After parting ways with Suzuki Hisashi, Kobayashi Tetsu did not hesitate for a second before submitting another report to the newspapers.
It was still about the acquisition—but this time, he briefly outlined Suzuki Hisashi's proposal as well.
At the end, he vaguely threatened certain people.
Atlas is considering going to Nintendo.
If this kind of messy nonsense continues, he'll run. He'll go straight to Nintendo.
Inside the Atlas studio.
Yuji Naka watched Kobayashi Tetsu pacing back and forth through the garage, his face filled with concern.
"President, why don't you sit down for a bit? Take a break. You really don't look like you've slept these past few days."
"I'm not tired," Kobayashi Tetsu waved him off. "You wouldn't understand. I'm more excited than I've ever been. What I need right now isn't sleep—I need information. I need to know what everyone is planning to do, as soon as possible."
Yuji Naka pressed his lips together, clearly wanting to say something but holding it back.
Tsuyoshi Kitagawa tried to persuade him more gently. "But no matter what, you should still rest a little, right?"
"I already am resting," Kobayashi Tetsu said. "Scientific research proves people can survive on just two or three hours of sleep a day."
He stopped, grabbed a whiteboard, and wrote down several names.
Yuji Naka. Masuko Tsukasa. Tsuyoshi Kitagawa. Satoru Iwata.
"I'm not doing this just for myself," Kobayashi Tetsu said. "I'm doing it for everyone. We've worked together for over a year now. If we're going to negotiate terms, then I want better terms. Atlas shouldn't lose a single cent it deserves."
As he spoke, the phone suddenly rang.
In an instant, a feverish flush appeared on Kobayashi Tetsu's face. He walked over and picked it up.
Yuji Naka sighed softly and mouthed a few words to the others.
They couldn't persuade him anymore. They needed to find someone who actually could.
Someone like Kobayashi Tetsu—so straightforward—probably only needed a few JK girls to calm him down.
Nintendo, of course, had already gotten the news.
In fact, Hiroshi Yamauchi learned of it only one day later than when Nakayama Hayao's negotiations fell apart.
But Yamauchi couldn't confirm whether the news was true.
Not until today, when newspapers repeatedly published information coming directly from Atlas.
"Hahaha!"
Yamauchi rolled the newspaper into a tube, swung it like a baseball bat, and slammed it down hard in his office.
"I never expected Atlas not to be Sega's first-party studio! What on earth are Sega's people doing? They should have locked a studio like this down ages ago!"
He swung the "bat" a few more times before turning to Shigeru Miyamoto.
"Shigeru, contact Atlas's president. And we'll also publish a statement in the papers—Nintendo is interested in Atlas."
Miyamoto acknowledged the order, though he felt uneasy.
He wasn't sure whether Yamauchi was serious, or if this was just another commercial maneuver.
Yamauchi had to clarify it again.
"Which is to say, you don't actually need to negotiate seriously. That young man never intended to join Nintendo in the first place.
"He's making such a public spectacle in the newspapers to protect Atlas. The higher the visibility, the less anyone dares to use underhanded tactics. At the very least, this shows there are problems inside Sega.
"Nintendo should seize this opportunity. Notify North America to speed up promotion and finalize distribution agreements."
In Japan, the FC and Sega's SG were still locked in a deadlock. So Yamauchi planned to change the battlefield.
He wouldn't fight Sega in Japan anymore.
He was going to America.
Miyamoto pondered the weight of this order for a long time before returning to his office.
He had Kobayashi Tetsu's phone number. Other than the last time, he had never called it before.
This time was an exception.
Miyamoto didn't expect Kobayashi Tetsu to answer—but to his surprise, the call connected.
The clearly overexcited voice on the other end made Miyamoto instinctively hold the receiver farther away.
"President Kobayashi seems a bit… overly excited."
"I'm fine," Kobayashi Tetsu replied concisely. "Are you here to talk cooperation as well, Miyamoto-san? Then let's talk terms."
Miyamoto was even more surprised. "You're not serious, are you?"
"If the terms are right, why not talk?" Kobayashi Tetsu said. "I can negotiate. I can go to Nintendo. What's wrong with that?"
Miyamoto took a sharp breath.
This was an unexpected gift.
"If Atlas is willing to become a Nintendo-affiliated studio, then Nintendo can offer the following conditions," Miyamoto said.
"First, Atlas will remain an independent development unit. It will not be named 'Nintendo Development Department Number Whatever.' Personnel appointments will be handled entirely by Atlas. Nintendo will not interfere."
"This is the most important point."
