As the old saying goes, "If it ain't your fight, stay out of it."
The buzz around Garden Warfare is electric, with forums and social media lighting up like a Christmas tree. Everyone's got an opinion on whether this game will be a banger or if WindyPeak Games is running on fumes.
The hype's real.
But here's the kicker: the folks with skin in the game—those tied to WindyPeak, directly or indirectly—aren't sweating Garden Warfare as much as you'd think.
Take Komina, for instance. Or, more specifically, Tatsuya Moritani.
Scratch that—Tatsuya's freaking out.
When Tatsuya first caught wind of the news that "WindyPeak's going all-in on Garden Warfare," his gut screamed trouble. And when he saw WindyPeak staying quiet while media outlets and industry insiders ran wild with speculation, that bad vibe sank deeper.
Sure, WindyPeak's clash with Komina seemed like ancient history. Their last showdown ended with Komina shuttering Yamamoto Studio after Silent Hill tanked, while WindyPeak's Outlast raked in massive sales.
But Tatsuya? He's got a hunch this ain't over.
Having crossed paths with Gus Harper multiple times, Tatsuya knows the guy's got a chill vibe—always flashing a smile, chatting up anyone like they're old pals. But don't be fooled. Gus is a bulldog. Once he locks onto a goal, he doesn't let go.
Now that WindyPeak and Komina are butting heads, Tatsuya's certain Gus won't just call it quits. It's all or nothing with this guy. Either you don't fight, or you fight to the finish.
Why? Because WindyPeak's got global ambitions, and Komina's the big dog in the Eastern Hemisphere's gaming scene. No way Gus is cool with a truce. There's no such thing as "live and let live" when market share's on the line. One company's win is another's loss.
This beef isn't just about market share, either. Their last clash over horror games cost Komina tens of millions. Tatsuya knows Komina's CEO, Kazu Okura, isn't about to eat that loss quietly. And Gus? He's well aware Kazu's itching for payback.
Sooner or later, they're gonna throw down.
"For WindyPeak," Tatsuya muses, "it's better to strike now than wait. Hit Komina hard while their rep's still shaky."
And the perfect moment? This year's Tokyo International Game Festival.
Tatsuya's pulse quickens at the thought. Bad news. Gus Harper, that sly fox, is up to his old tricks again.
Flashback: WindyPeak used a charity event for To The Moon as a smokescreen, only to Outlast and snipe Komina's Silent Hill with surgical precision. Now, they're hyping Garden Warfare—a project that sounds legit but smells like a decoy.
Tatsuya's gut screams: They're cooking something else. Something big. And it's aimed right at us.
Komina's not slacking, either. To claw back from their last defeat, they've poured cash and manpower into the Tokyo festival, rolling out three heavy-hitters from their top studios:
Hot Spot Rally: Return by Takasugi Studio, with a total investment of approximately $113 million. A racing game with a revenge-driven story about a young driver, Okita Yamato, framed and jailed, now back to reclaim his crown.
Wild Slam Dunk EX by Nishikawa Studio, budgeted at about $97 million. A sports game following a streetball kid's rise to global stardom. It's Nishikawa's first big swing as part of Komina's "Royal Three" studios.
Torii: Phantom of the Ghost by Koizumi Studio, a single-player 3S blockbuster with a $189 million budget. Set in a fictional city, Torii, where everyone vanishes overnight, leaving the protagonist—an onmyoji descendant of Abe Seimei—to battle urban legends like the Rift Girl and Sakura Demon using talismans instead of guns. It's got FPS vibes but with a mystic twist, perfect for somatosensory cabins.
These games are Komina's shot at redemption. Since WindyPeak's Titanfall blew up with its killer story and polish, the industry's been obsessed with narrative-driven games. Racing games need plots. Sports games need drama. And FPS titles? They're begging for epic stories.
Torii is Komina's ace. Lead designer Kazuo Koizumi vowed to clean up Yamamoto Studio's mess, aiming not just for profit but to erase past losses and cement his studio as Komina's top dog.
But Tatsuya's sweating bullets. WindyPeak's brewing a storm, and he doesn't know how Gus plans to strike. One thing's clear: Never underestimate WindyPeak.
Tatsuya bolts up, ready to track down Keizo Kamijo and warn him to brace for WindyPeak's ambush. They need to dig into WindyPeak's real project, stat, and prep a PR counterattack.
But before he can move—bzzzt, bzzzt.
His phone vibrates.
