Now that it's already the end of September, only one notable game has been released this month—Armored Core from Team IZAN. With the successful completion and launch of that project, Zaboru has already handed them a new directive. Their next major responsibility will be to develop titles for the upcoming ZGBA handheld, effectively shifting one of their focus away from console development for the time being. This marks a significant transition for Team IZAN, as they begin adapting to the different technical demands and gameplay expectations of handheld development.
In addition to this new ZGBA assignment, Team IZAN still has a few remaining console commitments. Their next big release is Resident Evil 2, which is scheduled for launch in October of this year. Following that, their final planned project for this cycle is The Cowboy Samurai, a highly anticipated title expected to release in February 1999 for the ZEPS 3. These titles will round out the team's console responsibilities before they fully commit to the handheld platform.
Next, the four new teams within ZAGE have been officially established. First are the two Japanese teams, both composed entirely of newly hired talent. These teams have been named KODO and FUMA. Despite being new, they are already organized into structured units with clear leadership and goals. What surprised Zaboru the most, however, was that among the fresh recruits were names that rang familiar from his previous life. As usual, some of these individuals were born slightly later than their counterparts in his original world, but their talents were still unmistakable.
The most notable among them was Masahiro Sakurai. In Zaboru's original world, Sakurai had already been making waves by this age. Here, he was born in 1974, making him currently 24 years old—four years younger than in the timeline Zaboru once knew. Despite the age difference, Sakurai's potential had not diminished. He had already proven himself as a gifted game designer and was working as a team leader within one of ZAGE's 3rd-party developers. When he caught wind that ZAGE was hiring for new internal teams, Sakurai wasted no time. He applied immediately, passed the evaluation process with flying colors, and was promptly accepted. Now, he would take on a new challenge as one of the core leaders of Team KODO.
Zaboru felt a surge of optimism knowing that someone like Sakurai would be shaping the future of ZAGE from within. With that kind of talent leading one of their newest teams, the possibilities seemed even more promising. It was a clear sign that the new generation of developers was already rising, and ZAGE's foundation was only getting stronger.
Next is Toshihiro Nagoshi, known in Zaboru's previous world as the creator of the Yakuza series. In this timeline, he was born in 1968—making him roughly three years younger than his counterpart from Zaboru's old life. Now in his early thirties, Nagoshi already boasts a deep well of experience in the video game industry. He previously worked at Sonaya, where he gained valuable insight into AAA game development during his time as a designer and project lead.
Eventually, he transitioned out of Sonaya and joined BANZ, one of ZAGE's trusted third-party development studios. At BANZ, he proved himself once again by rising to a leadership position and overseeing multiple successful projects. His sharp instincts for narrative direction and gameplay mechanics made him stand out among his peers.
When ZAGE announced the formation of new internal teams, Nagoshi was among the first high-profile figures from third-party circles to be invited. His leadership abilities, industry experience, and proven results made him a perfect fit for a central role. Now, he has been officially appointed as one of the core leaders of Team FUMA. With his background in crafting mature, grounded, and emotionally resonant titles, Nagoshi is expected to bring a unique edge to the team's future projects. Zaboru, impressed by his growth and adaptability, personally approved his leadership role—eager to see how Nagoshi's vision would shape FUMA's creative direction going forward.
These two teams consist mostly of entirely new recruits, fresh faces who have recently joined the ZAGE family. As of now, each team has a total of 50 members, carefully selected to bring a mix of raw talent and untapped potential. However, these numbers are only the beginning—ZAGE fully intends to expand both teams over time as development ramps up and the need for additional roles becomes clearer.
Understanding the importance of a strong foundation, Zaboru has taken it upon himself to personally guide and mentor these teams. He plans to ensure they become fully familiar with ZAGE's internal workflow, tools, and development philosophies. From game design principles to communication pipelines, Zaboru's hands-on approach will help instill ZAGE's core culture into every new member. Training will be intensive but highly structured, modeled after the successful onboarding process used for the Dynasty team in ZAGE Korea.
Over the course of the next two months, these teams will undergo a comprehensive internal training phase, and building team chemistry. By the end of this period, KODO and FUMA will be ready to take on their first major assignments, with confidence and clarity in their roles within the broader ZAGE ecosystem.
