Chapter 59: The Rivalry Between Namco and Konami

  Longteng Entertainment Game Company held its second all-employee meeting.

  Yang Yun announced four resolutions for deepening reform of the company.

  The first resolution, add a new product department, headed by Zhao Yongping as the department manager, responsible for all Longteng company related product manufacturing, in Zhongguancun to find another independent factory building, products include but are not limited to learning machines and game cards, also including large industrial-grade integrated circuit boards, micro semiconductor circuit boards and so on.

  These are the main products of Chiyang Electronics Factory and Xiaobawang Electronics Company. The relevant technical personnel have found them in Chiyang Electronics Factory and the bankrupt Xiaobawang Electronics Industrial Company. Zhao Yongping is familiar with this department and can quickly take over the heavy responsibility.

  Yang Yun did not give up the R&D of large-scale industrial-grade and micro-semiconductor circuit boards, mainly for the layout of future large-scale arcade machines and handheld game consoles, now focusing on technical reserves.

  After unifying the domestic FC market and occupying a place in the international arena, he will expand his business scope to produce his own arcade boards and handheld game consoles, as well as develop related game peripherals, all of which will be led by Zhao Yongping's product department.

  The second item is to add a new procurement department, which will be headed by Fang Jingdong. Currently, the most important task is to import computer chips from abroad and also take on the responsibility of purchasing game copyrights. A legal affairs department will also be established, with Fang Jingdong, a Northeasterner, guaranteeing its success with a slap on his chest.

  The procurement department involves many resources and covers a wide range of areas. Now, Longteng Company is small with few personnel, Zhao Yongping, Jiang Shaoyun, and Jiang Yang all need to work together to provide convenience for Fang Jiandong, only when everyone contributes their strength can the flame rise high.

  The third thing, the R&D department expanded its recruitment. Through Zhao Yongping's introduction and Yang Yun's efforts, respecting the choice of the parties involved, as long as Xiaobawang's R&D personnel were willing to go north, they would all be fully accepted by Yang Yun and integrated into Longteng's R&D department.

  These people, some were Yang Yun's former colleagues at Huamao Electronics Factory, some were new recruits from Xiaobawang later on, and of course, also included the three "traitors" who jumped ship from Longteng Company.

  Yang Yun did not show any special favoritism, treating everyone equally, and there was not even a single word of blame. However, after the meeting, Jiang Shaoyun rushed to the homes of the three "traitors" overnight, representing Yang Yun in presenting commendations and consolation money, and promising to promote and reuse them within the research department within a year. This grand play of no evil finally ended perfectly!

  Finally, the fourth thing is that the R&D department was reorganized. Yang Yun took on the role of chief designer and personally guided the design direction. The R&D department implemented a flat management structure, temporarily not setting up positions such as manager and deputy manager. Instead, project teams were formed by drawing personnel from various departments to work on specific themes or important games, with each having its own dedicated team in charge.

  For example, in the existing group, the learning card project team is led by Zhang Guotai and Zhu Shiqiang from the original Little King Company. One of them was a senior engineer of Kote Learning Card, and the other was the technical director of Golden Pyramid Learning Card. These two veteran experts in learning cards are now back in business, absolutely at ease.

  The FC scroll game project team is led by Zhang Guoqiang from Tsinghua University. This senior student, who has not yet graduated, finally found his stage and is full of confidence and ambition. He brought with him a young man named Ma Liang, who came from a remote mountain area, as well as four or five other young team members around the same age, all ready to make a big impact.

  The historical simulation game SLG project team is led by Inoue Osamu, and Yang Yun launched the domestication of the Three Kingdoms game, which is equivalent to designing from scratch. Now this is the most important thing, rushing time and grabbing tasks, and the pressure on this project team is the greatest.

  In addition, the planning team included Liu Cixin's text support, Matsumoto Yoshino and Xiang Tian's art support, and supplemented by Su Xiuyun and other computer professional artists. The work was miscellaneous, but its importance is self-evident.

  In the future, there will be large-scale arcade game production teams, PC RPG games, shooting games, casual small games and other categories. Yang Yun provides the overall design direction and then hands it over to his subordinates to handle specific matters.

  After the meeting, Yang Yun kept a few high-level executives and said: "Time is urgent, no more words, our company is goal-oriented. After I set the goal, I don't care about the process or how you do it, I only care about the result. Old Zhao, the construction of the new factory is handed over to you. Whether you acquire other factories or start from scratch, I hope that production can start before December. Can you do it?"

  There is still a month's time, it's a bit tight, but Zhao Yongping nodded and said seriously: "No problem, Mr. Yang!"

  "Alright, Longteng now has over 18 million RMB in the account. The orders from the Canton Fair will be settled soon and after a while, there will be another batch of funds injected. Money is not a problem, we will communicate promptly during the acquisition process."

  Yang Yun looked at Zhang Guoqiang again: "Guoqiang, the 11 R&D personnel who were taken over by Xiaobao Wang's company this time, don't expect them for now. I'll transfer all of them to Jinglei's group. For your group, I'll provide two game plans. In addition to horizontal scrolling games, I hope you can expand your thinking and create full-screen pattern games. First, achieve the technical implementation, and then I'll fill in the content."

  Zhang Guoqiang's face was tilted, with a look of grievance: "Director Yang, you absolutely can't be thick-skinned and thin-skinned at the same time. My grandfather, my father, and I, our whole family are fans of the Three Kingdoms. Why not let Ma Liang take charge of the Full Volume Scroll game? I'm willing to go to the Three Kingdoms team to help out..."

  Yang Yun deliberately put on a serious face and scolded, "What nonsense! Where can't you make revolution? Xiao Ma is younger than you, and he's new here, hasn't even figured out the door yet. If you don't take on the heavy responsibility, who will?"