Tatsuya glances at the screen and freezes.
[Call: Gus Harper]
His throat tightens. Why's Gus calling now? What's his play?
Tatsuya's tempted to let it go to voicemail, pretend he missed it. But Gus is relentless, calling again when he doesn't pick up.
Screw it. Tatsuya swipes to answer, heart pounding.
"Hey, Gus? Sorry, missed the first call—my bad," he says, locking his office door for privacy. "What's up?"
"Haha, Tatsuya, my man! Can't a guy just call to say hi?" Gus's voice is all sunshine and smiles.
"Nah, nah," Tatsuya chuckles, forcing a grin. "You know I didn't mean it like that."
"Just messin' with ya, Tatsuya. Don't sweat it," Gus says, his tone light. "You holdin' up okay?"
"Uh… yeah, I'm good," Tatsuya replies, biting back a grimace.
Good? Sure, if you ignore the millions you cost us last time. WindyPeak's last stunt left Komina reeling, and they've barely recovered. Now Gus is poking around again?
"All good, huh? Nice," Gus laughs. "So, here's the deal. I'm swinging by Japan in a couple days. You got time to grab a bite? I'm craving some eel rice."
Tatsuya's stomach lurches. Gus is coming to Japan? For what?
"You hittin' up Tokyo for business or…?" Tatsuya probes, mind racing.
"Bit of both," Gus says casually. "Revisiting old haunts, handling some company stuff."
"Oh, cool," Tatsuya says, brain in overdrive. "When you landing? I can scoop you at the airport."
"Nah, no need to roll out the red carpet. You're a busy guy," Gus replies. "Just save me a spot for dinner, and we can catch up, maybe talk some shop…"
Gus trails off, and Tatsuya feels the hook. He knows it's bait, but he can't resist.
"Yo, Gus, you need something specific?" Tatsuya asks, leaning in.
"Well…" Gus hesitates, playing coy. "It's a small favor. You free to talk? Like, alone?"
"Yeah, I'm solo in my office," Tatsuya says, nodding.
"Cool, cool," Gus says, sounding relieved. "Look, I probably shouldn't spill this, but you're one of the few folks in Japan I trust, so here's the deal. We're working on a somatosensory cabin action game. All that Garden Warfare noise? Total smokescreen. Random guesses from the internet."
Tatsuya's jaw tightens. Here it comes.
"This action game's our real focus," Gus continues. "And get this—your old pal Sato Yuki's running point. It's got heavy Japanese vibes, since we're aiming for the Tokyo International Game Festival. Problem is, we need motion capture for the CG and our new action-assist system. I was gonna hit up the States or Europe, but since this game's got that Japanese flair, I figured you might know some top-tier kendo masters or motion capture actors. You got any connects? No pressure if not—just thought I'd ask."
BOOM. Tatsuya's brain explodes. Action game? Main project? New tech? Tokyo festival?
Gus just laid it all bare. To him. A Komina exec. The nerve!
Tatsuya's silent, his pupils shaking. How does he have the guts?
Finally, he stammers, "Gus… uh…"
"No big secret, man," Gus laughs. "And even if it was, I trust you, Tatsuya."
That line hits like a truck. Tatsuya's speechless, choking on his own words.
"I… uh…" He stumbles five times before sighing internally. Gus, you're a damn genius.
Gus knows who Tatsuya works for. He knows this is sensitive. And yet, he spilled it anyway, banking on Tatsuya's reaction. It's a power move, and Tatsuya's caught in the trap.
If I could turn back time, I'd dodge this call, Tatsuya thinks, but it's too late.
With a heavy sigh, he forces out, "I… might know some solid motion capture teams. Let's meet up when you're here, talk it over."
"Sweet! Thanks, Tatsuya!" Gus says, all enthusiasm.
Click. The call ends.
Gus pockets his phone, grinning. Across from him, Luke Bennett, Jake Rivers, and Zoey Parker are staring, mouths agape.
What the hell, boss? their faces scream. Since when do we cozy up to the enemy?
"What's with the looks?" Gus says, shrugging. "I got something on my face?"
"Nah," Luke says after a beat, "but you better explain, or Zoey's gonna fire you."
Real talk, Gus, Luke thinks. Weren't we dropping smoke bombs to fake out Komina and sneak-attack the Tokyo festival? Why'd you just spill our whole plan to their guy?
"You…" Luke starts, incredulous. "I'm ready to throw down, and you're out here collaborating with the enemy?!"