King of Games C79 Global distribution

The global anticipation for the NG1 reached a fever pitch when KiShin announced a limited international release. One thousand units each were allocated to the United States and several European countries, a move that sent the gaming community into a frenzy.

In New York, lines began forming outside electronics stores days before the release. Die-hard gamers camped out, swapping stories about SAO and speculating about the NG1's capabilities.

"I've been here since Tuesday," grinned Jonathan, a college student near the front of the line. "No way I'm missing out on this."

When the doors finally opened, it was chaos. Within an hour, every single NG1 in the U.S. had been sold. Store clerks were left stunned by the fervor.

"I've seen iPhone launches, but this was something else," remarked a Best Buy employee in Chicago. "People were practically throwing money at us."

In Europe, the scene was even more intense. In London, the entire stock sold out in just 45 minutes. Paris saw its allocation vanish in barely half an hour.

Online forums exploded with a mix of ecstatic posts from lucky buyers and frustrated rants from those who missed out.

"Got mine! See you all in Aincrad!" - u/VRdreamer22

"Seriously? Sold out in 20 minutes? This is ridiculous." - u/GamingGrump

The unprecedented demand for the NG1 pushed KiShin to its limits. Faced with the challenge of scaling up production while maintaining quality, Shinro made a controversial decision.

He turned to the worlds under his control, carefully selecting individuals with the intelligence and skills needed to bolster his workforce. These chosen few were plucked from their realities and given new identities in the real world, complete with the necessary documentation to work for KiShin.

The process was efficient but not without ethical complications. These beings, viewing Shinro as their creator, were eager to serve. Their unwavering loyalty and dedication to their new roles were both a boon and a source of discomfort for Shinro.

As he watched them integrate into the company, working tirelessly to meet the global demand for NG1, Shinro felt a twinge of guilt. He was using their reverence for him to fuel his company's growth. Yet, he rationalized, this was necessary for KiShin to fulfill its potential and bring revolutionary technology to the world.

The influx of these otherworldly workers allowed KiShin to rapidly expand its production capabilities.

As KiShin's influence in the real world expanded, Shinro turned his attention to developing new content for the NG1. He focused on one of the worlds under his control, directing the spiritual beings to shape it into an arena-centric civilization.

Under their subtle influence, a sprawling alien metropolis took form. At its heart stood a grand coliseum, the focal point of the society's entertainment. The humanoid inhabitants of this world embraced the arena, their culture revolving around the spectacle of combat and competition.

Shinro observed with fascination as the civilization evolved, its customs and technologies all geared towards the arena.

Shinro accessed the {System}, initiating a process that had become almost second nature to him. With practiced ease, he began downloading the entire reality of the arena world into the framework of a virtual game, much as he had done with Sword Art Online.

The data streamed in, an intricate tapestry of an alien civilization woven into code. Every building, every character, every subtle nuance of the world was captured and translated into a format compatible with the NG1.

In the lab, Shinro worked alongside his team of scientists, many of whom were themselves from other worlds. They pored over the raw data, shaping it into a cohesive game experience. Combat mechanics were fine-tuned, character progression systems were implemented, and an overarching narrative was crafted to give context to the arena battles.

This new game, tailored for the Kengan Association, took shape with remarkable speed. The richness of the source world provided an unparalleled foundation, allowing for a level of detail and immersion that would have been impossible to achieve through traditional game development methods.

Shinro's unique method of game development set KiShin apart in ways that even his closest partners couldn't fully comprehend. His ability to simply 'download' entire worlds from realities under his control and transform them into virtual experiences was unparalleled in the industry.

While other game studios partnering with KiShin for NG1 content couldn't replicate this god-like control over alternate realities, Shinro had found a way to bridge the gap. The latest update to KiShin's proprietary game engine incorporated assets, textures, and environmental data from the worlds under Shinro's influence. This allowed partner studios to create NG1 games with a level of detail and immersion that would have been impossible to achieve through conventional means, even if they didn't understand the true source of these assets.

This approach drastically reduced development time while simultaneously raising the bar for visual fidelity and world complexity. Partner studios marveled at the richness of the 'pre-built' environments and character models available to them, unaware of their otherworldly origins.

In a move that sent ripples through the gaming industry, Shinro had also secured an agreement with Rockstar Games. The acclaimed studio behind the Grand Theft Auto series was now working on bringing "GTA V" into virtual reality for the NG1.

The gaming world was eagerly anticipating the release of Rockstar's "Grand Theft Auto V" when KiShin's NG1 burst onto the scene, reshaping industry expectations overnight. Recognizing the transformative potential of true virtual reality, Rockstar made the bold decision to delay their flagship title's release.

This delay wasn't merely about adding VR support - it was about reimagining GTA V from the ground up for the NG1's immersive capabilities. The prospect of allowing players to truly inhabit the sprawling, chaotic world of Los Santos was too tantalizing to ignore.

However, the path to bringing GTA V to the NG1 wasn't straightforward. Sony, having partnered with Rockstar for console exclusivity, saw an opportunity to leverage this situation. They approached Shinro with a proposal: allow Sony to be part of this groundbreaking VR adaptation, and in return, they would facilitate the collaboration between KiShin and Rockstar.

For Shinro, the decision went beyond mere business strategy. GTA V held a special place in his heart, a remnant of cherished gaming memories from his previous life. The idea of not just playing, but truly experiencing this iconic game in virtual reality struck a chord with him.

After careful consideration, Shinro agreed to a three-way partnership between KiShin, Rockstar, and Sony. This collaboration promised to merge Rockstar's unparalleled open-world design, Sony's gaming expertise, and KiShin's revolutionary VR technology.

***

Shinro's car pulled up to the upscale bar in a quiet corner of Tokyo. Inside, he was led to a private room where Nogi Hideki, the Chairman of the Kengan Association, was waiting.

Nogi stood as Shinro entered, a hint of eagerness in his usually composed demeanor. "Suzuki-san, thank you for coming. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me."

Shinro nodded, his expression neutral. He placed a small case on the table between them. "This contains the game we've developed for the Kengan Association's virtual tournaments."

Nogi accepted the case, his eyes betraying a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "We look forward to testing it out."

With the initial exchange complete, Shinro smoothly transitioned to the real purpose of the meeting. "Now, about the other matter we discussed..."