*Disclaimer : This is based on my fantasy calculative and i'm not good at finance stuff so don't take this too deep!
Saturday, 29 March 1994
A day before the long-awaited launch of ZEPS 2, Zaboru sat in his private office, sipping coffee and nibbling on cookies while thumbing through a thick stack of financial reports from his head of finance, Trusty Sayuri Yamaguchi. The figures in the documents were nothing short of staggering. From late 1991 since ZAGE established through early-1994 now, ZAGE had generated a gross revenue of approximately ¥3,368,850,720,000—equivalent to around $16.8 billion—from its Japanese and American branches alone
Of course, that was gross revenue. A substantial portion had been allocated to cover a wide range of operating expenses: employee salaries, research and development, performance bonuses, expansive marketing campaigns, office facilities, hardware production, licensing agreements, global logistics, and ongoing investments into emerging technology. Yet, even after accounting for all those outflows, ZAGE remained in an exceptionally strong financial position—one that few companies of its age and industry could match.
The company's revenue streams were well-diversified across multiple sectors. Consoles and game cartridges remained the backbone of its earnings, but arcade units and PC games also delivered robust returns. Surprisingly strong contributions came from branded merchandise, official magazines, and anime adaptations of ZAGE's increasingly iconic intellectual properties. What had started as a scrappy game development studio was now transforming into a full-fledged multimedia empire, with influence that extended far beyond the realm of video games.
ZAGE was now regarded as one of Japan's fastest-rising corporate stars. The media lauded its cultural influence, especially its remarkable penetration into the American market. Though ZAGE had not yet formally entered the European scene, the demand there was already boiling. European fans, desperate for ZAGE products, were importing consoles and games through American channels. Some entrepreneurs had even built black-market businesses around reselling ZAGE merchandise across European cities. Of course, Emerald Wings—ZAGE's official distributor in America—was aware of this. But for now, Zaboru chose to turn a blind eye, seeing it as a chance to organically boost ZAGE's reputation and visibility across Europe.
Zaboru leaned back in his chair and smiled. He briefly thought about the challenges of expanding into Europe and knew that green-lighting a full-scale launch there was one of his top priorities for the year. Plans were already in motion—legal groundwork, logistics partnerships, and localized marketing strategies were being prepared behind the scenes All that remains is to secure official distributors across Europe—something Zaboru intends to prioritize personally in the coming months.
But for now, he let his mind drift from expansion strategy and focused again on the numbers in front of him. His grin widened when he glanced at the morning newspaper resting on his desk. The headline read: "ZAGE: Japan's New Billion-Dollar Powerhouse."
According to industry analysts, ZAGE's estimated net worth had officially crossed $5.6 billion, and that valuation was expected to skyrocket with the imminent release of ZEPS 2. The buzz surrounding the console was monumental, and every analyst predicted a record-breaking launch.
Zaboru chuckled to himself. "A billion-dollar company... I never even dreamed of this in my previous life. And yet, here we are."
He was well aware that the massive revenue didn't mean easy money. Nearly more half of ZAGE's gross earnings were funneled back into sustaining its operations or fueling ambitious investments. But even with those costs, ZAGE had become a dominant force in Japan's economy and a symbol of Japanese creativity abroad.
Even the government had taken notice. In recent weeks, Japanese officials had praised ZAGE for helping boost Japan's image globally and for contributing to a growing wave of tech-savvy tourists interested in Japanese gaming culture. According to travel surveys, international visits to Japan had seen a notable uptick, and ZAGE's influence was one of the credited reasons. Tourists were increasingly seeking rare or Japan-exclusive merchandise—items that were abundant in local markets but nearly impossible to find abroad. Recognizing this demand, ZAGE had begun producing a wide range of exclusive action figures and other collectibles available only in Japan, further cementing its brand as both elite and culturally authentic.
Zaboru smirked. "The government's always quick to shower praise when things are going well. At least they're not overly shrewd or antagonistic like in some countries. I'll take overpoliteness over sabotage any day."
He picked up another folder from his desk—this one a letter from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. They had formally requested a meeting with him next month in April to discuss ZAGE's impact on youth, digital education, and cultural media. It was both flattering and amusing to Zaboru.
"Heh, even MEXT wants to meet me now," he said aloud, leaning back with a satisfied look. "Guess that means we're legit."
He set the letter down and looked out the window. The city skyline was bathed in gentle morning light. Despite all the internal discussions and occasional debates within ZAGE about Zaboru's decision-making, especially the company's delayed entry into the 16-bit console market, no one could argue with the results.
Some had questioned his timing—why ZAGE took longer than Sonaya to transition into 16-bit hardware. But Zaboru had his reasons. He wanted to first build a robust 8-bit game library and let the fanbase fully absorb it. And as the owner and creative driver of the company, he had the freedom to take calculated risks.
Tomorrow marked the beginning of a new chapter. A new generation of gaming.
"Tomorrow, ZAGE enters a new era," he whispered, feeling a sense of anticipation bubble in his chest. "The 16-bit era was always my favorite growing up. Now I get to lead it, not just play it." As for the release in America, it would be slightly delayed by two weeks. Following the Japanese launch of ZEPS, the console was scheduled to hit the American market shortly after. The entire U.S. release would be fully managed by Emerald Wings in coordination with the ZAGE America branch.
Zaboru stood up from his chair, stretched, and smiled to himself. He decided to take a walk outside and enjoy the crisp morning air. No meetings. No reports. Just a short break before the storm.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
To be continue
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