Kalinski was stunned for a moment. "One hundred thousand units? This will break the exclusivity of our limited edition. What if we end up with excess inventory—"
"The Thanksgiving holiday, a groundbreaking animated film, plus a solid spin-off game," Takuya Nakayama interrupted him. "What could be a better holiday gift for the whole family than a video game and console set of the same name? One hundred thousand units, not one fewer. I'll handle the production line coordination. The factory in Mexico will be responsible for producing all the limited edition units for North America, and the assembly plant in China will fill the gaps in the North American market with standard Jupiter units."
As it turned out, Nakayama's judgment was extremely precise.
One hundred thousand limited edition units were released into the North American market and sold out completely within the first week. Major distributors flooded Kalinski with calls for restock, only to be helplessly rejected due to Sega's strict limited edition policy.
This was not only a victory for the game but also a carnival for console sales.
After the Thanksgiving weekend, the entertainment headlines of major Hollywood newspapers were released.
From Wednesday to Sunday of the opening week, "Toy Story" raked in $41.2 million, directly breaking the Thanksgiving weekend box office record.
In its first three-day weekend, it raked in over $30 million, becoming the second-highest opening of the year, surpassed only by the summer blockbuster Batman Forever with its $52.8 million.
Behind this dazzling box office report lay an equally astonishing sales report for the game.
This collaboration between Sega and Hollywood pushed the effect of film-game synergy to an unprecedented height.
Movie theaters became the best demo stations for the game, and in turn, the game elevated the hype surrounding the film's release.
The extra $1 million-plus in just the opening weekend compared to the previous life was proof enough.
And for Jupiter, a new console that had only been on the market for a year, the main buyers had previously been gaming enthusiasts, but over this short Thanksgiving holiday, the primary purchasing force became parents.
November 24, Los Angeles.
Old George, the owner of a newsstand on Sunset Boulevard, untied the bundle of New York Times that had just been delivered.
The heavy scent of printer's ink wafted out.
Below the front page, a conspicuous bold headline occupied half of the entertainment section.
This was no ordinary film review; it was an in-depth report on a cultural phenomenon.
The chief film critic of the New York Times had given it a perfect score.
The article wrote that this fully computer-animated film broke through the barriers of traditional 2D animation, creating an entirely new visual language.
Before Old George could even straighten out the newspapers, a few young people wearing studio badges tossed down coins and snatched up the top copies.
Richmond, Pixar Animation Studios.
The coffee machine in the office area gurgled.
The long conference table was covered with the day's major American newspapers.
John Lasseter, wearing his signature floral shirt, held a black coffee and read the review section of The Washington Post word for word.
"Perfect score," Lasseter said, pushing the newspaper to the center of the table.
Ed Catmull pushed up his glasses and picked up another copy, The Chicago Sun-Times. "Roger Ebert also gave it a perfect score. He rarely gives such high praise to animated films."
Steve Jobs walked in from the hallway.
He didn't look at the newspapers, but walked straight to the whiteboard.
"As long as you make the product perfect, the market will give the most direct feedback," Jobs said, turning around and resting his hands on the edge of the table. "The assessment in Entertainment Weekly is very fair. They called it a work of entertainment that is magically witty and empathetic. Empathy. That is the key. Technology is just a tool; the story is the core."
Lasseter nodded in agreement: "The Hollywood Reporter's phrasing is even more hyperbolic." He picked up an industry newspaper and read, "A work that spells 'instant classic' from head to toe." The PR department reported back that Disney's phone lines are completely jammed, and theater managers are collectively requesting more showtimes.
Jobs walked back to his seat and picked up the Jupiter controller on the table. "Have the numbers from Sega come out yet?"
"Tom Kalinske sent a fax ten minutes ago." Catmull opened a file. "Over Thanksgiving weekend, game sales topped 1.1 million units. All 100,000 limited edition consoles have sold out. Walmart's buyer flew directly to Sega North America headquarters to demand stock."
Sega North America Headquarters.
Kalinske threw a rush order in front of Bernard.
"Best Buy wants an additional 50,000 games, and Toys "R" Us wants 30,000." Kalinske loosened his tie. The high-intensity non-stop work of the past few days had left his eyes bloodshot, yet his spirits were high. "Tell them there's no stock on hand. They'll have to wait in line according to pre-orders. The production lines at the Mexico factory are already overloaded."
Bernard picked up the order and examined it: "Media reviews have played a decisive role. Parents were originally hesitant about spending over three hundred dollars on a game console and a game, but seeing the perfect scores from the Chicago Sun-Times and the Washington Post, they immediately treated this game as an educational investment."
"The multiplier effect of film-game synergy," Kalinske said, leaning back in his executive chair. "Disney provides the content, Pixar provides the technology, and we provide the interactive experience. With this combination, along with top-tier quality from both the film and the game, our holiday season is already in the bag."
The intercom on his desk buzzed.
Kalinske pressed the speakerphone button.
"Tom, it's an international call from Tokyo headquarters. It's Executive Director Nakayama," his secretary reported.
"Put him through."
The call connected. There was a slight static on the line.
"Takuya," Kalinske spoke first, "You must have received the reports from North America. Our strategy has been a resounding success."
In Tokyo, in the office of the Executive Director at Sega headquarters, Nakayama Takuya was reviewing the sales curve graph on his desk.
"Our strategy has been a resounding success."
Tokyo, Sega headquarters, Executive Office.
Takuya Nakayama examined the sales curve chart on his desk.
"I've seen it," Nakayama said, opening the summary of North American media clippings in front of him. "Perfect scores from The New York Times and The Washington Post. That's rare. But the priority right now isn't celebrating—it's production capacity allocation."
"The three-shift rotation at the Mexico factory has become the new normal," Kalinske reported. "How much of the shortfall for the standard Jupiter can the contract manufacturer in China cover?"
"The first batch of 100,000 units is already on its way by sea, expected to arrive at the Port of Long Beach next week," Nakayama noted, jotting down a few figures. "I can allocate another 200,000 standard consoles to you before Christmas. Don't stop the disc pressing. Also, keep an eye on Sony's moves in North America. Toy Story has stolen their thunder; they won't just sit back and take it."
"Steve Race at Sony's North American division has been very quiet lately," Kalinske analyzed. "They're preparing a few first-party blockbusters for the end of the year, trying to stabilize their core gamer base. But Toy Story is targeting the incremental market. Families who didn't play games before are now bringing Jupiter into their living rooms for Woody and Buzz Lightyear."
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