At the Atlas office, just after Valentine's Day.
The editor sent by Kadokawa Game Magazine was interviewing Kobayashi Tetsu. But as the interview progressed, things took a turn.
Koyakawa was now straddling Kobayashi Tetsu, feeling a mix of shame and a strange thrill from the posture.
"Tetsu-kun, does this count as workplace harassment?"
"No, you're the one harassing me," Kobayashi Tetsu replied, saying such a shameless thing with a perfectly straight face.
Koyakawa looked at him as if he were completely devoid of shame. Or rather, as if he had never possessed any to begin with.
Suddenly, the office door swung open, and Hideo Kojima rushed in.
"President! Sales are up, the public opinion has shifted, and they aren't making me leave the game industry—uh, did I come in at a bad time?"
Kobayashi Tetsu stared at him.
You tell me!
Hideo Kojima hurriedly backed out. A few minutes later, he heard Kobayashi Tetsu say "Come in," and only then did he push the door open again.
Inside the room, everything looked normal. Kobayashi Tetsu was seated behind his desk, and Koyakawa was sitting on the other side of it.
It was as if the previous scene had never happened.
Hideo Kojima hesitated, his words caught in his throat.
"I hope I won't get fired tomorrow for stepping into the office with my left foot first!"
Kobayashi Tetsu cleared his throat.
"Get to the point."
"Yes, President. It's like this: the game's reputation has completely turned around. And beyond that, sales are steadily climbing. My hard work hasn't been in vain—players are finally starting to recognize Metal Gear!"
"Many people have already beaten the game. Some have even sent letters to Atlus asking about Big Boss's whereabouts, and others are praising Snake as a truly unique kind of agent."
Kobayashi Tetsu glanced at the folder Hideo Kojima had just handed him.
It contained sales reports and letters from players sent to Atlus.
From a purely numerical standpoint, sales had barely reached 300,000 copies after more than two weeks. Normally, this would be considered a poor performance.
However, considering Metal Gear's difficulty, its unconventional style, and the initial mixed reactions from early players, this figure was actually quite respectable.
And when it came to the reviews, while the general public was still harshly criticizing the game, the players who actually bought it held a completely different opinion.
In the game stores, everyone was cursing Hideo Kojima.
But the players who had actually bought the game were all praising him.
Hideo Kojima stood before the desk, a mixture of anxiety and exhilaration.
Unlike Naka Yuji, this was Hideo Kojima's first time fully managing a project. Even Iwata Satoru had only provided support without truly interfering in the production.
Kojima felt quite satisfied with this achievement.
Kobayashi Tetsu remained silent, quickly calculating the numbers.
The game's price had already risen to an average of 4,500 yen. Since Atlas had Bandai produce the cartridges without going through Sega, the profit per unit had increased from 800 yen to around 1,100 yen—though this fluctuated slightly depending on the production batch size.
"Three hundred million yen... I guess that's not bad," Kobayashi Tetsu said, putting down the report. "But looking at the current trend, lifetime sales won't even reach a million. How is that acceptable? I've already made promises!"
He looked at Kojima's smug expression. "Are you satisfied with just 300,000 copies? We agreed to aim for over a million! The situation is good right now, so I'll contact the TV stations and arrange a few GG segments. We'll find someone to do a detailed analysis of your work. I'll push your debut title's lifetime sales to a million!"
Kobayashi Tetsu stood up and walked out of the office, with Hideo Kojima immediately following close behind.
"Everyone!"
Kobayashi Tetsu clapped his hands, gathering the staff.
Naka Yuji rushed over and pushed the whiteboard forward.
Of all the people, Naka Yuji was the happiest that Noriyoshi Ohba had been arrested.
Finally, no one is fighting me for the whiteboard!
Kobayashi Tetsu gave him an approving glance and began to write.
"The release of Metal Gear has been a success, just as I'd hoped. However, I know some of you still have doubts. Let's discuss why this game is actually good and why we're seeing a reversal in public opinion."
"First and foremost, we must understand that a 'poor reputation' is not the same as a 'poor game.' Many people who criticize it have never even played it—they've only watched others play and decided it's bad. But what about the game itself? The feedback from actual players already shows it's of high quality."
Hideo Kojima nodded vigorously.
He had almost been kicked out of the game industry!
Kobayashi Tetsu continued, "But this brings us to another crucial point. What distinguishes Metal Gear from Final Fantasy?"
"The answer is: narrative style."
"Final Fantasy is a classic role-playing game, whereas Metal Gear is, as the name suggests, a stealth game. In the former, map design serves gameplay. In Metal Gear, map design serves the narrative."
"This brings us to another concept: cinematic storytelling."
"On the surface, we're playing a game. But in reality, we're experiencing a dramatic plot akin to a film or television series. Whether it's Snake's infiltration techniques or Big Boss's betrayal, these are the kind of plot twists you'd only find in a movie. The gameplay is entirely designed to serve this cinematic style, which is why the combat is so simplified—the focus is on stealth and witnessing the story unfold."
"Building on this foundation, the plot is crafted with a level of logic that drives this cinematic narrative. I'd say that Kojima-kun, as a passionate cinephile, has truly delivered on his mission this time."
"However, this creates a problem: the game caters to a core audience. Someone who hasn't played through the story won't be able to feel the emotional impact of this journey. When we reach the part where Big Boss betrays us, we feel shocked and heartbroken by our superior's treachery because he's provided so much help and guidance along the way. But that's an emotion you can only empathize with if you've played the game; someone who hasn't will never feel that same sense of loss."
"Therefore, the superficial public opinion is actually misleading. While it might influence a potential player's decision to buy the game, that impact is controllable."
Kobayashi Tetsu wrote two more names on the whiteboard.
Green Beret and Metal Gear.
"On the surface, both are stories about special agents infiltrating bases," he explained. "But Green Beret merely uses its setting as a backdrop for action; the setting is never effectively integrated with the gameplay. Metal Gear is different. As a cinematic narrative game, it tells the story of Snake—a calm, stoic, and fiercely determined protagonist. He is a man who will sacrifice himself to achieve his goals, and who, upon learning of his superior's betrayal, resolutely chooses to complete the mission on his own."
"Snake is more than just a character for the player to control. He is a person—a concrete, living being with his own personality and history."
"When we talk about Green Beret, we say 'the character cleared the Russian nuclear base.' But when we talk about Metal Gear, we can say, 'Snake did those things. Snake destroyed the Metal Gear.'"
"Because of its cinematic storytelling, Snake is not just a puppet protagonist; he is a person the player can truly feel and perceive."
Iwata Satoru looked up, lost in thought.
A concrete protagonist, not a detached avatar!
It sounded simple, but in reality, this could never be achieved without a game style that was holistically designed to support it.
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