ALL NOVEL 384. video – games
November 9.
The premiere of the Lux Party was something that could have happened much earlier. Still, the result can only be described as expected—a multiplayer board game where various characters compete to win cups or coins if they’re lucky. It might go unnoticed by some, but not by others who see the game's brand beginning to expand. Usually, when the connections are made, people start to realize Billy’s characters are, at the very least, magnificent, and in other cases, unbeatable. The way he exploits franchises makes the latest games simply outstanding.
-Three great games in one package, making it one of the most profitable game companies in recent years, - commented Shigeru Miyamoto.
In the offices of Nintendo of America, the exponential growth and use of relationships had people closely monitoring these developments. Nintendo was among the companies that had initially invested in Pixar Studios, first as a research investment, and second, as a source for recreating their video game designs.
They were paying close attention to the company, which, in addition, seemed to be in the sights of many other companies, such as those in the video game or animation industries—markets that, although underexploited in the 1990s, would reach their peak in 2010.
-Young Carson has tentative alliances with Sony, - remarked Minoru Arakawa, who observed the market occupation by the PlayStation 1 console, which managed to sustain and position itself without owing anyone a favor.
-Nothing we can do, - said Shigeru Miyamoto, weighing his words carefully. -He follows a model very similar to ours. We planned to expand the Mario brand across several games with different styles, but I see we've been beaten to it. -
The production of Lux Party was simply phenomenal—from its cartoonish aspect to the multiple characters. It was a brilliant move to bring in characters from Pixar, LuxToons, and now ID Software, with familiar maps from movies and series… the clichés and the love for the game were evident.
-We have no more time to waste, - commented Minoru, as he began formulating plans to expand in the American market.
But it was impossible. Sony was not open to negotiations—they could not forgive Nintendo for breaking off their partnership. What they didn’t expect was that Lux Animation, along with ID Software, would develop a strategy that would completely outshine Nintendo, with titles like Super Smash Lux, Lux Tennis, Lux Karts, and Lux RPG, which is a story for children. It left no room for growth.
-I don’t understand the moves, and I don’t mean to sound offensive, but it’s a disgrace that the company makes so little money from the cartridges, - commented Minoru.
-It’s a choice we’ve already made, - responded Shigeru.
-You got the part, - Jim Waiit said, genuinely surprised by the turn of events.
-Which part? I've been to at least five interviews in the last two months, - Billy replied from his studio, tracking the progress of his series. Bleach was the show he had worked on the most, and now he could say it had tied with Hunter x Hunter in terms of episodes. The streak of releasing one episode per week was taken seriously, making it the only series published weekly.
Following that, there were three Hunter x Hunter episodes in a month, two for One Piece, one for Real, and one for Hellsing. Meanwhile, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Digimon would be released with twenty episodes every two to three months. The first batch had already been delivered, but the release schedule wasn’t set in stone and would depend on fan reactions. Even without apparent success, new episodes would likely still be released every three months.
-The part in L.A. Confidential. They were impressed with your performance; I think we're on the right track... it's incredible, - Jim Waiit said, now viewing their position in the industry favorably. From C.A., along with the directors who had worked with Billy, they could consider themselves an important part of the project.
-That’s a very good idea… you managed to impress Roland Emmerich. I think my distribution company can have a significant impact on his film Independence Day, - Billy commented. If he only gets 15%, and another 35% is split with the exhibitors and cinemas, it’s still a success. Distribution isn’t an issue, but if he wins the bid for DVD distribution rights, the company would make much more than with the high fees Fox is proposing.
-They’re still weighing the options. On one hand, Fox promises an international release; on the other, you promise a North American release with lower fees, - Jim Waiit added. The situation was at a standstill; production hadn’t even finished, and the overuse of the green screen wasn’t pleasing anyone.
But Billy already had a sense of the outcome, and that 15% could bring in at least $60 million just by distributing the film. His focus on building relationships was starting to make his success tangible with the many movies in the upcoming calendar. He needed to stay calm. But Jim Gianopulos was smart—he knew exactly how to organize all the scheduled releases. For now, the company could distribute 10 films a year, with slots reserved for the next two animated films, three movies Billy was involved in, and a few others Jim had earmarked to streamline the budget. For the moment, only six films were set for the following year.
-When do they start shooting L.A.? - Billy asked again, needing to adjust his schedule once more.
-Early December. You should be aware that you'll need to attend some galas in December 1996. No issues there—I’ve got everything lined up. I’ve already talked to the brand; you’ll need to attend a few ceremonies with BMW, - Jim Waiit said.
The plans continued to progress, step by step.
***
One day in November, Richard Carson slipped down the stairs. In a moment, without warning, he nearly fell, and though it was only a few steps, the fall was fatal due to his age and mental state. The will to fight is also the will to fall above all else.
Helen Carson’s scream was enough to ignite panic.
-We need to call an ambulance, - the caregiver said.
Two minutes later, she called Anne, who then immediately called Billy. His father didn’t take long to reach him. The end was near.
Life is full of disasters.
Billy’s furious gaze said it all… - He should have…. -
...