Monday 9 June 1999 ZAGE Tower Japan.
Two days after the recent interview, Zaboru returned to work as usual. The interview itself had become a surprisingly big topic across Japan, spreading through magazines, television talk shows, and word of mouth among gamers. Yet, as always, Zaboru paid little attention to the noise. Praise, criticism, rumors—it all faded quickly in his mind. For him, interviews were fleeting moments. Real progress was made only through work.
That morning, Zaboru was already inside ZAGE Tower, settled in his office on the 51st floor. His schedule was packed, but today carried particular importance. He was preparing to assign the next major tasks to two of his core Japanese teams: Team NIWA and Team IZAN. Both teams had just completed their May releases—Team IZAN with ZAN – The Cowboy Samurai, and Team NIWA with Dragon Quest V. Normally, Zaboru would allow a short recovery period after such major launches. However, there was a reason he was moving quickly this time.
Both teams had personally requested additional flexibility in their schedules so they could focus more intensely on developing titles for the upcoming ZGBA handheld. After reviewing their plans and workloads, Zaboru had approved the request. Now, with that adjustment finalized, it was time to formally define their next main assignments so development could continue smoothly without wasted momentum.
At that moment, Zaboru was already inside one of the main meeting rooms at ZAGE. Instead of holding separate briefings, he deliberately decided to summon both teams at once. Doing so would make the assignment process faster and more efficient, but more importantly, it gave each team a clear understanding of what the other was working on. Zaboru believed that transparency between teams encouraged better coordination, reduced overlap, and sometimes even sparked unexpected ideas across projects.
Without further ado, Zaboru moved straight to the point and began assigning the next task. For Team IZAN, the new project was none other than Winning Eleven 99. This title would serve as the direct continuation of Winning Eleven 98, which Team IZAN had developed previously. Because the core gameplay systems were already solid and well-received, Zaboru made it clear that this installment did not need radical changes or risky experimentation. The foundation was already there; what mattered now was refinement, balance, and smart evolution rather than reinvention.
Zaboru explained that his goal was not to reinvent the entire game, but to meaningfully push it forward. He wanted the team to update player rosters to reflect the latest changes, introduce new types of skills to deepen tactical variety, and elevate the overall gameplay feel. In particular, he emphasized improvements to Master League—better transfer systems, more realistic negotiations, and smarter AI behavior that would make managing a club feel more alive and dynamic.
In addition to that, Zaboru also requested a brand-new storyline for the Becoming Legend mode, one that would be clearly different from the previous installment. He didn't want this entry to feel like a simple re-release of last year's game with minor tweaks. It needed to have noticeable, meaningful improvements that players could immediately feel the moment they started playing.
At the same time, Zaboru was very aware of the development timeline. He didn't want this project to drag on unnecessarily. His target was a tight three-month development cycle, with completion scheduled for August. Team IZAN had no objections to this plan, as the project did not require a full overhaul of systems. Instead, it was closer to a large, carefully planned evolution—almost like an extensive patch built with purpose. Naturally, Winning Eleven 99 would be released on the ZAGE console ZEPS 3, continuing the series' strong presence on the platform.
Also, the current task of Team IZAN, Super Shot Football, was already nearing completion and was expected to be released next month, in July. This particular project was slightly different from their Winning Eleven work—more experimental, more exaggerated, and far less grounded in realism. Zaboru himself wasn't entirely sure how players would react to it. Some might find it strange, others might find it ridiculous, but that uncertainty was part of its charm.
What Zaboru did know, however, was that Super Shot Football would be an amazing and absurd take on the sport, leaning heavily into over-the-top mechanics, dramatic special shots, and arcade-style intensity rather than strict simulation. It was designed to be fun first and serious second, a sharp contrast to Winning Eleven's grounded approach. Whether players loved it or argued endlessly about it, one thing was certain—it would leave a strong impression and add another unique identity to Team IZAN's growing portfolio.
Next was Team NIWA. This team specialized in developing JRPGs, and Zaboru intended to keep them firmly on that path. Aside from their responsibilities related to upcoming ZGBA releases, he assigned them two major projects. The first was Persona 2: Innocent Sin, a title that leaned heavily into narrative depth, psychological themes, and character-driven storytelling—an area where Team NIWA consistently excelled. Zaboru trusted them to preserve the game's emotional weight while refining its systems and pacing for this world.
After that, Zaboru revealed the next major assignment: another Final Fantasy title—specifically Final Fantasy VIII. This immediately caught the team's attention. In Zaboru's previous life, Final Fantasy VIII had been a strong entry in the series. While it wasn't considered as universally grand or iconic as the seventh installment, it surpassed it in several key areas, particularly in graphics presentation and overall gameplay fluidity. Zaboru wanted to replicate—and surpass—that balance here.
