Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 846: Heart-Wrenching

In Need for Speed, Anthony was a legendary street racer—his story closed with his departure from the city, leaving behind a legacy.

In the Switch version of Monster Hunter: World, Anthony took on a new identity as a renowned Hunter—a young member of the First Fleet. By the end of the game, he too departs, citing the completion of research on this continent and expressing his desire to continue exploring, chasing new knowledge. He sets off to become a legend elsewhere.

But it wasn't just these two games.

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Anthony was quietly given a small side quest.

He appeared as an ancient character—rumored to be older than Hyrulean civilization itself. Link's mission was to help Little Anthony fulfill a modest wish: to recover a strange and fleeting memory.

In the game's lore, Little Anthony was extremely long-lived, but every so often, he would lose fragments of his memory.

Most of them, he didn't mind losing. But there was one—just one—that he desperately wanted to keep.

It was the memory of a life he once dreamed of, in a world very different from this one. A world without monsters, a peaceful world where humanity thrived—and where he had a father who loved him.

He wanted to preserve that memory forever.

...

...

In Anthony Sr., Takayuki saw a reflection of the world he came from.

He remembered his own father's face—something that now felt so distant, so long ago.

That memory was one of the reasons Takayuki decided to honor Anthony Sr. with in-game tributes—a small gesture of empathy and respect.

For Takayuki, it might have been just a moment of sentimentality.

But for players, it became a legend in its own right.

"See?" they said. "Takayuki isn't just the God of Games—he's also deeply human. He brings not just joy, but comfort."

Everyone who heard Little Anthony's story felt moved by it.

"The first-week sales numbers for the Switch are in. One million units sold in Japan alone. Over 5 million worldwide. We could break 20 million within the first month."

At Gamestar Electronic Entertainment HQ, the data analytics team was reporting the latest figures to Takayuki.

The Switch's performance at launch had been nothing short of phenomenal.

It was a hybrid between handheld and home console—an innovation that captivated almost every gamer who once loved handhelds. They bought it without hesitation.

As a result, the entire market was momentarily eclipsed by the presence of the Switch.

Online, nearly every trending topic was Switch-related.

Even people who didn't play games now knew about this console.

That alone was proof of its success.

Takayuki nodded gently as he listened to the numbers.

This was within his expectations.

After all, the launch lineup was nothing less than luxurious.

On top of the already legendary original Switch roster, several blockbuster titles had been added—Final Fantasy X, Need for Speed: Farewell Run, and more—each capable of carrying a platform on its own.

Launching them all together wasn't exactly in Gamestar's financial interest.

But Takayuki had done it anyway.

This was his way of striking back at McForth.

Once, McForth had tried to buy up his Tetris IP. Now, all they could do was regret ever crossing paths with a man like Takayuki.

Myron Kess, McForth's head, was certainly thinking that very thought now.

Why did I ever mess with this guy?

He's not even human.

The handheld market was supposed to be in decline.

Smartphones were more convenient—who would still buy a dedicated handheld?

And yet... they did.

Gamers still wanted great games, and the Switch had plenty.

Sure, McForth had some decent RPGs and put a lot of money into development.

But Myron's team lacked the experience.

Surei Electronics had taken years to build a solid foundation in game development. You don't get to dominate the market just by throwing a bunch of rookies at it.

Especially now, when industrialized game development was maturing rapidly. If a game didn't have standout features or bold, innovative mechanics, it was going to be buried—unless you could afford to promote it hard.

And that kind of marketing? The cost was astronomical.

Something McForth wasn't yet ready to take on.

After spending so much on development, Myron had drawn a line in the sand. He couldn't afford more risk.

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The result?

McForth's games were lukewarm, while the Switch exploded.

Even the MK-series smartphones were overshadowed.

In addition to competing with Facebook-like platforms, McForth now had to deal with a completely unexpected challenger.

It was painful.

One month after the Switch's release, it effortlessly surpassed 10 million units sold—nearly hitting the 20 million mark.

Compared to past launches, this was a stunning success.

Especially considering that handheld gaming was no longer the dominant format.

People had more entertainment options than ever before.

And yet, the Switch thrived.

Previously humiliated gaming analysts—who'd been forced to eat their words—now had to do it again.

After being proven wrong once, some stubborn pundits insisted the success was purely due to Gamestar's influence.

Once that hype wore off, they said, people would lose interest.

Handhelds just didn't belong in this era anymore.

But again... reality crushed their claims.

The best-selling titles?

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey

Both were new entries that also pushed boundaries, introducing innovations so bold they could be called revolutionary for this era.

The year 2010 would eventually be remembered as the "Year of the Switch."

One major hit after another.

Gamestar Electronic Entertainment had become a juggernaut, dominating the industry with unstoppable force.

At this point, no one in any field dared to speak carelessly about them.

They had earned respect.

In the U.S., actor Job slowly set down his controller, his hands trembling slightly.

After a month of nonstop gaming, he had cleared almost every major title released by Gamestar.

"How can there be so many incredible games? So many amazing stories?" he thought to himself.

Any one of these plots, if adapted to film, could become a cultural phenomenon.

In his heart, he was in awe of Takayuki.