, he considered the possibility of having ZAGE USA work on an additional title alongside Guilty Gear, ensuring the team stayed challenged and productive. For this second project, he decided it would be an ideal opportunity to experiment with Unreal Engine—a tool still in its early stages of development during this era. Though it was untested in the industry, Zaboru felt confident in pushing the boundaries of technology, seeing it as a chance to explore new techniques and potentially set a new standard in game visuals and performance. Even if there were risks, he was more than willing to take them in the name of innovation.
To be continue
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