"Hello, thank you so much for purchasing our latest game!"
"If you have any questions about the game, feel free to contact us through our official forum!"
At the official Gamestar Electronic Entertainment store in Akihabara, Yuichi Kunitada, the head of the first development team, patiently signed autographs for every player coming in to buy the game.
He used a black marker to write his name on each physical Civilization game box in front of him, along with a personalized message for each player.
If it was a young child, he'd write some cheerful words wishing them happiness every day.
If it was a working adult, he'd offer words wishing them smooth sailing in their careers.
In general, he made sure to write whatever would make the players happy.
The first development team had previously focused solely on the Dragon Quest series and had barely touched other game genres.
...
...
This team had been around for a long time, with several members having been with the company since Takayuki founded it, making them quite senior. Some could even leave to become game producers at other companies immediately.
However, they had no interest in working elsewhere.
It was because of Gamestar Electronic Entertainment's unique charm and its #1 game development capabilities.
At Gamestar, they could learn the best game development techniques, which no other company could offer. In other places, they would simply be treated as heartless game development machines.
After the main Dragon Quest series took a break with its tenth installment, the first development team was looking for other things to work on.
Earlier, Takayuki had suggested they create a spinoff from the Dragon Quest universe.
Of course, these spinoffs couldn't simply be RPGs, and they should consider the way modern games are developed. They couldn't just stick to traditional game-making methods.
With the evolution of time, the traditional turn-based RPGs like Dragon Quest were gradually becoming obsolete.
This was unavoidable, as players were increasingly drawn to games with more intense scenes and grander special effects.
However, Dragon Quest had a very long history, with a very solid player base that couldn't be shaken, so each game still sold several million copies. Profit was never an issue.
But it couldn't continue this way forever; something new had to be done.
So, when the team had nothing to do and no clear direction for a Dragon Quest spinoff, Takayuki decided to have them work on the Civilization series.
Once they had a clear direction, development went smoothly.
The signing event was a great opportunity for the team.
It had been a long time since they had such a chance to interact closely with the players.
The line lasted about half an hour before it was finally the turn of the two office workers and the young man.
The two office workers were clearly not used to attending signing events. They were simulation game enthusiasts, and they hadn't really attended many other game signings, so they were both excited and a bit nervous.
On the other hand, the young man seemed quite familiar with the process, having even researched the development team before coming.
"Mr. Kunitada, I really love your Dragon Quest series! Could you write one of the classic lines from it on my physical game box?"
The young man looked at Kunitada with great expectation.
Kunitada, a man of few words, was the most reliable producer when it came to game development, always fulfilling every task given by Takayuki.
Seeing the young man so enthusiastic to chat, he was a bit uncomfortable but still smiled politely.
"Of course, I'll write... 'Everything is entrusted to you, brave hero, please complete the mission of Civilization.' How does that sound?"
"Huh? That actually sounds pretty good," the young man responded happily.
The modified line fit well with the theme of the Civilization game being released. The young man was delighted and eagerly handed the game box for Kunitada to sign.
The two office workers behind him were even more excited.
They hoped the creator would write something special for them too.
A few minutes later, the two office workers walked out of the store, satisfied with their signed game boxes, while the young man appeared to be waiting outside for them.
"Hey, you two, do you want to play the game later?"
The young man asked, holding the signed physical copy of the game.
"Uh? We still have to work."
"How about skipping work?"
The young man gave an enticing suggestion.
"This..." The two office workers hesitated.
"You both probably want to experience the new game right away, right? You've already taken time off today, so why not play for a bit? Taking time off just to buy the game seems like a bit of a waste, don't you think?"
Hmm… That actually makes some sense?
The two men exchanged glances and saw the excitement in each other's eyes.
"Alright, let's play together! I really want to try the multiplayer mode of this game."
The young man continued to push, eager to convince them to play the latest game now.
"Okay, I'll take another leave!"
The two office workers' eagerness to play was quite obvious.
They were getting anxious just thinking about not being able to play the game right away.
If there was a chance to experience the latest game, they definitely didn't want to miss it.
They took out their phones and prepared to contact their bosses.
"Hello? Is this my supervisor? I'm really sorry, my car broke down, and I won't be able to make it back to work in time. Can I take a leave for the rest of the day?"
"Hello? Manager, my child's illness turned out to be worse than expected, and I'm at the hospital talking to the doctor... Oh no, no, it's fine, I can manage, but I'll be late... What? You're okay with me taking the day off? That's really generous of you."
"Ah, I'll make sure to work hard and come in tomorrow!"
Both of them almost simultaneously hung up their phones and exchanged a look.
The plan was set.
They both successfully got a short holiday.
"Aha, looks like you two have managed to take the day off. So, what are we waiting for?"
"Let's go! Let's play!"
"By the way, what's your name?"
"My name's Tanaka. Just call me Little Tanaka."