Similar to the Japanese teams, ZAGE also expanded its operations in the United States by adding two new development teams, although with a slightly different approach tailored to the existing infrastructure in that region.
Rather than forming entirely new teams from scratch, the fresh recruits in the U.S. branch will be integrated into ZAGE's two pre-existing American development teams—Team Enigma and Team Tempest. These new hires will begin their journey by shadowing experienced developers and contributing to ongoing projects within these established teams. This method allows them to become familiar with ZAGE's expectations, development environment, and collaborative culture while actively supporting the production pipeline.
After a rigorous two-month training and integration period, these new team members will officially branch off to form two fully independent units. These new teams have already been designated with names that reflect their dynamic and strategic role in ZAGE's future lineup—Team BLAZE and Team FROST. The goal is to cultivate highly capable teams that can carry the same momentum and creative spirit that Enigma and Tempest have established, all while contributing their own innovation and ideas to the larger ZAGE ecosystem.
Zaboru devised a distinct plan for the two new Japanese teams, tailoring their missions based on their strengths and the broader goals of ZAGE. Team KODO would be assigned a highly specialized role: developing games based on ZAGE's Japanese intellectual properties beyond traditional gaming franchises. This meant creating titles inspired by popular anime, tokusatsu series, and related Japanese media. These games would encompass well-known formats like Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and Ultraman, all that owned by ZAGE banner. In addition, they would also be responsible for adapting hit anime series into interactive experiences. Franchises such as ZAGE Gundam, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach—which were currently airing on ZAGE's own YaDo subscription channel—would serve as fertile ground for a new wave of engaging, visually striking, and action-packed games. Zaboru saw KODO as the team that would bridge the gap between Japan's massive media properties and ZAGE's gaming expertise.
As for Team FUMA, Zaboru envisioned a different trajectory. Initially, their task would be to assist with the development of farewell titles for both the ZEPS 2 and ZGB platforms, effectively delivering a proper send-off to the systems that had carried ZAGE through its earlier years. Once that phase was complete, FUMA would pivot its focus entirely toward the future—becoming one of the primary developers for the ZGBA handheld. Their responsibility would be to push boundaries in portable game design, ensuring ZAGE maintained its edge in the handheld market and continued setting new standards across all formats.
For Team USA, Zaboru had carefully mapped out distinct roles for the newly formed teams, aligning their direction with ZAGE's broader media strategy. Team Blaze, in particular, would take on a mission similar in scope to Japan's Team KODO. However, instead of focusing on Japanese intellectual properties, Team Blaze would concentrate on ZAGE's expansive collection of Western cartoons and film franchises. This included beloved animated films and TV properties such as Toy Story, Hercules, Transformers, and many more that fell under ZAGE's growing entertainment empire. Zaboru saw enormous untapped potential in this segment—ZAGE's are owned Nickelodion
Team Frost, meanwhile, was given a hybrid role that reflected the growing needs of ZAGE's core development platforms. Zaboru will assigned them to function as a versatile support and innovation team that could contribute to both ZEPS 3 console development and PC game development. In the current setup, Team Tempest remained fully dedicated to PC-exclusive projects, while Team Enigma focused exclusively on ZEPS 3 titles. Frost, therefore, would act as a dynamic bridge—providing manpower, experimentation, and cross-platform flexibility.
These teams, though still early in formation, were already showing signs of promise. Zaboru was confident that under his leadership and with the right nurturing environment, both Team Blaze and Team Frost would become key pillars in ZAGE's Western expansion strategy. As ZAGE's ambitions continued to grow globally, these teams would play a crucial role in the company's future, helping Zaboru shape the next era of entertainment and gaming innovation.
Not to mention, one of his most useful reincarnation abilities—Aura of Influence—significantly enhances the learning abilities and determination of employees while they are working within ZAGE's office environment. This unique passive effect subtly boosts the rate at which team members absorb new skills, adapt to unfamiliar tools, and maintain focus on their work. As a result, it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in helping the newly formed development teams rapidly level up their capabilities and align more quickly with ZAGE's high production standards.
With the release of Armored Core, the game is already generating significant excitement and making waves among players across the industry. And now one of the Tri Soft leaders is really excited with this game.
To be continue
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