In this world, ZAGE had already pushed Final Fantasy VII's visuals to match what Final Fantasy VIII looked like in his previous life. Because of that, Final Fantasy VIII in this timeline needed to go even further. Zaboru envisioned a more refined visual style, smoother animations, and a more cinematic presentation that would clearly distinguish it as the next step forward rather than a simple sequel. He wanted players to immediately feel the generational leap the moment they saw the game in motion.
For this ambitious task, Zaboru allocated a total development period of nine months, targeting a release window in March 2000. Team NIWA had no objections to this schedule. Given their experience, pipeline efficiency, and familiarity with the series, they agreed it was a reasonable and achievable timeline. More importantly, they were confident they could deliver a JRPG that would meet Zaboru's expectations without sacrificing quality or identity.
After finishing the meeting, Zaboru quickly returned to his office on the 51st floor and continued working without wasting any time. His desk was already filled with documents, schedules, and early drafts for future projects. Even as the day moved forward, his mind was already drifting toward what lay ahead. He had clear plans for the next year, and those plans were steadily taking shape.
Zaboru leaned back in his chair and let out a quiet chuckle. "Next year… there will be many projects coming from my other developers," he muttered to himself. ZAGE was filled with incredibly talented people—some of them even famous names from his previous life. In this world, however, most of them spent their time focusing on the tasks Zaboru personally assigned. He gave them more than enough freedom to propose and develop their own games, yet many of them chose not to do so just yet. They preferred to grow within structured projects before fully stepping out on their own.
Of course, there were exceptions. A few developers, like Hideo Kojima and Yugo Kanai, had already begun creating games driven entirely by their own visions. Watching them work independently only reinforced Zaboru's belief that, given time, more creators within ZAGE would eventually find the confidence to do the same.
But Zaboru understood very well that if he allowed his developers to fully focus on making their own original games, it would naturally take a great deal of time. Unlike him, most developers needed to start from the very beginning—drafting the story, carefully thinking through gameplay systems, designing characters, and refining concepts again and again. Because of that, it was realistic for a single developer or a small team to complete only one game per year, or sometimes even take two years to finish a single project. Zaboru genuinely didn't mind this at all. To him, quality, growth, and creative confidence mattered far more than speed.
"In the next end-of-year meeting, I'll highlight this," Zaboru muttered to himself with a light chuckle. "And hopefully it will align well with their manpower."
Right now, all ZAGE teams have become incredibly efficient. They often finished their assigned tasks ahead of schedule, something that would have been rare in most other companies. This wasn't by accident. ZAGE offered generous benefits, maintained a healthy and supportive work environment, and encouraged long-term growth instead of burnout. On top of that, Zaboru's Aura of Influence subtly affected everyone working within ZAGE—pushing them to work harder, think smarter, stay motivated, and absorb new knowledge at an accelerated pace. Together, these factors created a development environment where productivity and morale rose naturally, without force.
Many ZAGE developers were deeply attached to the company. They didn't want to leave, and ZAGE itself had no desire to lose them either. The environment, the culture, and the sense of shared purpose made ZAGE feel less like a workplace and more like a long-term home for creators. However, reality was reality. There were still some developers who were strongly motivated by money. From time to time, outside companies would approach them with extremely generous offers—higher salaries, lucrative bonuses, and promises of leadership positions. For some, those offers were simply too tempting to ignore.
When that happened, and a developer chose to resign from ZAGE, Zaboru never took it personally. As long as the resignation process was handled properly and respectfully, he accepted their decision without resentment. In fact, many of those who left ZAGE went on to become leaders, directors, or ace developers at other studios. Their skills and discipline carried over, often elevating the teams they joined.
Still, it was also true that quite a few of them eventually felt regret. Outside of ZAGE, they realized just how rare its benefits truly were—not just in salary, but in work-life balance, creative freedom, support systems, and long-term stability. Many found that their motivation and work spirit were never quite the same again. The difference was obvious, especially to those who had once worked under Zaboru. His Aura of Influence was no longer there to subtly push them to work smarter, grow faster, and stay inspired.
Even so, one thing remained undeniable across the entire industry. Whether they stayed at ZAGE or left it behind, developers who came from ZAGE were widely recognized as elite. The ZAGE name on a résumé carried weight, respect, and a quiet acknowledgment of excellence wherever they went.
Zaboru also had a strict policy regarding departures: anyone who chose to leave ZAGE could not return, regardless of circumstance or regret. This rule was not born out of spite or arrogance, but from principle. Zaboru wanted to make it clear that ZAGE was a professional company, not a place people could freely walk in and out of when it suited them. Decisions had weight, and careers had consequences.
By enforcing this policy, Zaboru set a clear example both inside and outside the company. Joining ZAGE was a commitment, not a temporary stepping stone. Those who stayed did so with resolve, and those who left did so knowing there would be no second chance. To Zaboru, this clarity was essential—it protected the company's integrity, reinforced discipline, and reflected the seriousness with which he viewed ZAGE as an institution rather than just another game studio.
To be continued .
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