"Stop messing around with video games, Takayuki. How about joining me to make waves in the film industry? It's much more profitable than making those few games, and now it's easier to gain fame in the global arena of movies. There are more audiences for movies, which video games can't compare to."
Tkachev greatly admired Takayuki and his team.
Their special effects development technology was very impressive, indicating that Takayuki had a keen eye. If they could collaborate and develop in the film industry together, it would definitely be promising.
Takayuki smiled and refused, "Sure, I'll do movies in the future when the opportunity arises, but I don't intend to make it my main focus. However, I might consider derivative productions of IPs in the future, like game adaptations into movies or movies into games. Wouldn't that be great? Since Star Ocean: Infinity is still hot, you can also make a video game while the hype is going on. I think it could earn you some extra money."
Tkachev didn't seem particularly interested in Takayuki's suggestion; he really had no interest in video games.
At this point, Takayuki asked again, "By the way, didn't you make bets with a few old rivals before? It seems like if you win, they'll apologize to you in person. Have you set a time? I'd like to witness it."
Tkachev shook his head after hearing that, "Heh, those guys who care more about face than anything else, how could they possibly apologize to me? They'll come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid apologizing, but it's okay, making them feel sick once is already satisfying enough for me."
Tkachev didn't care much, but deep down, he definitely wanted to see those guys apologize in person.
It would be even better if they could bow ninety degrees like they do in Japan.
Of course, that was just wishful thinking.
Those big shots would never do such a thing.
But winning the bet was something he couldn't skip over.
After that, he would often use this matter to disgust those guys, bringing it up from time to time to make them feel uncomfortable.
Later, Tkachev invited Takayuki to have a meal and a few drinks. Takayuki didn't refuse, but just put it off for another day.
Tkachev then left, no longer disturbing Takayuki's work.
The external turmoil at this time had little to do with Takayuki. He was now focusing on developing new games.
His mainstay was still in the gaming industry, and he wanted to bring more excellent games to the world, not wanting to waste any time.
...
At the same time, in a stylishly designed company building in a city in California, several executives and board members of RedFruit Company held a new shareholder meeting.
Every year, the CEO had to preside over the meeting and report to the shareholders on the sales performance of the year.
Myles Case, the current CEO of RedFruit Company, opened the projector with a somewhat heavy heart, and rows of data appeared in front of the shareholders.
"This is our sales performance for the year 1997."
The data displayed on the projection was the sales data for that year.
Overall, the sales performance was acceptable, with a profit of over ten percent.
However, compared to the performance of previous years, a profit of only over ten percent and less than two billion dollars in profit was somewhat embarrassing.
Myles Case felt heavy-hearted because of this.
But as CEO, he had to be accountable to the shareholders. He had to truthfully disclose this data, and if he falsified even a little bit, he wouldn't be able to remain CEO.
"I want to know one thing." A major shareholder spoke up at the meeting table, "Why did our performance decline again this year, and so rapidly?"
The shareholders all stared at Myles Case, their gazes sharp.
When Myles Case first became CEO, RedFruit Company was thriving.
Their personal computer business and the newly expanded mobile music player business were doing very well, and their products sold very well.
At that time, their annual profits exceeded one billion dollars, making them one of the leading companies in the electronics field in the United States.
At the time, Myles Case also had a grand vision, aiming to triple the company's performance within three years.
He especially valued the personal computer sector, believing it would be a potential breakthrough point in the future and needed special attention.
In his first year in office, he indeed rapidly improved the company's performance, and the personal computer business also showed promising momentum, with his first-year doubling goal about to be achieved.
But just as the performance was about to double, the sales data for the next quarter suddenly came to a halt.
The sales performance didn't immediately decline; it just remained flat compared to the previous quarter.
At the time, Myles Case thought it was a temporary period of consumer spending fatigue that would soon recover.
But what he didn't expect was that that quarter would be his peak moment.
For some reason, the personal computer business began to slowly decline.
At the time, it wasn't just his company that was slowly declining; Morgan Group, their neighbor, was also experiencing a slow decline in system sales performance.
For a short time, Myles Case couldn't find any reasons. He didn't know why consumers were no longer interested in personal computers.
This was also the time when electronic games were making their way into the United States.
The answer was obvious: the video game console business was affecting the sales of RedFruit Company's products.
The price of gaming consoles was not expensive, but people's attention was drawn away by electronic games. Even if they had the purchasing power, their interest in personal computers inevitably decreased.
Myles Case realized this when GameStar Entertainment began to rapidly expand in the United States.
Myles Case was also shocked that a company that only produced entertainment content could develop so rapidly.
It was hard to understand.
But he was still a CEO with strong management skills. He immediately took action and organized manpower to develop games for their personal computers.
But at this time, the computer game market was really small.
More people still considered personal computers as office equipment, and no one saw computers as entertainment products.
Entertainment was entertainment, and office was office; one couldn't occupy both roles.
Especially children, they had no interest in computers at all.
Only gaming consoles could make them happy.
Myles Case made various attempts to salvage the situation, but they all ended in failure.
GameStar Entertainment effectively defeated their RedFruit Company's products.
The once promising personal computer business became an industry with an uncertain future. His production line plans and various business orders encountered various problems.
Originally, RedFruit Company also had a line of portable music player products, but this product was on the decline, and RedFruit Company was caught in a vicious cycle.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I will explain the specific reasons to you later. Please let me finish reporting the data first."
Myles Case took a deep breath and then said in a slightly heavy tone.