Monday 1 June 2000.
Zaboru was fully focused right now. He was still in ZAGE USA, at the ZAGE Campus in Silicon Valley, and although he would return to Japan in a couple of days, his mind was already far ahead. Right now, he was brainstorming the next major ZAGE super project: the ZEPS 4. Unlike previous projects, this one carried a different kind of weight. It was not just about improving what already existed, but about setting a new standard for the entire industry. Zaboru knew this console would define the next era of gaming if done correctly, and that alone made him more serious than usual.
ZEPS 4 itself was already under research by the hardware team at ZAGE Tower in Japan. His father, Zanichi, was already deeply involved, constantly tinkering with ZEPS 3 and exploring ways to evolve its architecture into something far more powerful. At the same time, NVIDIA and AMD were both working on developing specialized GPU and CPU solutions tailored specifically for ZEPS 4. Overall, the progress had been quite smooth. Development had actually started as early as 1998, but only this year had it become truly focused and structured. Now, everything was aligning toward a clear goal.
Zaboru was currently thinking about releasing ZEPS 4 in late 2002 or possibly early 2003. He was in no rush. In his mind, ZEPS 4 was not something that could be rushed or compromised. It required time, careful planning, and precise execution. What he wanted was not just a strong console, but something equivalent to the seventh generation consoles from his previous life. That meant a significant leap, not just in hardware power, but in overall experience, ecosystem, and long term impact.
Seventh generation consoles were known for their massive technological leap. Many core features that later became standard started there, such as online services, Blu-ray, and gyro technology. For Zaboru, this was not just a reference point, but a clear benchmark. If ZEPS 4 wanted to stand at that level, then it had to match, or even surpass, those innovations. Right now, Zaboru was carefully listing all the technologies that should be available for ZEPS 4, thinking not only about what was possible, but also what would shape the future of gaming.
"Hmm, first and foremost is online capability. Well, we at ZAGE already have experience with this through Steam, so this should not be a big problem. What we need is to properly integrate it into the console system… but hmm, should I integrate Steam directly into ZEPS 4?" Zaboru paused for a moment.
"I don't think that's a good idea… I want to keep PC gaming and console gaming separate, at least for now. Different ecosystems, different experiences."
He continued thinking, his fingers lightly tapping the table.
"Anyway, it should definitely have Wi-Fi capabilities as a standard feature. No more relying on cables like before. It also needs to be able to open the ZAGE forum and YouTube directly from the console. That way, players can stay connected, watch content, and interact with the community without leaving the system. And of course… a proper digital store for games."
Zaboru smiled slightly.
"Hehehe… this is where things will really change.."
Zaboru took a sip of his coffee and thought, "Next is internal storage… ZEPS 4 needs to have large internal storage so players can download digital games directly onto it. It also needs features to save gameplay clips and screenshots… those things will become standard in the future." He paused for a moment.
"But… is it still good if I keep the memory card function? I really like the memory card system in ZEPS 3… hmm… maybe it can be used as extended storage, something that allows players to carry their data outside the console itself."
He leaned back slightly, thinking deeper.
"Hmm… it might be a bit redundant… but if it looks cool and still has some use, I don't mind a little redundancy… eheh." Zaboru chuckled softly. In his mind, not everything needed to be perfectly efficient. Sometimes, features that felt good to use or gave players more options were just as important.
He had always loved the memory card system in his previous life, especially during the PS1 and PS2 era. That was why he wanted to carry over this feature from ZEPS 3 into ZEPS 4, even if it felt a little redundant.
"Next is display…" Zaboru continued, his tone becoming more thoughtful. "LCD technology in this world is still in its development phase, while HD TVs already exist, but most people don't have them yet."
He tapped his fingers lightly.
"But since ZEPS 3 is already pushing toward PS3-level graphics, HD TVs will slowly become necessary. ZEPS 4 will definitely depend on that standard even more."
Zaboru narrowed his eyes slightly as he recalled something.