  Everyone who heard it lowered their heads and smiled secretly, very understanding of Zhang Guoqiang's mentality.

  Making a Three Kingdoms game of our own as Chinese, especially under Yang Yun's command, will definitely be another classic in the future. Having one's name appear in the production team is the greatest honor. If not for professional limitations, even Zhao Yongping would want to participate.

  Yang Yun continued to arrange: "Jiang Shang, still the old way, first crack Glory Company's Three Kingdoms game, where you can't get the source code, think of a way to simulate it, use other ways to replace it. You lead everyone in building the game framework, I'll be responsible for filling in the content, and then hand it over to you all to integrate."

  Inoue Yoshio solemnly accepted the heavy responsibility, with a particularly sincere attitude, saying: "There are many Japanese game manufacturers that make Three Kingdoms games, and Namco's Three Kingdoms series is also quite famous. I originally had dealings with their planners, if we just want to refer to Koei's game system, we can try cooperating with Namco."

  Inoue Osamu and Namco's planners had interactions? Yang Yun's eyes lit up, nodded: "This matter will be discussed later. Is there anything else unclear to everyone? If not, then the meeting is dismissed."

  Zhao Yongping spoke up, representing everyone in asking the most pressing question: "General Manager Yang, since the restructuring of Chuyang failed, what will happen to the $55 million order? What kind of relationship will we maintain with Chuyang Electronics Factory in the future?"

  After some thought, Yang Yun decided not to hide it and said seriously: "After completing this order, I will be a passerby."

  In the previous day's negotiations, Huang Bei-yang finally compromised. Chiyang Electronics would not be restructured, and the $55 million order could be fulfilled by next year. Yang Yun would not restrict the authorization contract provided to Chiyang, but it was limited to only four games: Circus, Salamander, Rocket Car and Adventure Island.

  Yang Yun and Huang Bei-yang's cooperation may only last for this short period of one year. Neither of them will undermine the other, nor use excuses to suppress or discredit each other. Huang Bei-yang needs political achievements, and within a year, he can be promoted and transferred. Yang Yun proposed a transfer fee of $5 per share, totaling $600 million, paid in US dollars, to be settled within one year.

  Huang Beiyang got promoted and Yang Yun became rich, this is the final result of their negotiation, and also the best result.

  ……

  ……

  Yang Yun left behind Inoue Osamu and Matsumoto Yoshino, he really didn't expect that these two people actually had dealings with Namco, this is a big surprise.

  "Inoue, in the Japanese game industry, what is the relationship between Koei and Namco?"

  Koichiro Ito said: "The glorious founding time is shorter than Namco, Glorious is more like a personal game studio, established for less than ten years, mainly professional historical simulation games, mature main products include 'Nobunaga's Ambition', while Namco does things more miscellaneous, it is a well-known game company with decades of production experience."

  Yang Yun nodded, the 1983 game "Nobunaga's Ambition" brought Koei success and a taste of sweetness. Continuing to be professional, Koei achieved great success, while Namco was doing miscellaneous things and didn't achieve much in game software, instead focusing on Gundam and Saint Seiya game peripherals, ultimately having to merge with Bandai and reorganize into Bandai Namco.

  Yang Yun asked: "Can it be understood that after Namco made a highly successful Three Kingdoms game, Koei's work is just following suit?"

  Inoue Yoshio shook his head: "The first to make a Three Kingdoms game was Koei, they quickly released the Sangokushi game after Nobunaga's Ambition was a huge success, but sales were not very good. Last year, Namco produced the first Three Kingdoms SLG strategy game for the Nintendo FC platform, 'Sangokushi - Zhongyuan's Hegemon', which was released in May and although it was expensive, it received high praise from players. Koei woke up and released the FC version in October of last year, but because it was delayed by half a year, sales were completely inferior to Namco."

  Yang Yun realized that these two families were sworn enemies, you sing and I come on stage, either following the wind or master and apprentice fighting each other, in a state of intense competition.

  According to his later experience, Namco now seems to be selling well and occupying the upper hand. In fact, only "Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2: The Conqueror's Great Land" received good reviews in the sequel. Although it is a classic, it is not long-lasting, and there is no follow-up on the PC side, and their Three Kingdoms series cannot be passed down for a long time.

  But Koei was different, with exquisite craftsmanship, frequent updates and new versions, as well as famous games such as Nobunaga's Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Taikou Risshiden, Uncharted Waters, and Dynasty Warriors. Although being suppressed by Namco at that time, in 1990, Koei's Romance of the Three Kingdoms would explode, and the PC version was a completely reborn work!

  Yang Yun loved this situation, a strong competition between two parties, just like the current rivalry between Nintendo and Sega. His mind was lively, taking advantage of the chaos to reap benefits, this was what he enjoyed doing the most.

  Yang Yun asked: "Ikegami, what kind of personal relationship do you have with Namco's designers?"

  "In 1985, at a Nintendo carnival party, I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Ayako Kondō from Namco, who was a game planner and very professional...and also very cute..." - Inoue Osamu

  "Haha……" Matsumoto Yoshino couldn't help but laugh at this story, and gave Yang Yun a brief explanation. That is, Inoue Genyu's unrequited love, after 4 years of not being able to pursue her, had come to China this year, just when he was about to give up hope, unexpectedly another chance appeared.

  Game planner, equivalent to a game's soul figure, grasping the core idea of game development.

  Yang Yun suddenly had an idea, if he could dig this woman over, it would greatly shorten the R&D cycle: "Ikegami, if I give you a certain amount of funding authority, can you get her to come to China and join us in starting a business?"

  Inoue Yoshio's mouth was agape in surprise, but he gradually broke into a foolish grin.