Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 868: Let’s Do Another One

"Here we go, the annual Gamestar Carnival game showcase—this is the festival for gamers every year!"

It was still chilly in Japan that March, but nothing could cool the excitement of the players eagerly awaiting new game announcements.

Every year, the Gamestar Carnival wasn't just a celebration for gamers—it was also the stage where many highly anticipated titles made their grand debut.

That included games from third-party studios partnered with Gamestar Electronic Entertainment.

To be featured at the Gamestar Carnival was considered a badge of honor—practically a stamp of quality. Gamestar acted as a filter of sorts, curating and highlighting the best games that players could look forward to in the current or upcoming years.

Games showcased here were often considered "safe bets." Unless a developer ran into unexpected issues later in production, you could buy these games sight unseen and be confident they'd deliver.

Many studios saw being part of the Carnival as a major recognition—perhaps not a guarantee of massive profits, but certainly of not failing.

There were other major gaming expos around the world, but few could match the level of trust and reputation that Gamestar Carnival had built over the years.

"Didn't expect to run into a familiar face here, Mr. Myron."

Just before the showcase began, Myron Case was already standing among the crowd at the venue.

Then suddenly, a voice called out to him. Someone had recognized him—which caught him completely off guard.

Myron instinctively turned his head, only to immediately regret it.

The CEO of Mechforce, one of the most prominent tech companies in the U.S., secretly attending a Japanese gaming event—specifically the Carnival hosted by Gamestar Electronic Entertainment, his long-time rival—was newsworthy, to say the least.

It was a statement in and of itself.

And once the press got wind of it, it could even impact Mechforce's stock price.

But it was too late to undo anything now.

All Myron could do was steel himself and face the person who called out to him.

Hayakawa Ueto?

President of another tech giant with significant international clout. And here he was, standing openly and confidently in the crowd, wearing everyday clothes and showing no intention of hiding his identity.

Hayakawa looked at Myron with a teasing smile.

"..."

"Come on, Mr. Myron, don't go all quiet on me now. I really wasn't expecting to see you here. Though I bet you're wondering how I recognized you so quickly, right?"

"..."

"For people at our level, tracking someone's movements isn't that hard. The moment you boarded a flight from the States, I already knew when and where you were landing. And once I saw Tokyo on your itinerary, I figured exactly what you were up to."

Hayakawa casually walked over to Myron's side, speaking his deductions aloud, a smirk on his face the whole time.

"Quite the spectacle, isn't it? Gamestar's Carnival is something else, right? You jealous?"

"It's impressive," Myron admitted, taking a deep breath, no longer bothering to hide. "And yes, I plan on doing something similar in the future. It's clearly an effective way to promote games and build brand loyalty."

"Brand loyalty... couldn't agree more. A good Carnival turns customers into die-hard fans. Anyone who attends basically becomes a lifer. It's enviable, no doubt."

Hayakawa turned his eyes toward the massive countdown screen onstage.

Only five minutes remained before the show began.

"Honestly, it's not just you. I'm planning to host one too next year."

"But don't you already have one?" Myron asked.

Suray Electronics had already launched their own "Suray Festival" a few years ago, inspired by Gamestar's Carnival. It was fairly successful and had government backing.

Land was cheap. Suray had deep pockets. A perfect match. But it still couldn't hold a candle to Gamestar.

Hayakawa shook his head. "No, no. Holding one here in Japan just won't cut it anymore. Everyone compares it to Gamestar. How could we possibly top that?"

Myron frowned. He was getting a bad feeling.

"If Japan's out of the question," Hayakawa continued, "then why not do it in the U.S.? Perfect timing, don't you think?"

Was he serious?

He failed to beat his local rival, so now he was invading Myron's turf?

Weren't these two Japanese tech giants ever going to give him a break?

Myron sneered. "You're welcome to try in the U.S."

"Thank you."

"You know I'm not being polite."

"Oh, I know. I just said it to annoy you. After all, Takayuki and I are partners now—working together to deal with you. So don't expect me to play nice."

Hayakawa's grin only widened.

Suray had suffered at Mechforce's hands. Their game division and a few mobile entertainment departments had been gutted. Some had to shut down entirely, and only the game division survived thanks to Hayakawa's unwavering support.

Now, seeing Myron squirm? Oh, it was delicious.

"Oh, right—did you catch any leaks about this year's game showcase? See any rumors?"

"Why?"

"Some really great games coming, including one of ours."

Yours?

"You—"

"Oh, look, it's starting. Whatever you were about to say, save it for after. Let's enjoy the show first, Mr. Myron."

On the massive stage ahead, a figure stepped out from the side.

It was Takayuki.

Every year, he was the first to take the stage to open the showcase, followed by wave after wave of game announcements—without fail.

His appearance alone triggered a thunderous roar from the audience.

On the stage's giant screen, a highlight reel of the past year's games played in a seamless montage. It had become an annual tradition—every fan made a point to watch the official edit.

These trailers often racked up tens of millions of views on Facebook. The most-watched ever was the 2011 edit—following the legendary "Switch Year" of 2010 when top-tier games dropped one after another, raising the bar to a level few could follow.

In Takayuki's original world, they called this "gamer burnout." No one had coined a phrase for it in this one—yet—but the sentiment was surely on the way.

Now, standing center stage, Takayuki looked down at the sea of cheering fans.

And for the first time in a long while, he smiled.

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"Gamers—welcome to a brand-new year of the Gamestar Carnival. Thank you all for being here!"