Game Market 1983
Chapter 230: Tsubaki's Request

Before stepping onto the stage, I peeked behind the curtain at the uproar of the audience reverberating through the hall. The sight of the packed event hall made my throat dry.

"I was somewhat prepared, but this... exceeds imagination."

Sure, compared to the likes of the immensely popular 'Amuro Namie' or X-JAPAN here in Japan, this might just be a fledgling gathering, centered around live performances using game characters. Yet, surprisingly, a considerable number of spectators had gathered for this live concert.

Moreover, considering it had only been about a month since the official launch of the content, the potential that Virtuoid idols possessed was substantial.

If asked why they amassed such a crowd in such a short time, could it be attributed to Japan's unique gaming culture?

But on a moment's reflection, there was a somewhat acceptable aspect to why they gathered here.

The answer lay in 'content.'

The tension of the so-called survival match, where fans vie for their beloved idol's official debut, was more gripping than I imagined.

Yet, what truly lured the gamers was the downloadable content available here at the concert hall.

Attendees had the advantage of being the first to listen to the latest tracks of Erica and Azusa. But more importantly, it was the ability to unlock new character costumes and songs on their devices before anyone else, thanks to a small key data used to unlock the extensive data inside the CD.

"Why use the term 'unlock'?" Well, the truth was, the illustrations and tracks for the second live were already digitized within the CD. This unlocking data, often referred to as unlock content, utilized a small key to unlock vast data within the CD. It was a specialized feature designed to compel Virtuoid fans to enjoy the content for a longer period.

This method was commonly used by other gaming companies as well. For instance, NANCO primarily used a time-based unlocking method in 'Iron Fist 2.' Memories of users getting excited about hidden characters unlocked after playing a hundred rounds in the arcade version or suddenly encountering a character after clearing the final boss came to mind. I borrowed a similar method for Virtuoid.

However, it wasn't solely reliant on unlock data for all content.

Complete Laon, like when Kanna created a song for Tsubaki, could sufficiently accept custom data, thanks to its 128-megabyte hard drive.

It was this extra space that allowed Complete Laon to function without the need for memory cards, unlike Sony's Gear Station, which, while not expensive on its own, incurred additional costs for gameplay storage using memory cards.

Furthermore, blockage of data saving itself by games resulted in the consumption of 2-3 data blocks per game, necessitating the deletion of older data when all memory card spaces were occupied, a somewhat inconvenient aspect.

In this sense, integrating a hard drive into home consoles at that time was both absurd and groundbreaking from today's perspective. It was an oddity from the standpoint of competing companies like Sony and NEGA, but a welcomed and radical move from the users' perspective.

However, embedding a hard drive in the new console wasn't just for downloading content and data storage.

"Inside Complete Laon lies an operating system."

With the CD era opening up, the biggest concern was pirated CDs. Thus, with each new game release, Complete Laon contained an updated internal OS. This included a feature that physically damaged the console's CPU if it detected a mod chip tampering with genuine CDs, by forcibly overclocking the CPU.

This effect was explicitly mentioned in the documentation and even sealed on the back of the main body. Hence, there hadn't been any movements observed to use replicated CDs.

While cartridges used in previous generations were too costly to produce, leading to the production of counterfeit products to deceive consumers and fetch higher prices, CDs were cheap enough to manufacture in bulk, making it a profitable business even when sold for 500 to 1000 yen each.

As cases of forcibly modifying consoles with mod chips for Gear Station and NEGA Saturn increased in Taiwan, the gaming industry was grappling with a considerable headache.

In that context, despite the increased manufacturing cost, the 128-megabyte hard drive garnered significant merit by being able to thwart replicated CDs, and hence, unanimously passed within the company.

Soon after, a bell rang through the event hall, signaling the start of the live performance. The voices of the excited crowd gradually subsided.

Standing by the stage's side, I slowly walked to the center, adjusting my attire.

"Seems like... it's about to start."

Did they hear the sound of my footsteps on the stage?

Amidst the multitude of spectators, I caught a fleeting glimpse of a trembling voice from someone.

As the curtain rose, revealing the audience directly in front of me, I couldn't help but flash a smile, scanning the packed seats.

"Welcome to the unveiling of Katagiri Erika's latest track."

With arms wide open, I greeted the audience before taking hold of the microphone placed at the center of the stage.

