In February 1997 many things happened. for ZAGE
First of all, this month ZAGE only released one game—Final Fantasy 6, developed by the ZAGE IZAN team—and it received a strong wave of applause from players across the board. Many fans were shocked and thrilled, unable to believe that they had been given two Final Fantasy titles within just two months. That kind of release schedule was virtually unheard of and felt almost surreal to long-time followers of the series. The excitement was palpable, with gaming forums and communities buzzing with reactions, gameplay discussions, and appreciation threads.
Final Fantasy 6 lived up to the hype and delivered exactly what players had come to expect from the franchise: an emotional story, rich world-building, and tactical combat mechanics that rewarded strategic thinking. Fans praised the soundtrack, the pacing, and the character development, particularly highlighting the depth of the narrative and the beauty of the sprite work on the 16-bit hardware.
Adding to the excitement, Zaboru himself, using his original forum account known as "Ultimate Account Zaboru Renkonan," chimed in on the fan discussions. In a rare and personal post, he confirmed that Final Fantasy 6 would be the final entry in the franchise for the 16-bit era. He explained that the next installment of the series would be developed exclusively for ZAGE's next-generation console, which had yet to be officially announced. He urged fans to stay tuned, promising that the future of Final Fantasy was going to be even more groundbreaking and immersive. This simple confirmation from Zaboru stirred even more hype, fueling speculation about what ZAGE's new hardware might bring to the table.
Meanwhile, regarding ZAGE's console division, it had already been two full months without any formal response to the release of the Sonaya 32-bit console. This prolonged silence was starting to make fans anxious. Many of them were worried—afraid that ZAGE might be stepping back from the console war entirely. Rumors began circulating, claiming that ZAGE had decided to shift focus away from home consoles entirely, instead doubling down on PC gaming and arcade development. These rumors seemed to come from nowhere in particular, but they quickly gained traction online and were repeated across fan forums and message boards.
Fan confidence started to waver, especially after Sonaya's aggressive marketing campaigns and the perceived lack of rebuttal from ZAGE.
But then, as if to stop the speculation dead in its tracks, Zaboru made a surprise post in the ZAGE forums using his original user account, "Ultimate Account Zaboru Renkonan." In a short but powerful message, he wrote: "ZEPS 3 is still on the way. Don't worry—we will obviously deliver."
The post sent shockwaves through the community. It instantly became a headline across ZAGE forums even Media. ZAGE fans were thrilled, reinvigorated by the confirmation that their favorite console maker wasn't backing down. The simple yet firm message was enough to reignite hype and restore confidence. Suddenly, discussions shifted from doubt to excitement, as fans began speculating what kind of power and innovation the ZEPS 3 might bring, and when the company would finally unveil it to the world.
Additionally, Zaboru was assigned to oversee another game project under the IZAN team, now that one of their major tasks had been completed. The new title was called Pokémon Trading Game, and it was being developed exclusively for the ZAGE handheld system, the ZGB. It had been some time since the team worked on ZGB titles, but they were no strangers to the platform. In fact, IZAN, formerly known as the Osaka branch, had deep experience with ZGB development from their earlier years and had built a solid reputation for delivering high-quality handheld games.
Zaboru chose to release their ZGB output with this ambitious card-based game, aiming for a release in May. The primary reason for the extended timeline was the massive effort required to design and produce a full set of collectible and playable cards to accompany the game. To ensure the physical card component matched the quality of the digital experience, Zaboru already ask Ninzendo, a ZAGE subsidiary known for handling physical gaming accessories and manufacturing.
The collaboration would involve not just basic card production, but also developing a variety of interactive gameplay mechanics that would blend the physical and digital experience simillar to Yu-Gi-Oh game in ZGB.
Next on the anime side, YaDo—ZAGE's animation subsidiary—had finally completed its major expansion phase. After several months of intense recruitment and internal restructuring, YaDo had successfully scaled up its operations by acquiring a large amount of new manpower. With this boost in talent and infrastructure, the studio was now prepared to take on much larger, more ambitious projects.
Yasu Domachi, the CEO of YaDo, would now be working to bring to life a slate of six new anime titles by the end of 1997. These included Death Note, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Hunter X Hunter, Eyeshield 21, Black Lagoon, and Rurouni Kenshin. Each of these titles was handpicked by Zaboru himself, chosen not only for their potential to resonate with fans but also for their ability to showcase YaDo's capabilities across a wide range of genres—from psychological thrillers and sports dramas to action-packed adventures and historical epics.
Each anime would be handled by a dedicated production team within YaDo, ensuring that every series received focused attention and maintained high standards of quality.
In addition, these anime series were planned to be exclusive content on YaDo's Subscription TV To support this, ZAGE was investing heavily in new production tools—modern animation software, upgraded sound studios, and partnerships with top-tier voice actors and composers.
Next on the developer side of things, Yugo Kanai—ZAGE's Quality Control lead currently assigned to Team NOVA—and NOVA team Head of Game Developer Hideo Kojima expressed their interest in collaborating on a new game. Zaboru, recognizing the power of their partnership, immediately approved the proposal without hesitation.
Although both Yugo and Kojima are managing demanding schedules with other projects, they revealed that this idea had been in their minds for quite some time—ever since their successful first collaboration on the fan-favorite title ROBOT VS MONSTER. That game had left a lasting impression on the gaming community, praised for its innovative gameplay, , and technical polish.
Zaboru approved the project on the spot, showing his full support and trust in the team. While development has not yet officially begun, preliminary planning and design have already started behind the scenes. Both developers are currently outlining the core gameplay mechanics, world-building elements, and story arcs.
As for the release date, Zaboru has remained silent for now, stating that a proper timeline will be shared only after internal milestones are confirmed.
Zanichi Renkonan, Zaboru's father and the Chief Technology Officer of ZAGE, recently announced his desire to create a sequel to Lunar Knight, the beloved game he originally developed. He shared that he had experienced a sudden stroke of inspiration—an idea that reignited his creative energy and compelled him to return to the world he once built. Without hesitation, Zaboru gave his full approval, recognizing both the significance of the project and his father's passion.
However, similar to the situation with Yugo and Kojima's new project, a detailed development timeline is still pending. Zaboru has stated that once his father finalizes the project schedule and key milestones, an official release window can be determined.
ZAGE's manpower is now exceptionally strong, bolstered by a wave of new hires. The speed at which these employees are learning and adapting is remarkable, both in Japan and the USA.
That wraps up ZAGE's eventful February. Currently, Zaboru is in the United States ZAGE Campus, where he has just been visited by none other than Walt Disney himself—an which the meeting are just Walt Disney loves to visit Zaboru and to tell Zaboru how their movies progress To top it off, Zaboru also received an email from Bill Gates requesting a private meeting to discuss a confidential matter,
To be continue
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