Monday, 17 November 1992
It had only been two days since the launch of the newest New-ZAS arcade systems, but the response was already overwhelming. Both Bakudan Arcade and Dream Catcher Arcade had seen an unprecedented surge in visitors over the weekend. The buzz surrounding the trio of new arcade cabinets—ZAS: Street Fighter, ZAS: Streets of Rage, and ZAS: Rampage—had turned local arcades into hotspots teeming with eager players.
Toki, the owner of Bakudan Arcade, and Satonaka, the owner of Dream Catcher Arcade, found themselves in a frenzy. Despite anticipating a crowd, neither of them had predicted this level of excitement. Throughout Saturday and Sunday, queues had stretched out the doors, players often waiting over an hour just to get a turn. The machines were rarely idle, and the two arcade owners struggled to manage the flow.
By Monday morning, both Toki and Satonaka made their way straight to ZAGE headquarters.
Zaboru greeted them in his office, already expecting their visit. He sipped tea with a smirk. "Good morning, Toki-san, Satonaka-san. Let me guess: you're here for more New-ZAS machines?"
"Zaboru," Toki huffed, wiping sweat from his brow, "you have no idea how insane it got. We had lines stretching out the door. We had to create a manual timer system and literally tell kids to step aside after ten minutes of play. The regulars were getting mad, and some parents were yelling at me. We need more units, immediately." Orıginal content can be found at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⁂𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⁂𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Same at Dream Catcher," Satonaka added, massaging his temples. "We had arguments breaking out between players. I even had to call in a friend to help manage the crowd. It's a miracle the machines didn't get damaged from all the usage. If this keeps up, we might need security on weekends."
Zaboru chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I already gave Nanco the heads-up. Your orders are in the system, and you should be receiving two more units for each title by the end of today. But heads-up, other arcades in Tokyo have started placing orders too. You got in just in time."
True to his words, across Tokyo, the ripple effect had begun. Word-of-mouth and local buzz had driven dozens of other arcade owners to inquire about New-ZAS cabinets. By noon, Nanco's phones were ringing off the hook, and their production line was in overdrive.
Zaboru received a call from Nando Michio, CEO of Nanco, who sounded both breathless and exhilarated.
"Zaboru-san, this is beyond what we expected! The weekend orders alone were crazy, but today's numbers? We're close to running out of units already. Good thing you told us to prepare extra stock last week."
"That's why we plan ahead, Nando-san," Zaboru replied calmly. "And remember, this is only the beginning. We haven't even aired the official TV ads yet. Once the ad hits on Wednesday, expect the demand to triple, especially from areas outside Tokyo."
"Understood. Thank god We've got support from ZAGE partner Sora Distribution on standby, ready to handle overflow logistics and scale production as needed. We won't drop the ball," Nando said.
Meanwhile, Zaboru switched on the TV in his office just in time to catch the noon segment from TV Tokyo. To his amusement, they were already covering the arcade phenomenon.
The anchor smiled as footage rolled of kids cheering at Bakudan Arcade. "It seems that ZAGE has done it again. Over the weekend, local arcades saw record-breaking foot traffic thanks to the new line of ZAGE Arcade Systems, or 'New-ZAS' as they're being called."
The screen cut to footage of players crowding around the three machines, followed by short clips of gameplay. Each segment showcased a different title: Chun-Li spinning through the air, Axel pummeling enemies in Streets of Rage, and George smashing buildings in Rampage.
The anchor continued. "What many people don't know is that this isn't ZAGE's first foray into arcade machines. In fact, their very first product was a handcrafted, limited-run arcade system created by founder Zaboru Renkonan himself back in 1991. This original ZAS cabinet bundled four iconic games—Super Mario Bros, Mario Bros, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong—into one system, an innovation at the time. Today, these rare cabinets have become collector's items and are proudly displayed in dedicated showcases at both Bakudan and Dream Catcher Arcades, preserved as pieces of early ZAGE history."
The segment ended with a glowing endorsement.
"With this new wave of machines, ZAGE isn't just bringing arcades back, they're redefining them."
Zaboru set the remote down and smiled. "TV Tokyo really knows how to stay on my good side," he said to himself.
He stretched and scribbled a few notes on his notepad. Ideas were already forming.
"Street Fighter has real potential," he mused. "It's more than a fun game—it's a competitive platform. I could use this to launch Japan's first real eSports circuit. A nationwide tournament, maybe..."
He jotted down the phrase: "ZAGE National Championship - Street Fighter Division."
"Before the rise of MOBAs and FPS titles, fighting games stood out as one of the most promising genres for competitive play. I'm committed to building a healthy and sustainable eSports ecosystem around them, starting with structured tournaments and community engagement."
Zaboru still vividly remembered the legendary moment from his previous life: Daigo Umehara parrying Justin Wong's lightning-fast Chun-Li super move using Ken in an intense Street Fighter match. He had watched that moment live back then, a jaw-dropping spectacle that ignited a fire in the hearts of competitive players worldwide. "Heh," he chuckled, leaning back in his chair, "I hope something legendary like that gets to happen in this world too. Maybe this time, I'll be the one who helps make it possible."
His mind now spinning with future possibilities, Zaboru leaned back and let the moment wash over him. The arcade wave had officially begun—and ZAGE was right at the center of it.
"I wonder what games I should create on Arcades next?" Zaboru thought of many possibilities.
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