"This year has been quite eventful, meeting all of you more frequently than usual."

As my words sank in, a small chuckle emerged from the audience section.

We usually held conferences about once a year, but this year, unexpectedly after the launch of Complete Laon, here I was, facing the users again within a month and a half.

"Before beginning Erica's live, let me announce the sales figures of the heroines over the past month and a half. Virtuoid has shipped 200,000 units, with each heroine selling 50,000 units. Among these, two heroines have already sold out."

As I spoke, the audience, previously swallowing dry saliva, now started staring at me intently.

Unfortunately, the script I held didn't include the name of the idol they hoped to hear.

"It's Sheryl and Tsubaki."

"Ah..."

The atmosphere felt as though the heavens themselves were collapsing, watching the users sigh in unison, leaving me with an equally bewildered feeling. But the true stage of Virtuoid idols was only just beginning, meaning the final outcome could still be flipped entirely on its head.

"One interesting fact is that since the release of Complete Laon, selling just over 100,000 units, Virtuoid's sales have far surpassed the console. This indicates that for every user enjoying Complete Laon, they most likely have at least one Virtuoid title. This is an unprecedented result even within the console market. It shows a significant interest in the heroines of Virtuoid."

"Wow... that's amazing."

"The game sold 100,000 units, and the software has exceeded that."

"Well, I bought all four, so I kind of get it..."

Some users showed a rather expected response to my presentation.

At that moment, a female staff member rushed onto the stage, handed me a note, and hurriedly retreated.

Glancing at the note's contents, I raised the corner of my mouth slightly and held the microphone in my hand.

"It seems like they've finished tallying the audience at the live stage in Osaka."

"Wow... what happened?"

"Of course, Erica must have won."

"But I heard Osaka had a massive turnout too..."

With unease brewing, I briefly scanned the restless stage before bringing the mic closer to my lips.

"The number of attendees at Conno Azusa's live performance..."

"Please, please..."

"Oh, heavens..."

Eyes filled with anticipation, hoping for a quick announcement of the results...

Among them, some folded their hands, silently praying.

With a small note in hand, I slightly sighed and lifted my head, tucking the note into my pocket before speaking.

"Please check for yourselves."

Crack!!

Simultaneously, a giant screen behind me displayed the Osaka Live Hall.

"Wow...!!!"

"Whoa!! Why are there so many~!!"

"Darn it... were there that many Azusa fans!?"

Seeing the Osaka Live Hall packed almost as much as their side, a strange tension filled the faces of the users in the audience.

-Virtuoid Idol Live Dual Broadcast-

I waved to Kawaguchi-san standing at the center of the stage on the screen. Soon after, he waved back at me.

"As you can see, the live performances are currently running simultaneously. Moreover, not just here, but users cheering from gaming shops across the country via installed terminals will also contribute to the results, which we'll announce after the live ends. Now, shall we proceed with the real live show?"

"Wow!!!"

Looking at the stands filled on the opposing side, users, brimming with enthusiasm, began to cheer loudly, fists clenched tight.

"Alright. But before that, let me explain a simple rule for you to enjoy the live performances better."

"A rule?"

"From now on, in each live performance, we'll check the audience's response. After the live ends, your cheering volume will be measured in decibels and added to the heroine's debut points. So, please support Erica with your cheers as much as you enjoy the live. Ah, and one more thing. Don't assume that the cheers will be low due to the mood of the song. We have prepared the order for each other's songs to be performed today."

"Wow!!! This is awesome..."

Merely for a new song's announcement, dragging users all the way to Kobe is more than just courtesy...

With thunderous applause from the users, I stood on the stage, gazing at the gigantic screen where Erica's image appeared.

Users who had imagined her in her innocent cheering outfit were now showing various reactions to the cute Erica in a checkered skirt.

"Cute!!"

"She's... she's adorable."

"That's my type!! That's exactly my type~!!"

At that moment, a keen gamer, sensing something, shouted with their head wrapped in their arms.

"No way!! Is the voice actress for today's song wearing the same outfit!?"

"Whoa!!!"

At that moment, the live hall seemed to ignite in a slightly different way.

As the live hall resembled a military concert, I, standing at one corner of the stage, slowly shook my head from side to side.

"So that's why gamers who catch onto things quickly are disliked..."

>

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