As soon as the press conference ended, reporters from various magazines and media outlets rushed back in their cars, eager to publish their articles first.
Katayama Reiko, a reporter for Famitsu, was also present.
As Reiko hastily greeted Aoki Haruhi and was about to drive back to the magazine office, President Aoki called her back.
"President Aoki, is there anything else?"
Katayama Reiko asked obediently.
"Well, I have an idea. See if you can incorporate it into tomorrow's report," Aoki Haruhi said.
"Mmm. Okay," Katayama Reiko nodded slightly.
After more than half a year, Katayama had become much more capable. Her long hair from before had been replaced by a neat short bob, and she wore a white thin shirt with a knee-length skirt, looking very sharp and spirited.
"Well, you heard Mr. Ken Kutaragi's speech just now, didn't you?" Aoki Haruhi said, "The reason we want to separate electronic games from traditional toys is because electronic games themselves need to develop, and they also have greater room for development and a mission to carry.
In this, Mr. Ken Kutaragi used the word 'art'."
"Mmm hmm."
"So, what I'm thinking is, in your report tomorrow, could you call electronic games the ninth art?"
"Eh? The ninth art?" Katayama Reiko was slightly startled.
Her first reaction was surprise.
Her second reaction was—
This term is too amazing!
Even though she didn't know what the previous eight art forms were, Katayama Reiko inexplicably felt that President Aoki's term had a powerful, almost luminous effect.
"Yes, the ninth art." Aoki Haruhi counted on his fingers for her, "Painting, sculpture, architecture, music, literature, dance, drama, film.
If games can now become a new type of art, wouldn't that make them the ninth art?"
The suggestion Aoki Haruhi offered Reiko, calling games the ninth art, completely blew her mind.
"The ninth art."
Katayama Reiko pondered Aoki Haruhi's words. This term was like a delicious delicacy; the more she chewed on it, the more endless its flavor seemed.
The ninth art not only directly elevated the category of games to an unprecedented height but also possessed a great sense of novelty. Even just seeing the term could ignite readers' desire to read and their endless imagination.
"Ah! President Aoki, thank you so much. You are truly a genius."
Katayama Reiko expressed her gratitude.
"Not at all. Well then, Katayama, please do your best," Aoki Haruhi smiled, encouraging them.
"Okay, President Aoki. Then I'll take my leave now. I need to get back early to write this news article about the ninth art."
"Mmm, go for it!"
...
After returning, Katayama Reiko found writing today's report on the Electronic Entertainment Industry Association to be effortless and exhilarating.
The most crucial part was the four-character mantra she received from Aoki Haruhi: the ninth art.
In her previous life, this term was actually proposed very early, as early as the 1930s. However, it was used as a general term for other art forms besides the eight major arts.
It was only after the release of Nintendo's the legend of zelda: Ocarina of Time in 1998 that people saw that games also possessed artistic expression forms not inferior to film and an unprecedented depth. Driven by this trend, the concept of games as the ninth art was first proposed.
Aoki Haruhi was essentially bringing a future event into the present.
But for the entire gaming industry, and for Famitsu, the concept of the ninth art was simply too fitting and too important.
As Katayama Reiko wrote, she felt her blood surge, and at moments of excitement, she couldn't help but stand up and pull back the curtains to look at the world outside.
Who would have thought that such a seemingly mere toy, meant only for entertainment, could unleash such immense energy?
Katayama Reiko felt a sense of profound emotion, feeling as if she stood at the center of a temporal vortex.
The birth of this term signified that games now had their own unique core and a distinct banner.
And now, this name, this concept, this banner, was being bestowed through her hands and her pen.
What could be more exciting than linking one's name to a keyword that would influence an era?
For a wordsmith like Katayama Reiko, such an opportunity might not come even once in a lifetime.
There was none.
Miss this opportunity, and it would be gone.
After a series of exclamations, Reiko returned to her desk and completely shredded the original sheet of paper titled "Game Entertainment Industry Association: New Industry Regulations to Be Established."
