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Monday 4 August 1999 ZAGE Tower Japan.
After the trailer dropped, Zaboru went straight back to work. Right now he's on the 50th floor meeting level, and he isn't alone—he has a guest. The man sitting across from him is Nando Michio, the CEO of Nanco, and also the supervisor assigned to ZAGE's Team NEXUS.
Team NEXUS is one of ZAGE's key divisions with operations split between Japan and the USA, built specifically for arcade development. That's why Nando is here in person: arcade business moves fast, and decisions have to be made with both the creative side and the placement side in mind.
And Nanco itself isn't just a partner. Zaboru owns 50% of the company, which means this meeting isn't only friendly collaboration—it's strategy, direction, and the next step of ZAGE's arcade future.
Zaboru said, "So, how is it working with Team Nexus japan and USA, Nando-san?" He smiled, tone light, but his eyes were attentive—the kind of look he always had when he was measuring progress without making it feel like pressure.
Nando Michio's face brightened immediately. He truly loved arcades with all his might; it wasn't just business to him, it was the place where imagination became a machine people could touch. Nanco had always been willing to experiment—sometimes they made strange arcade prototypes that failed, sometimes they made games that became instant classics—but Nando had tried all of it. He was the type of CEO who still walked the floor, listened to cabinet sounds, watched players' hands, and judged a game by the noise of the crowd.
That passion was exactly why Nanco's influence made ZAGE's arcades feel more colorful and alive. Their cabinets weren't only polished—they had personality. Flashier marquees, bolder sound, brighter attract modes, and that "just one more coin" energy that pulled people in.
And honestly, Zaboru loved it. Maybe it was because Nanco was the closest thing to Namco in this world—an arcade soul with the courage to be playful—but it was also because Nando treated the arcade space like a stage, not just a store.
Nando Michio grinned, his excitement bubbling up the moment Zaboru mentioned the team. "Hehehe… they're really great, Boss. Team NEXUS—both in Japan and the USA—has been a huge help. Our Nanco staff works with them often, and honestly, the collaboration feels smooth. When we need technical polish, they deliver. When they need arcade instincts, we provide it. It's a good rhythm."
Zaboru nodded, pleased, and his smile softened into something more approving than playful. "Good. Then keep that rhythm going," he said. "Don't worry, Nando-san—you can experiment with arcades as much as you like. I want Nanco to stay bold. And since you're the supervisor for Team NEXUS, you're allowed to ask for their help whenever you need it."
He lifted a finger, tone turning a little more serious—still friendly, but clear. "But it goes both ways. If you borrow their time and their talent, you also help them finish the tasks I assign. No delays. No confusion. NEXUS moves fast, so our partners have to move fast too."
Nando straightened and nodded firmly. "I understand, Boss. I'll make sure it stays balanced."
Zaboru let out a long sigh. "How many times do I have to tell you, Nando-san? Don't call me 'Boss.' I'm not your boss."
Nando grinned shamelessly, as if he'd been waiting for that exact complaint. "What are you saying, Boss? Obviously you are my boss!" He let out a cheerful laugh. "Hehehe—your arcade ideas are seriously brilliant. I respect that, so I acknowledge you as my boss!"
Zaboru opened his mouth to argue again, but the words died in his throat. He pinched the bridge of his nose, then slumped back with an exaggerated defeat.
""…Fine," he muttered. "Hopeless."
Zaboru chuckled and leaned back, letting the tension melt into something lighter. "Alright then, Boss Nando," he teased, "how's the 'NZ' project? Any updates?"
Nando's grin returned instantly, bright and proud. The NZ project—short for Nanco and ZAGE—was their shared dream: a special arcade experience that felt less like a noisy competitive hall and more like stepping into a themed world. Not just rows of cabinets, but entire rooms designed like sci‑fi corridors or fantasy streets, with lighting, sound, and décor that made the place feel like a mini theme park.
It wasn't built only for hardcore players chasing high scores. It was meant for casual visitors and families too—parents, kids, couples on weekend dates—people who wanted fun without pressure. A place where someone could try a game for the first time and still feel like they belonged.
And if they could make it work, they planned to install NZ locations across Japan—especially inside malls—so the experience would be everywhere, not just in niche arcade districts.
Nando said, "So far, we've already secured spots in many Japanese cities, but it's still ongoing. And honestly, our arcade lineup still isn't enough yet—Nanco is still experimenting with a lot of ideas." He scratched the back of his head, still smiling, half proud and half frustrated. "But your ideas really gave us something. Like… you didn't just give us 'one game.' You gave us directions. So yeah—we're still working on making it real."
Zaboru smiled, because he understood that feeling. The concept was clear in their heads, but turning a concept into an actual space people could walk into was always harder than the paper plan.
"And you already gave us so many," Nando continued, counting on his fingers like he was reading a list in his mind. "You suggested stuff that looks simple but will be crazy popular—like a Vibrant Air Hockey table with reactive lights and score effects, so it feels like a mini battle every time someone hits the puck."
He pointed again. "You also mentioned a Basketball Arcade setup that feels closer to a real shooting drill—different modes, timed pressure, even cooperative play so families can join together instead of only competing."
"And then there are the casual machines," Nando added, voice warming up as he talked. "Stuff that doesn't scare parents away. Stuff that kids can understand in ten seconds. The kind of games people play while waiting for dinner, or while walking around the mall."
