"I heard they call the action in this movie 'gun dancing'?" Bruce Willis leaned over and whispered to Sylvester Stallone beside him. "Kids these days sure come up with some creative terms."
Sylvester Stallone crossed his arms, his muscular physique clearly defined even through his suit. He scrutinized the giant poster of Liam Neeson nearby, his gaze carrying the critical eye of a seasoned star.
"Sounds like some kind of dance. I'll be watching to see if this kid can actually 'dance'."
On the other side of the room, a man in an expensive suit—his demeanor more suited to a farmer than a city executive—approached a senior film critic from the *Los Angeles Times* with a glass of champagne.
"Hello, I'm with Remington Corporation," the man said with a friendly smile, extending his hand. "We provided some... small props for this film. I hope you enjoy the movie tonight. It's a real American story, isn't it? A man fighting to protect what's his."
The film critic clinked glasses with him, his smile perfectly controlled.
*Free America, gunfights every day.*
The critic understood well what could be written and what was best left untouched.
The lights in the theater gradually dimmed.
For the first time ever, the massive "SEGA" logo appeared on the screen before Universal Pictures' iconic globe, accompanied by its classic electronic theme.
A ripple of excitement ran through the theater, especially among the invited game journalists, who chuckled knowingly.
Mark Cerny's heart skipped a beat.
He sat up straighter, while Dave and the other programmers beside him unconsciously held their breath.
The movie began.
Its darkly opulent visual style and restrained narrative pace gripped the audience from the start.
When the protagonist's beloved dog was killed and his Ford Mustang—the last tangible link to his past—was stolen, everyone felt the volcanic eruption about to erupt.
Finally, late at night, the assassins arrived.
When the first enemy burst through the door, Liam Neeson's John Wick hesitated no longer.
Without a word or a showy pose, he moved.
He sidestepped, evaded the attack, and his right fist slammed viciously into the assailant's throat.
The moment the enemy clutched his neck, doubled over in agony, John snatched the gun, didn't even look, and fired a single, precise shot between the eyes of the second enemy closing in behind him.
*Bang!*
The entire sequence flowed like water, so fast it dazzled the eyes, so brutal it made the scalp tingle.
This was no traditional action movie brawl of punch-for-punch, kick-for-kick. This was a lethal art, a fusion of *jūjutsu* and instant-deadly-techniques!
"He did it! He pulled off that gun-snatch counterattack!" Dave whispered hoarsely in the dark, his whole body trembling with excitement as he gripped the armrest of his seat.
This was one of the Quick Time Event (QTE) sequences they had spent countless nights discussing and simulating in front of the whiteboard!
Mark Cerny remained silent, his eyes fixed on the screen, but his blood burned with exhilaration.
On the screen, the slaughter continued.
John Wick moved like a precision killing machine, each shot aimed squarely at the head or chest. When his ammunition ran out, he immediately used the gun barrel to block incoming attacks, then struck the enemy's temple with the gunstock. The moment the enemy lost balance, he snatched their spare magazine, loaded it into his gun, and sent them on their way.
The theater fell silent, save for the deep, crisp, and layered gunshots and bone-crushing sounds emanating from the Dolby surround sound system.
Everyone was stunned by this unprecedented action style.
Especially those who had played the game at CES. Only now did they truly understand that the seemingly exaggerated Quick Time Event (QTE) actions in the game were, on the big screen, so brutally realistic and lethal!
In the darkness, Sylvester Stallone slowly leaned back against his chair.
He turned his head and whispered in Bruce Willis's ear, his voice barely audible:
"Alright, this kid... he's got some real skills."
The movie ended, and the credits began to roll.
When Mark Cerny and his team's names appeared in the "Game Concept Design" credit, the theater erupted in thunderous applause and whistles that lasted for minutes.
Mark let out a long sigh, feeling drained of all his energy.
Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He pulled it out and saw a text message from Tom Kalinske:
*The movie's great, isn't it? Now it's our turn.*
*At midnight, we'll let all North American players become him personally.*
---
Friday, July 17th, the height of summer in North America, the heat was oppressive.
Lines snaked out of the theater box office, not just for the movie *John Wick*, but even more so for the row of black arcade cabinets lining the lobby.
These were the culmination of Mark Cerny's team's efforts—the light gun game adaptation of the same name.
Just like the fervor surrounding *Captain Hook*'s release months earlier, the waiting audience, especially the younger crowd, flocked to these new "monsters."
Light gun games have an inherently low barrier to entry, especially for the people of this land.
Gun culture runs deep in America, and almost every American can recognize the shape of a light gun at a glance.
Colt, Remington, Marlin—these familiar brands from movies and reality now appear in players' hands as scale alloy models, heavy and realistic to the touch.
*Bang!*
With each trigger pull, a faint yet distinct vibration travels through the gun, simulating recoil. Though limited by design and thus quite mild, the feedback helps players maintain precise control over their shooting rhythm.
The crosshair jolts across the screen, and the image blurs momentarily, making players feel like they're holding a real firearm that could misfire at any moment.
This immersion far surpasses any previous light gun game.
"Hey, buddy! Watch this!" shouts a young man with a messy ponytail, his M4 rifle model moving so fast it's almost a blur.
On the screen, John Wick was surrounded by several enemies, on the verge of being torn apart by bullets.
Suddenly, a massive "A" key prompt flashed. Without hesitation, the young man pressed the auxiliary button on the light gun. On the screen, John Wick executed a sideways slide, dodging the bullets while snatching a pistol from an enemy's grip. The gun barrel instantly pressed against the man's jaw, and with a crisp "click," the execution was clean and decisive.
"Whoa—!" The crowd erupted in a wave of exclamations.
"This... this is what Americans should be playing!" a middle-aged man in a baseball cap shouted, his eyes glued to the screen, still dazed by the Quick Time Event execution.
His friend chuckled and nudged him. "Joe, are you a Sega shill? Talking the talk, but your hand's reaching for the ticket window."
Unfazed, Joe chuckled and pointed at the arcade machine. "This game? It makes you want to watch the movie.
I need to know what this killer went through to become so deadly."
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