Almost at the same time the Nintendo executive meeting concluded.
Tokyo, Taito Building, Namco Headquarters.
Masaya Nakamura's office atmosphere was even more somber.
He had just received official notification from Nintendo.
The FC version of pac-man had to immediately begin comprehensive market pre-heating and promotional activities according to Nintendo's planned schedule, ensuring its release in the near future.
Starting the promotion at this time was indeed using pac-man to target fatal fury.
Masaya Nakamura put down the phone, his fingertips slightly white from gripping it tightly. He could clearly feel the invisible yet omnipresent pressure from Kyoto. His own classic IP, which had been shelved for a long time, was finally able to be released on the massive FC platform, which should have been a cause for joy.
But at this moment, it felt like being a stepping stone for someone else, using his own classic to dilute the popularity of a rival's new work.
Namco had to cooperate with Nintendo's overall strategy, using pac-man as a nostalgic card to attract some market attention, perhaps also to achieve a certain degree of "balance" in public opinion, highlighting the "legitimacy" of Nintendo's first-party works.
He walked out of his office and saw employees busily preparing promotional materials for pac-man. Those classic, cute, but somewhat simplistic pixel images formed a stark contrast with the sharp, powerful character designs of fatal fury in the game magazines that a few young employees were secretly passing around at the other end of the corridor.
He could even hear those young people discussing in hushed voices, one of them excitedly gesturing about something.
"Hey, did you see the latest Animage? That fatal fury preview is explosive! That blonde guy, his moves are so cool!"
"Yeah, yeah, the action scenes don't even look like TV anime! And I heard Sega is going to teach how to perform moves after the anime!"
"Really? Then we can just go to the arcade to try it out? Sega is playing a big game this time..."
The young people noticed Masaya Nakamura's gaze, immediately fell silent, and hastily hid the magazine, pretending to seriously study the pac-man pixel art in their hands.
Looking at their own systematic, even somewhat outdated, promotional plan, an indescribable sense of powerlessness welled up in Masaya Nakamura's heart.
This was the taste of being dependent on others. No matter how glorious you once were, once you choose to rely, you have to act according to others' whims.
He could only silently clench his fists, suppressing that unwillingness and frustration, and turn to walk away.
In late December, a biting cold wind swept through the streets of Tokyo.
Just as a suppressed atmosphere of hurried preparation for the FC version of pac-man permeated Namco's interior.
A small media conference jointly held by Sega and Tatsunoko Production quietly dropped a bombshell.
Under the spotlight, the representative of Tatsunoko Production and the head of Sega's Market Department stood side by side.
They officially announced that the arcade version of fatal fury would be released simultaneously on January 11, 1986, in major Sega directly operated and partnered arcades across Japan.
What excited the reporters present and readers who learned the news through magazine bulletins even more was that the highly anticipated TV anime version of fatal fury would also officially premiere on the same day, January 11.
Game and anime synchronized.
This news was like an electric current, instantly striking the nerves of all concerned parties.
The excitement brought by the preview had not yet dissipated, and now it was pushed to a new climax by this precise "combination punch."
Directing the huge traffic from the anime premiere directly to the newly stocked arcades.
The news reached Nintendo Headquarters in Kyoto.
Hiroshi Yamauchi looked at the latest briefing, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
He felt a hint of surprise at the timing Sega chose.
But soon, the expression on his face returned to its usual composure.
"Arcades are arcades after all."
He said to the executives beside him, his tone still carrying an undeniable authority.
"Anime is just icing on the cake."
"Our real battlefield is home consoles."
Nevertheless, to maximize the suppression of fatal fury's initial momentum and prevent it from gaining too much advantage in public opinion.
Hiroshi Yamauchi once again issued an order to Namco.
When the phone rang at Namco Headquarters, Masaya Nakamura's heart sank.
Sure enough, Nintendo demanded that the release date of the FC version of pac-man must be set for January 8th.
Before fatal fury.
Masaya Nakamura's fingers, gripping the receiver, turned white at the knuckles from the force.
The helplessness and frustration in his heart almost overflowed.
But he ultimately agreed in a tone so calm it was almost numb.
"Yes, we will cooperate fully."
Hanging up the phone, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
Namco, once an arcade giant, now could only hastily mobilize resources under Nintendo's command, turning a classic transplant work that should have been meticulously prepared into cannon fodder to block a competitor.
All relevant departments at Namco immediately plunged into a chaotic flurry of activity.
Working overtime, rushing to produce promotional materials, adjusting distribution channels—everything reeked of forced haste.
January 8, 1986.
The FC version of pac-man was released as scheduled.
Namco, following Nintendo's instructions, launched a promotional offensive, emphasizing nostalgia and classic appeal.
Nintendo's massive FC user base and fans of the arcade version of pac-man from a few years prior ensured that pac-man's initial sales figures were not bad.
At least on paper, it was a qualified product.
But the real market feedback was far less optimistic than the numbers suggested.
There was no anticipated buying frenzy.
No enthusiastic discussions among players.
Media reports were merely routine, lacking any real excitement.
Compared to fatal fury, which was due in a few days, pac-man at this moment seemed somewhat "quiet."
Masaya Nakamura stood by the window of his office, looking at the sparse flow of people on the street below.
He held the preliminary sales data that had just arrived.
The numbers were acceptable, but they couldn't dispel the gloom in his heart.
He could clearly feel that Nintendo's "snipe" using pac-man this time had a quite limited effect.
In fact, this somewhat bland market reaction, in turn, highlighted the astonishing momentum accumulated by the fatal fury anime PV.
People's expectations were clearly not on this "old bean."
Masaya Nakamura's gaze involuntarily drifted to the open game magazine on his desk.
On it was fatal fury's latest promotional page, with Terry Bogard's powerful stance occupying the entire layout.
His heart was filled with mixed emotions.
There was the disappointment of his own classic IP being reduced to a tool.
And there were complex feelings towards Sega, or rather, towards that young man named Takuya Nakayama, and the novel market strategy he had displayed.
A hint of surprise, a hint of admiration, and even a hint of... envy?