NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 15
Time passed quickly.
After the CBT ended, the department members were busy with feedback tasks, and I was handling external work, so several months had gone by before I realized it.
The date was already mid-May, where spring was in full bloom.
Since I had been skipping office days due to overseas trips, the faces of the employees gathered in the conference room felt somewhat unfamiliar.
“Did everyone have a good time while I was gone?”
“It’s been too intense with the local communications in Japan….”
“Busy with all the work, what do you mean by ‘good time’….”
Yumi and Chae-young said with expressions that looked like they were about to die.
Among them, Yumi, who was usually bright and cheerful, gave a particularly stark contrast.
Clap!
I clapped my hands.
“Nevertheless, I have some news for you all, so everyone, pay attention!”
At that, the team members all focused on me.
“First, there is some good news and also some bad news. The good news is… the game release date has been confirmed.”
Without any prior announcement, the conference room buzzed like a bomb had been dropped.
“The release date is precisely four months from now, on September 27th at 10 AM. Does anyone have questions?”
At my question, Yerin raised her hand first.
“Senior, isn’t releasing the game in September a bit late? By the end of September, the summer peak season will be over.”
Shaking my head at Yerin’s question, I replied,
“It doesn’t matter. Mobile games, unlike PC games, don’t have a peak season.”
Seeing Yerin nod her head in agreement after my explanation, I continued,
“Besides, there’s another reason why the release date is set for this day, and it is… this.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I pressed the remote control to activate the beam projector.
A data screen for the Tokyo Game Show appeared on one side of the wall—a yellow background poster featuring an AI girl that seemingly personified the game.
At the bottom of the poster, it read “Tokyo Game Show 2011.”
With that bombshell revelation, silence once again enveloped the conference room.
The Tokyo Game Show.
Hosted by the Computer Entertainment Software Association of Japan, it is one of the world’s top three game shows and the largest in Japan.
Naturally, it was an event that top-tier game development companies either plan to attend or hope to participate in as one of the world’s top three game shows.
Under normal circumstances, we would absolutely never be able to join such an event, but we were lucky.
When a new project of the PC game development team planned for participation earlier this year was dropped, the opportunity came to us.
Of course, according to the president, who provided the opportunity, it was just good luck, but…
Anyhow, it was such a lucky break that not taking it would disqualify me from being a director, so I gratefully accepted it.
Although, the looks from the PC development team leaders, who gave us this opportunity, were now even hotter, but well…
Hating our team from them is nothing new anyway.
“Among those gathered here, no one should be unfamiliar with what the Tokyo Game Show is, right? If anyone doesn’t know?”
Fortunately, my concerns were groundless as no one raised their hand.
“We are likely to secure a private booth at EnsonGT. In short, the company’s expectations are enormous.”
After finishing my statement, Chae-young Senpai raised her hand, signaling curiosity.
“Which individuals are going to participate in this event? Is it like the last overseas trip, where just a few people go?”
“No one in particular—I’m saying everyone will be attending.”
“Really?”
With an expression of disbelief, Chae-young Senpai looked at me, and I nodded.
“To begin with, given the size of the booth we’ll receive, there’s no one we can afford to leave behind. We’ll need everyone, and it will still be a very busy time.”
“Really that much?”
“Based on what I’ve heard, the space allocated for our booth may be the size of two of these conference rooms.”
“Huge…”
“Anyone else have questions?”
This time, Seol-i raised her hand.
“Um… How much content do we plan to unveil at this event?”
“We’ve decided to reveal most of the content except for the main ones such as the Boss Raid. Since it’s only about a week away from the official release date anyway.”
Seol-i seemed to understand the answer, as she nodded her head and lowered her hand.
“Anyway, the good news is just knowing that we’ll be releasing the game and participating in the Tokyo Game Show. As for the bad news… we need someone from our team to do cosplay.”
At my statement, the team members in the conference room all showed signs of panic.
Yerin, sitting in the front row, asked.
“Do we really need cosplay?”
“To be honest, I’m not completely crazy about it either, but it seems like SFLAG really wants it.”
Upon reflection, I could understand SFLAG’s stance.
Even if we’ve gotten good responses from the PV and CBT, it’s still a few months old news.
