While Kobayashi Tetsu was having lunch with everyone else at the venue, he saw several people run inside from the door, completely drenched.
Kobayashi Tetsu shot to his feet instantly, tray in hand, and sprinted outside.
It was raining!
The heavy rain he had been worrying about for two days had finally fallen this afternoon.
Standing inside the venue and looking out, Kobayashi Tetsu saw the torrential rain pouring down, forming shimmering puddles on the parking lot ground. Even the visitors who had been active outdoors or were planning to leave after lunch were driven back into the exhibition hall by the downpour.
The already cramped space inside the venue became even more crowded. A crowd gathered in front of almost every booth, and even without the need for a loud sales pitch, people would actively step in to take a look.
Kobayashi Tetsu gripped his tray so hard he almost snapped a piece off.
"Good rain, good rain knows the season—"
"When spring arrives."
The voice finishing the line from behind made Kobayashi Tetsu spin around. To his surprise, it was Matsuoka Satoshi standing there, having chimed in with the next verse.
Kobayashi Tetsu was astonished. "Matsuoka-kun, you know this poem too?"
"It's not unusual for Japanese people to memorize Tang poetry," Matsuoka Satoshi said with a smile. "Which Japanese person wouldn't admire Li Bai, Du Fu, or Bai Juyi?"
Kobayashi Tetsu paused for two seconds, thinking to himself, Well, that depends on the person.
First of all, they have to be an educated Japanese person! Someone like Naka Yuji wouldn't like it, because why? Because he can't even read it!
"I came here out of curiosity, and these past few days, I've witnessed some truly remarkable sights," Matsuoka Satoshi said, bowing slightly. "I'm just an ordinary visitor. President Kobayashi, you won't mind, will you?"
Kobayashi Tetsu smiled.
Of course, I probably won't.
At 2:00 PM, the Developers Conference officially began. Kobayashi Tetsu had originally planned to hold it at the intersection of the outdoor and indoor venues, but it was now pouring rain outside. No one wanted to brave the wind and rain to watch the exhibition, even with the awnings.
So, Kobayashi Tetsu naturally took over the central area of the exhibition hall. Behind him stood the bronze statue of a galloping horse, and looking down, the area below the set-up stage was a sea of people, their faces barely visible.
Kobayashi Tetsu gave a brief opening speech, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then got straight to the point.
The exhibition and voting were underway.
Several Atlas staff members had already tallied the results. Kobayashi Tetsu had not rigged the outcome in any way; the ten most popular games had been chosen directly by the players themselves.
The most popular game was a side-scrolling action title in the style of Metal Slug, titled Metal Shell. Its character designs were also similar. Although the scenes and enemy variety betrayed the development team's limited resources, it was still an impressive feat for a demonstration.
Unlike the other independent developers, this game was created by a temporary team of three, who had handled all the programming and art assets.
Kobayashi Tetsu didn't recognize their names and couldn't recall ever hearing of such a development team, but he still handed an envelope to the three of them.
The envelope was heavy, containing a check and the keys to a new office.
"Metal Shell is the most popular work at this convention, the game that has won the favor of the most players. I believe you will not waste this investment. Atlas will fulfill its promise: equipment, funding, office space, and publishing—Atlas will handle it all."
The three of them received the envelopes. As they felt their weight, the excitement and joy on their faces were genuine.
Envelopes worth twenty million yen! It would take them a decade to earn that much.
Tetsuya Kobayashi smiled as he escorted the three off the stage, presenting awards to each of the top fifteen games based on the vote count.
Pokémon had climbed one more spot from its initial ranking, now sitting in third place. Yet, looking at the audience below the stage, the crowd didn't seem particularly thrilled or excited about the game.
Kobayashi said nothing.
After all, what can you really see in a demo? As long as the quality is up to par, players will vote for it. But if a game can't even crack the rankings with a demo—then it's truly terrible, so bad it doesn't even meet basic quality standards.
After announcing the top fifteen awards and the sponsorship plan, Kobayashi gave brief comments on the next dozen or so games. Just as the Developers Conference seemed about to conclude, he suddenly raised his hand and tapped the microphone.
The hollow thud of the microphone snapped the audience to attention. The photographers, hired for the event, immediately zoomed in, focusing their lenses on Kobayashi Tetsu.
"This heavy rain has forced everyone to stay inside the exhibition hall, but it has also brought developers and players closer together."
"Across the globe, in my own country and beyond, there are countless developers. They craft games with passion and unique visions, only to be driven out of the industry by the scorn, misunderstanding, and even active discouragement of others. As a result, games that could have become masterpieces are smothered in the womb."
"Since the dawn of video games in the 1970s, many have long dismissed them as a vulgar, mindless industry—a waste of time and money. To that, I ask: What truly defines 'meaningful'?"
"Eating, drinking, playing, enjoying life—if these things bring us satisfaction, how can we say they are meaningless?"
"Everyone, what I'm trying to say is that video games are more than just video games. In fact, gaming is a form of art—the Ninth Art, following cinema, opera, music, and the fine arts!"
"Looking at the games voted on today, some are purely about combat and the thrill of the fight, while others contain something much deeper."
"Many of you here know that Atlas's very first game was coded by me in a garage. The conditions were crude, the environment was poor, and it was a far cry from the glory we see today. Back then, I was just like you, coming from an ordinary family."
"Atlas was fortunate enough to persevere until the game was released and became a success, but many independent developers aren't so lucky."
"I've been wondering, how can I help these indie developers?"
"That's why I tried to host this Atlas Carnival. Through the Video Game Tournament, I wanted to show everyone that playing games can be a legitimate career. And today's Developers Conference is a statement that making games is a serious endeavor."
"Twenty million Yen might seem like a lot, but in reality, it's not. It's only enough to sustain a single development team for one year. I've always believed that giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish. So today, Atlas will solve this problem at its root!"
"I, Kobayashi Tetsu, will be the first to make this happen. The game development tool, created by the Atlas Technical Development Department, will help every developer complete their game development in a visual environment with the utmost convenience. An easy-to-learn, easy-to-use game engine: 'Persona!'"
Kobayashi Tetsu turned around. His team had already prepared everything, and at this moment, they connected the computer to the large screen behind him. A flat design with a futuristic interface appeared on the screen.
In an instant, the exhibition hall fell into a brief silence.
Everyone stared at the large screen behind Kobayashi Tetsu. Beneath the statue of the galloping horse, the screen projected images that they could only half-understand.
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