Then, on the next page,
She picked up her pen and wrote—
"The ninth art: games will be redefined."
...
The day after Ken Kutaragi held the press conference, major media newspapers and magazines all reported on the event.
"Shocking: Sony Takes Lead in Establishing Electronic Entertainment Industry Association."
"Electronic Entertainment Industry Association: The New Game Industry Regulator?"
"Sony's Ambition: Setting Game Standards."
"Is the Electronic Entertainment Industry Association the Gospel for the Gaming Industry?"
Japanese media magazines provided plenty of sensationalism; media professionals are very good at crafting headlines.
The articles not only extensively reported on Ken Kutaragi's speech at the press conference but also mentioned remarks from other gaming industry magnates, particularly Aoki Haruhi's voice, which was fully recorded.
In addition, what was most reported was Ken Kutaragi's challenge to Nintendo and Sega, as well as speculation about the future direction of these two companies.
In short, the titles were as sensational and provocative as possible, and the content followed suit.
However, there was one magazine report with a very special headline.
Famitsu's "Game Information Morning Post" titled the press conference content "The ninth art: games will be redefined."
The title did not use the common terms of other counterparts.
It didn't even mention the Game Entertainment Industry Association, Sony, or Ken Kutaragi.
Instead, it adopted the ninth art.
This report was written from a higher, broader perspective.
In this magazine report, Sony's Game Entertainment Industry Association had transformed from a protagonist into a supporting role.
It served as a guide for the great proposition of the ninth art.
Editor Katayama Reiko mentioned in the report:
"Games have now existed for 48 years and possess many artistic expression capabilities similar to film, even surpassing all current human art forms in terms of experiential feeling.
If we truly want to provide a more detailed explanation for this art, then I privately believe it can be called 'virtual art.'
Games are a human creation, a secondary processing and simulation of reality, imagination, the spiritual world, life, and the universe.
In such artistic works, humans experience endless imagination, and this more intuitive and immersive feeling will provide the human brain with unparalleled enjoyment.
Games are, without a doubt, the ninth art.
And now, Sony, Pokeni, Konami, Capcom...
The Electronic Entertainment Industry Association they created is merely an effort to better bring this art and a higher quality experience to players.
We sincerely wish this association continued success in promoting the ninth art worldwide, and we hope the ninth art will give birth to unparalleled human cultural crystallization.
This is a higher form of art, more aligned with future development, and better able to embody human wisdom.
May the ninth art flourish forever."
...
"Wow, the ninth art! What a well-chosen term!"
Upon seeing this report, Hiruta Masato, the president of Elf Society, reacted with great delight, feeling his eyes light up.
"Sony has really made a big move this Time."
With Famitsu's report, "The ninth art: games will be redefined," the gaming community was greatly invigorated.
Because before this, games were associated with toys, and sometimes even stigmatized as something that could easily erode one's willpower.
Especially in the early days of galgame, the industry's existence of many unsavory games led many people to consider games vulgar.
Most game companies basically treated games as a means of making money.
It was a product, a commodity, something to make money, and it was rarely elevated to a particularly high spiritual value.
However, many game products with high spiritual value, no less than films, did emerge. These games could certainly be called art.
And now, the concept of the ninth art proposed by Famitsu directly gave everyone a very vibrant banner.
Upon seeing this term, people in the gaming industry felt their backs straighten.
People in the industry praised Famitsu's report for being well-written.
"It's really well-written. Katayama Reiko, the editor who wrote this report, is simply a genius with words."
"I feel like what I'm doing has suddenly become grander."
"It's truly exciting. I inexplicably feel an unprecedented sense of pride and mission."
"Ah, art, the great crystallization of human wisdom and culture. So games are something like that. This is the first Time I've had such a realization."
"I used to make games because I enjoyed it, but now making games even has a hint of spiritual pursuit. This report is truly remarkable."
"The most remarkable thing is that while elevating the status of games, it also provides the most legitimate reason for the Electronic Entertainment Industry Association, created by Sony and so many other companies."