"I heard there were research breakthroughs in Korea… Samsung or LG… but there hasn't been any follow-up news yet. That means the technology is still not fully ready for mass adoption."
He let out a small breath.
"For now, I'll need to wait. AKAI doesn't have enough manpower to start thinking about TV development as well. We already have too many projects running."
"Next is Blu-ray… I wonder if AKAI can actually develop it. Well, it's a gamble," Zaboru chuckled.
AKAI was ZAGE's partner company, with Zaboru owning 40% after its expansion last year following the success of the Z-POD. Since then, AKAI had grown rapidly. Right now, ZAGE had a huge number of projects running through AKAI. Some were related to new types of phones, others to the next generation of Z-POD devices, and even portable projectors designed for ZEPS 3. But among all of them, the most important project was clearly Blu-ray disc technology.
Back when ZAGE and Philips worked together to develop DVD technology, their relationship had been strong. However, things changed after the release of ZEPS 3. The console made Philips' standalone DVD players look outdated, mainly because ZEPS 3 was cheaper while also being able to play DVDs. After that, their relationship turned sour, and they stopped working together.
To be fair, Zaboru had already warned Philips not to price their DVD players too high, but they did not listen. Because of that, ZAGE could no longer rely on Philips to help develop Blu-ray technology. There were also rumors that Philips was now working with Apple and ZUSUGA to create a new type of console. Still, Zaboru did not really care about it. As far as he was concerned, it was their loss for choosing not to continue their partnership with ZAGE.
As for AKAI, they already had experience with CD manufacturing, but Blu-ray was a completely different level. The complexity, the storage capacity, and the precision required made it an entirely new challenge. Because of that, Zaboru provided them with a clear conceptual framework of what Blu-ray should be, based on his knowledge from his previous life.
Right now, AKAI's researchers and scientists were doing their best to bring that concept into reality. Zaboru was confident in their ability. More importantly, he did not mind the cost. He had already allocated a large amount of capital into this research, fully aware that if they succeeded, it would give ZAGE a massive advantage for the next generation of consoles.
Zaboru was also glad that he had the Aura of Influence ability. This ability made the people around him work harder, learn faster, and even seem more energized. It was one of the main reasons why ZAGE employees were consistently high quality. AKAI was also affected by this ability, which was why their employees and researchers showed such impressive skill and performance. Because of that, Zaboru trusted them deeply.
Zaboru thought, "Blu-ray is really necessary… it can handle much larger file sizes, and it's far harder to crack. Of course, it's more expensive… but maybe there's a way to reduce the cost if the technology matures enough." He paused for a moment, his expression turning more serious.
"Heh… more importantly, I don't want games to rely on constant updates if possible. I want to preserve that feeling… you insert the game, and you just play. That simple experience… I really want to keep that."
In Zaboru's previous world, newer games were filled with updates and additional downloads, even if players had already bought the physical version. Honestly, that always bothered him. For ZEPS 4, he wanted to make sure that if a player had the physical disc, the game would be fully playable from start to finish, just like in older generation consoles.
He still clearly remembered those moments from his previous life. He had been extremely busy, often lacking both energy and time to play games. Then, when he finally had the chance to sit down and play, he would be hit with a massive update, sometimes over 10 GB, forcing him to wait instead of enjoy the moment. That alone was enough to completely kill his excitement.
Because of that, Zaboru made a quiet decision. ZEPS 4 would aim to respect the player's time. Physical copies would matter again, and the core experience would always be ready the moment the game started. If updates were needed, they would be optional, not mandatory. That was the kind of balance he wanted to achieve.
"Next is Bluetooth technology… surprisingly, it already exists here, but it's still quite expensive… well, we can talk to the owners of this technology and negotiate usage. Wireless controllers are important for ZEPS 4." Zaboru nodded as he thought it through.