Zaboru nodded, because those were exactly the machines that made an arcade feel welcoming instead of intimidating. In his previous life, he'd spent years in arcades—playing everything from casual time-killers to sweaty competitive cabinets, from weird experimental one-offs to games that felt genuinely revolutionary. He remembered the feeling of walking into a place that invited you in, not a place that challenged you at the door. That's why he wanted NZ to be different. And that was why he planned to give Nando every idea he could remember—every concept, every cabinet trick, every little detail that made people smile and say, "Just one more coin."
Nando exhaled, amused. "The problem is… you gave us too many good ideas." He laughed. "It's hard to research them all at once, Boss."
He leaned forward, more serious now. "And there's another big project too: converting many ZEPS 2 and ZEPS 3 games into arcade versions. That one excites me the most, honestly. Some of those games already have strong gameplay loops—we just need to rebuild them for cabinets, coin flow, quick sessions, and big public screens."
He nodded firmly, like he was making a promise. "It's a lot of work, but we'll do it. Nanco will definitely do it with Help of team Nexus too."
Zaboru thought that was his idea too—converting many ZEPS 3 and ZEPS 2 titles, and even some PC games, into arcade versions. Of course, it couldn't be all of them. Arcade and console were completely different beasts: different pacing, different session lengths, different expectations. A living-room game could be slow, narrative-heavy, and forgiving. An arcade game had to grab you in seconds, reward you in minutes, and make you want to drop another coin before you even realized you lost.
But arcades offered something consoles couldn't right now: power. In the arcade space, they could push visuals harder, build flashier effects, and make the cabinets feel like mini showcases—especially because arcade hardware was already capable of output that, in Zaboru's previous life, would've looked like late-PS2 or even Xbox quality. Meanwhile, the strongest home console in this world was still closer to "upgraded PS1" level. PCs could reach higher too, but they were expensive and unrealistic for most families.
That gap meant the arcade could become the place where people saw the future first. And if Team NEXUS and Nanco did it right, converting the right games wouldn't just be a port—it would be an upgrade, a spectacle, and a reason for NZ to feel like something you couldn't replicate at home.
Zaboru nodded and leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping the armrest once as he organized the schedule in his head.
""Take your time, Nando-san. If you need more time, don't hesitate to ask," Zaboru said, voice steady. "We can't rush something like this—not if we want it to feel real when people walk in."
He tapped the armrest once, thinking about foot traffic, maintenance, lighting, cabinet placement—details that looked small on paper but decided whether a place felt magical or cheap.
"And I'm also planning to expand Team NEXUS again this year," he added, casually, as if he wasn't talking about moving budgets and hiring talent across two countries. "More engineers, more artists, more cabinet specialists. If NZ is going to become a new standard, we need the manpower to keep up."
Zaboru's gaze sharpened slightly as he shifted into the current schedule. "Well, Team NEXUS Japan has already finished their current task—Tekken 2. For now, I'll let them support Nanco and help push the NZ project faster," he said.
His tone stayed calm, but there was that familiar spark in his eyes—the look he got when he was already thinking beyond the meeting, beyond the month, toward the next wave of projects that would make everyone else feel like they were chasing ZAGE from behind.
"Next week, I'll assign them a new set of tasks alongside the other ZAGE teams," Zaboru continued. "And this time, it won't be just 'more of the same.' If we're building a new arcade environment, we need new reasons for people to walk in—new experiences that feel fresh, even to players who've been dropping coins for years."
He held up three fingers. "So I'm giving them three tasks. Two of them are new fighting games." Zaboru smiled as if he could already see the cabinets lined up. "Because we both know the truth—fighting games still rule the arcade. They bring the crowd, they create rivalries, and they keep people coming back to prove something."
His third finger stayed raised a moment longer. "And the last task is a new type of arcade machine—something different. Something casual-friendly, something that pulls families and beginners in without feeling like a kiddie corner. If we do it right, NZ won't just be another arcade. It'll be a place people visit on purpose."
Nando's grin widened, and his excitement was impossible to hide. He looked like a man who'd just been handed a blueprint for the future.
"Hehehe! Zaboru-san, this NZ project will definitely succeed!" Nando said, practically vibrating in his seat. His hands moved as he talked, like he couldn't keep the excitement contained. "When you proposed this kind of plan, my heart almost stopped working because of how excited I was! I didn't realize that this kind of 'arcade environment' is what I've been dreaming of all along."
Zaboru nodded, amused. Seeing a middle-aged man this passionate—this genuinely happy—was weird in the best way. It wasn't the polished excitement of a businessman chasing profit. It was the pure excitement of someone who loved arcades like they were a second home.
"Well, me too, Nando-san," Zaboru replied. "That's why I'm serious about making it real. And when the NZ project is done…" He leaned forward slightly, smiling like he was offering a reward in a game. "I'll give you a privilege. You'll name the 'arcade environment' we build."
Nando blinked, confused. "But… isn't NZ the name?"
Zaboru shook his head. "NZ is the project name. The label for our partnership. But the places themselves will be something completely different—something people will remember, something families will say out loud when they want to go have fun."
He pointed lightly at Nando. "That name? I'm giving it to you. You can think of it. You can cook it. Make it unforgettable."
Nando looked stunned for a second, then his face cracked into a wide grin. "Hehehe… then I'll cook a really good name for it!"
Zaboru nodded again, satisfied. The conversation drifted into smaller details after that—location vibes, room themes, what kind of entrance music would hook people the moment they stepped inside. And after chatting for a while longer, Nando finally stood up, thanked Zaboru, and left with the energy of someone already sprinting toward the future.
Zaboru returned to his work immediately, preparing the next tasks for ZAGE teams across the world—because once the August tasks were complete, the next wave would begin.
To be continue
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