When Ichin stepped onto the stage for the third time, the faintly helpless smile on his face was perfectly captured by the cameras, broadcast on the giant screen, and seen by countless players watching the live stream.
Taking the trophy in hand, he stood before the microphone, raised the award slightly, and said:
"I think after this one, I probably won't have to come on stage again tonight. I can finally sit back and enjoy the ceremony. Honestly, I've been guessing for days which games would win the other awards."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"As you all probably know, so far our studio has released five games—the fifth only just launched a few days ago. We are a team of developers with limitless passion for games. With every title we make, we hope players can find new kinds of joy. Winning Best Role-Playing Game this year means a lot to me, since RPGs have always been one of my favorite genres, and we'll certainly continue developing even more interesting role-playing games in the future. Thank you, everyone.
Also, when I came on stage just now, the staff told me that the next game reveal will also be ours. Unlike Titanfall, which we showed earlier, this new game is an entirely different genre. For those who don't like shooters, perhaps this one will be to your taste."
Finishing his speech, Ichin quickly stepped off the stage and returned to his seat.
Today's awards had far exceeded his expectations—he was leaving full of gains, with no regrets.
And now came the final reveal for his studio at this year's TGA.
With the host's announcement, all eyes turned to the big screen.
Some producers who had spoken with Ichin in the past few days already knew two new titles would be revealed. Titanfall had already shocked them, so what kind of theme would this second one bring?
The screen faded to black. Before even showing the studio logo, a grand symphony swelled alongside a soaring chorus.
Then, after the logo, a burning circle of flame appeared in the darkness.
The flame… went out.
And the king… was yet uncrowned.
As the deep female narration echoed, a colossal castle loomed on the screen, silhouetted against a twilight sky. Ash seemed to drift faintly through the air.
The camera shifted: a giant dragon lay motionless across the city walls, seemingly lifeless, its body shedding embers into the wind.
Further scenes revealed a desolate city devoid of life.
On the ground, skeletal figures knelt and prayed before a stone statue, accompanied by somber, dark music that perfectly conveyed the bleakness of this world.
Nearly a full minute in, it was already clear: this was a dark fantasy setting, steeped in grand world-building.
Then, a figure appeared—clad in armor, wielding a twisted longsword glowing red. He stepped before a bonfire and slowly plunged the blade into it.
Flames erupted instantly. The screen cut, and the knight entered battle.
Everyone knew this was now the live gameplay showcase.
Humanoid and monstrous enemies alike emerged from the darkness—even colossal skeletons towering over the battlefield. The knight fought with a variety of weapons in diverse locations, rolling, blocking, taking hits, striking back, and even landing devastating backstabs from behind.
It was unmistakably an action-adventure game, with what looked to be a wide range of abilities.
At the climax, enormous, oppressive bosses appeared one after another:
High Lord Wolnir, Vordt of the Boreal Valley, the Dragonslayer Armor, the Dancer, and finally, a massive dragon spewing oceans of fire.
Under their ferocious attacks, the knight could do little but endure, unable to resist.
At last, the protagonist was engulfed in flame and collapsed—then the title appeared on screen:
Developed by YC Games (Tokyo Studio)
Release Date: 2024
Two brand-new titles, developed by two different studios, both releasing next year. Judging from the trailers alone, their themes and gameplay showed remarkable promise.
Though both were clearly large-scale 3D games—very different from Persona, which was already released—fans of Persona weren't sure if such ambitious projects could be pulled off.
But one thing was undeniable: in terms of polish, Dark Souls already looked more complete than Titanfall.
When the trailer ended, the audience erupted in applause. Fans of darker themes even stood, cheering and screaming in excitement. Whatever the final product turned out to be, at least this trailer was exactly what they wanted.
Ichin rose and bowed, expressing his gratitude.
Back in his seat, Utaha hooked her arm around his and whispered, "Now you can relax, right?"
"Yeah, it feels good so far." Ichin smiled, nodding. "This trip to Los Angeles has been without regret."
The ceremony went on, award after award being handed out—some surprising, some expected.
Finally, the biggest award of the night—Game of the Year—unsurprisingly went to _The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2_.
While not brimming with brand-new innovations, its gameplay still crushed all competitors this year. Persona, as a turn-based RPG, was naturally at a disadvantage against it. _Breath of the Wild 2_ had reached near perfection in every respect—art, music, gameplay, and map design—leaving almost no room for criticism.
Truly, a deserved winner.
And so, this year's TGA ended perfectly for Ichin and his team.
That very night, without lingering further, they boarded a late flight out of Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, both Titanfall and Dark Souls trailers were released online separately.
And as players who had watched the live stream spread them across the internet, the hype for these two newly revealed games skyrocketed.
***