"As for everything else, Nintendo's terms are similar to Sega's. Twelve percent revenue sharing, independent cartridge publishing rights. For Atlas's works, Nintendo will only offer suggestions—we will not force you to do anything."
Kobayashi Tetsu let out a short laugh, not entirely sincere.
These terms were far more realistic than what Nakayama Hayao had offered.
In truth, when Nakayama said fifteen percent, Kobayashi Tetsu hadn't believed it at all.
Games were still part of the publishing industry. Publishing margins weren't that high. At twelve percent, Sega would already be earning less than Atlas. At fifteen percent, if costs weren't tightly controlled, Sega would be operating at a loss.
Offering such loss-making terms just to acquire an Atlas with annual revenue of two hundred million yen—it was laughable.
When overly generous conditions appear in an exaggerated situation, they become impossible to trust.
Miyamoto's proposal was far more believable.
Suddenly, Miyamoto asked, "You're going to submit everything we discussed today to the newspapers as well, right?"
"Yes," Kobayashi Tetsu replied. "Not a single word will be missing."
"You don't mind Nintendo publishing related news at the same time?" Miyamoto said. "Even though you're not actually going to accept Nintendo's conditions."
Kobayashi Tetsu fell silent.
For a moment, he felt as if Miyamoto had seen straight through him.
"Nintendo will publish the news as well," Miyamoto continued. "But in exchange, President Kobayashi, you'll owe Nintendo a favor."
Kobayashi Tetsu let out a faintly mocking laugh.
"Why would I do something like that?"
This time, Miyamoto couldn't help laughing.
"You're making such a public display precisely to secure attention and protect yourself, aren't you?
"Now Nintendo is directly helping you achieve maximum visibility. President Kobayashi, isn't that enough to be worth owing Nintendo one favor?"
Miyamoto spoke seriously, and Kobayashi Tetsu immediately listened just as seriously.
"So how do you want me to repay it?"
Miyamoto replied, "If necessary, we hope Atlas will cooperate with promotion—or other work."
Kobayashi Tetsu agreed.
Deal.
Nakayama Hayao had already devised a meticulous plan.
He intended to follow it step by step, suppress Atlas's value, and eventually force Atlas to be absorbed into Sega.
Whether through game projects or the achievement of acquiring Atlas, it would all greatly boost his standing.
After all, chairman was not the same as president.
He still wanted to be president.
Nakayama Hayao's plan would begin by belittling the quality of Atlas's games, then launching a series of attacks ranging from products to internal operations.
At that moment, his assistant rushed in.
"Chairman, Atlas has published another article in the newspapers. Atlas claims it is planning to join Nintendo."
Nakayama Hayao waved his hand.
"Fake. Don't worry. That young man won't do something like that."
The assistant forced a bitter smile.
"Then please take a look at this."
Nakayama Hayao took the new newspaper casually.
He almost wished he hadn't.
At first glance, his expression changed.
The article was written directly in Hiroshi Yamauchi's tone. Even if Yamauchi hadn't personally written it, it was undoubtedly from someone with immense authority inside Nintendo.
"Nintendo Welcomes Atlas! With Atlas, Nintendo Will Be Even Stronger!"
Nakayama Hayao sucked in a sharp breath.
This was bad.
He didn't dare gamble on whether the article was written by Yamauchi himself—nor did he dare gamble on whether this was merely stirring the pot, or Yamauchi's genuine intent.
Atlas was a high-quality asset. If Atlas went to Nintendo, then there would be no point fighting for power inside Sega anymore. What good was power without companies under his control? Manage what—Sega headquarters' toilets?
"Does he really have that much influence over Nintendo? Or is Yamauchi deliberately taking this opportunity to mess with Sega?"
Nakayama Hayao pressed his fingers to his temples.
No matter what, the plan had to be halted.
Because he didn't dare gamble—and he couldn't afford to lose.
If he applied too much pressure and Atlas truly went to Nintendo, the loss to Sega would be immeasurable.
"This is the only way," Nakayama Hayao muttered. "On the bright side, if I don't get Atlas, no one else in Sega will either. At least the competition stays fair. On the downside, if Atlas is ruined and defects to Nintendo, all the blame will fall on me alone."
Nakayama Hayao wasn't afraid of taking the blame.
But he couldn't afford to take it at such a critical moment.
So even though he knew that leveraging Sega's platform advantage could very likely force Kobayashi Tetsu to accept his terms—
He could only choose to acquiesce.
Otherwise, if he pushed Atlas away, he might as well prepare for early retirement himself.
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