"Going wireless is not just convenience… it changes how people play. No cables, more freedom, cleaner setup… it feels more modern."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"Then… gyro technology. Hehehe… this one might not be completely new in this world, but it will still be a game changer for the industry." Zaboru smiled.
In his previous life, the gyro controller used by Nintendo's Wii had been incredibly impactful. It changed how players interacted with games, making movements more natural and immersive. Zaboru wanted to recreate that kind of experience for ZEPS 4, but push it even further.
"This kind of technology is amazing… it will open completely new types of gameplay. More intuitive controls, more physical interaction… something even non-gamers can enjoy without needing to learn complicated button layouts."
Zaboru paused for a moment, imagining different scenarios in his head. Casual players, families, even older people being able to pick up a controller and immediately understand what to do. That kind of accessibility had real value.
He leaned forward slightly, clearly interested in this direction.
"ZEPS 4 controllers should feel different… not just an upgrade, but something that offers choice. Hmm… I think we can approach two types of controllers here. One is the standard controller, something familiar and reliable for traditional players. Then there's the gyro controller, designed for motion-based interaction and more immersive gameplay."
He tapped the table lightly as the idea became clearer.
"Of course… both should be included in the ZEPS 4 package. That way, players can decide how they want to play from the start, instead of being forced into one style." Zaboru nodded, satisfied with the direction.
Zaboru leaned back and smiled. "Next is games… the ZEPS 4 library will include titles across two generations from my previous life. Games from PS2, PS3, GameCube, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360… all of them can be brought here. And if they originally came from the sixth generation era, then we can enhance them even further… hehehe."
Zaboru began writing, listing out franchises that would define ZEPS 4 from the start. These were not just games, but pillars that could shape the identity of the console itself.
Devil May Cry
HALO
Monster Hunter
Yakuza
Onimusha
Animal Crossing
Luigi Mansion
Kingdom Hearts
God of War
Prototype
Mass Effect
He looked at the list for a moment, then added more notes beside some of the titles, already thinking about how each one could be improved or expanded.
"Hehehe these are great list" Zaboru grinned.
"This ZEPS 4 will probably have the longest lifespan out of all ZAGE consoles. The library itself is extremely vast, and it will take a long time to fully build and mature. That's actually a good thing, because it allows the platform to grow steadily over time instead of peaking too early. A library of this scale needs time, careful planning, and continuous support to truly reach its full potential.
Speaking of games, I also need to upgrade our Unreal Engine so it can properly support ZEPS 4. It needs to be more advanced, more efficient, and easier for developers to use. Better rendering, better tools, and better scalability… everything has to improve so developers can fully take advantage of the new hardware." Zaboru smiled.
"Either way, it's going to be busy… but things are already moving in the right direction. Right now, Dad is in charge of hardware development, and he's already working closely with NVIDIA and AMD. With both companies directly involved, the foundation of ZEPS 4 is already strong.
Still… Dad is honestly incredible when it comes to hardware. Sometimes I don't even understand how he does it. The way he can look at a system and instantly see what can be improved… it's on a completely different level. Without him, ZAGE definitely wouldn't be where it is today."
Zaboru let out a small chuckle, but there was clear respect behind it.
He remembered all the late nights Zanichi spent working, the constant experimentation, and the almost unnatural way he seemed to "communicate" with machines.
"And since ZAGE owns 51% of both NVIDIA and AMD, we're in a really strong position. That makes everything smoother. We can align hardware and software much more easily without unnecessary limitations. We're not just building a console… we're shaping the entire system from the ground up."
Zaboru leaned back slightly, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"Hehehe… honestly, I can't wait to see how all of this comes together."
Zaboru continued working late into the night. Then, out of nowhere, he received a call from Jun Hasegawa, one of the members of the Zankoku band. Zaboru was a little surprised to see Jun calling him directly.
Jun asked if Zaboru was busy in next couple of days Jun ask if they could meet in Zankoku Studio which is their first band studio in Japan , and Zaboru agree.
To be continued.
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