Once this banner was unfurled, it instantly garnered immense attention and virtually united everyone.
...
Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli appeared exceptionally happy when he saw this report.
"The ninth art, how well written."
Back then, cinema was similar, becoming the eighth art. The situation then is much like now; it's all a result of the film industry's continuous growth and its increasing influence on the world and people.
Filmmakers themselves are very proud of 'art.'
Like Hayao Miyazaki himself, besides creating animated works that make children happy, he also hopes his works possess artistic value and achievement.
Ever since he glimpsed the potential of games in expression and enhancing experience in the past two years, Hayao Miyazaki had a strong premonition—
One day, games could also become a spiritual and cultural medium like animated films.
He just didn't expect this day to come so quickly.
Katayama Reiko, who wrote this report, is simply a genius.
Beside him, Toshio Suzuki chuckled, covering his mouth.
"This term, don't you feel there's something subtly miraculous about it?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Hayao Miyazaki asked, puzzled.
Suzuki pursed his lips, smiling but remaining silent.
He pondered for two seconds before saying, "This might just be my guess, but I always feel that the inventor of this term wasn't Katayama Reiko, but someone else."
"No, to be precise, the person who could link the ninth art with games and propose this idea might not be Katayama Reiko."
"Hmm?"
Hayao Miyazaki was even more confused.
An article signed by the editor herself, and the concept within it isn't her own?
"Then who could it be?"
Toshio Suzuki laughed, shaking his head, "Who knows."
Perhaps it was a president of a game company who truly had a profound understanding of the game industry, one could not say for sure.
...
When players saw this report, their eyes lit up.
The ninth art gave legitimacy to games, and it did so for players as well.
"Wow, someone as uncultured as me can actually be associated with art one day. I never expected that."
"Yeah, yeah, games are actually the ninth art."
"Isn't that right? Think about it, even a sub-genre of games like galgame has the potential of animated films. Film itself is an art form, so how could games not be art?"
"Mmm hmm, indeed."
"From now on, let's not say we're playing games, but rather that we're experiencing the ninth art."
"Hahahaha... Mmm hmm, experiencing the ninth art."
...
"Damn it!!!"
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!!!"
Seeing the news report,
Hiroshi Yamauchi of Nintendo was furious.
A pile of newspapers lay on his desk; he picked one up and threw it down.
He felt his blood pressure about to spike.
What was this called? This was called blatant humiliation!
Sony and this bunch of game companies are simply too hateful!
No, the most hateful is still Sony!
These guys are truly lawless. They openly invited Nintendo to join this association, but in reality, they were banking on Yamauchi's personality; he would never agree to such a subservient "cooperation."
"Sony is establishing an Electronic Entertainment Industry Association, is that right?"
Hiroshi Yamauchi said bitterly, "Then I'll establish one too!"
...
Over at Sega, Nakayama Hayao was also in a bad state, his face exceptionally grim.
His arch-rival Nintendo hadn't even been defeated yet, and now there was another formidable competitor, Sony.
Sony not only entered the console war but also pulled out such an Electronic Entertainment Industry Association, clearly aiming to seize the leadership position.
And Sega, on the other hand, was generally at a disadvantage in the console war. They could have relied on the PS not having particularly excellent games to hold out for a while, but now with the release of Pokémon 3D, Nakayama Hayao felt a chill run down his spine.
"Damn it!"
Nakayama Hayao clutched his aching chest, feeling dizzy.
He was being attacked from both sides by Nintendo and Sony.
What was even more unbearable was Pokeni fanning the flames from behind!
Sega's current situation was extremely precarious. After losing the console war, they might face a crisis of complete defeat.
This complete defeat was not just a simple failure. It was mainly because Sega had heavy debts, and if they didn't recover quickly, there was a real risk of bankruptcy.
As soon as he thought of this, Nakayama Hayao felt even more chest tightness and shortness of breath.
He almost fainted.
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