We’ve already taken on the publishing of a risky new genre; they must want to minimize risks.
“Of course, I personally would like either myself or Myunghoon-ssi to do it, but even the side that proposed the cosplay isn’t hoping for us to do it.”
Honestly, among the game show attendees, how many gamers would feel like playing after seeing men with hairy legs dressed up in cosplay?
That was a given fact.
“So, anyone willing to do the cosplay?”
At that moment, the gazes of everyone gathered in the conference room turned toward one specific person.
Including me.
The corners of Yerin’s mouth began to waver.
“What? Why are you all looking at me…?”
Why indeed.
The words everyone wanted to say were spoken by Yumi.
“Because Yerin Senpai is the prettiest… right?”
Following Yumi’s lead, I continued on.
“Besides, Yerin, among us, you’re the one most known by the gamers.”
“That…!”
Yerin’s complexion turned paper white.
‘With that look, she won’t even need makeup.’
***
I won’t go into the process of setting up our booth after arriving in Japan.
There’s probably no one who would want to hear about that.
On the first day of the Tokyo Game Show, we rose early in the morning at the hotel and headed to Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture after finishing our preparations.
Having finished setting up and checking the booth the day before, we were all a bit groggy.
“Oof… I’m sleepy…”
Even Chae-young Senpai, who usually didn’t show much fatigue, appeared unusually exhausted.
“Come on, everyone, just three days to go. Let’s push a little more. The president even gave legal cash for good food after it’s all over.”
Behind the team members who cheered at the mention of the legal cash, I looked around Makuhari Messe Stadium where the game show was being held.
“Wow, it’s really huge…”
The total number of visitors this year was, as far as I remember, around 200,000.
We need to make the game ‘Girls’ Memorial’ resonate with these 200,000 participants.
Absolutely, there must be no disruption due to insufficient preparation.
With that mindset, I looked at the booth we’d spent all day setting up yesterday.
The life-sized mascot ‘Operator’ and the three main characters stood proudly.
Above, a large sign with ‘Girls Memorial’ written in blue and white was erected.
Inside the booth, the experience-use smartphones were neatly arranged.
As we finished the final checks of the experience zone and started setting up the official goods with the team members, a voice rang out behind me.
“Never imagined I’d be putting on a school uniform again at this age.”
Turning around, I saw Yerin who had just finished the cosplay.
With an added black bob cut reaching her neck,
Realistic ivory-colored demon horns on her head,
Color contacts to bring out the crimson eyes,
A tightly tied H-beam Korean school uniform skirt.
Although the cosplay suited her perfectly, Yerin, with her face redder than cherry, was glaring daggers at me while holding the skirt with her hands.
“Just relax… Karin isn’t supposed to be that intimidating.”
“What’s wrong with my expression?”
“If physical force through eye contact was possible, I’d probably be dead by now.”
“Do you really want to make my words come true?”
“That’s the one thing I ask you not to do.”
While Yerin trembled holding her skirt, she eventually sighed and relaxed her expression.
“At least if it was the character wearing a sailor suit…”
“It suits you really well, though.”
“What did I do wrong to deserve this humiliation of wearing a school uniform I hadn’t worn since high school at this age?”
Yerin, looking pitiful, grimaced.
Her despondent figure made me want to comfort her.
“Yerin.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry for making you cosplay like this. If it’s really too hard, you can change if you want.”
“Then how will the schedule be managed?”
“Since the cosplay is not part of the contract, it’s not a big problem. If they say something, I’ll apologize.”
After receiving the reassurance, Yerin looked at me with a melancholic face and sighed.
“Alright, since it’s done, I’ll endure this time.”
“You made the right decision. Besides, official booth staff is set to join once the booth opens, so you just need to greet guests while standing there.”
Upon hearing there would be official booth staff, Yerin asked in frustration,
“Didn’t we say there would be no booth staff? Why choose me if there’s booth staff anyway?”
“That’s because there’s a huge difference between an ordinary person doing cosplay and the director of the game doing cosplay, from the gamers’ perspective.”
“I thought I understood, but I’m still not quite sure…”
“Therefore, please endure this time for me. I promise I’ll grant any wish you have at the end of this game show. Your makeup is melting, so please relax your expression.”
“You better keep that promise.”
***