New Employees With an Annual Salary of 1 Trillion Won - Chapter 196

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 196. Infrastructure Construction (1)

Nintendo’s pride was not easily broken.

Even with a $3 million advance payment and an offer to join as a third party, Vice President Hasegawa firmly shook his head.

“I appreciate the offer, but… I’m sorry. I know the conditions are excellent, but they don’t align with our company policy.”

“Is it because the amount is insufficient? If so, I’ll create a plan to invest in a different way.”

“To say that $3 million is a small amount. If we received that amount as an advance payment, it would be a great help to the company. But… we cannot entrust our IP, which could be called our everything, to other hands.”

It wasn’t even asking for the entire IP.

It was only for mobile use, and even with the condition that Nintendo would retain final approval authority.

Still, the executive team was adamant.

But I couldn’t back down here.

I had no choice but to quietly pull out the last card I really didn’t want to use.

“First, please take a look at one more thing I’ve prepared, then make your final decision.”

“No matter what I see, my decision won’t change.”

Vice President Hasegawa remained resolute.

To shake that unwavering resolve, I quietly pulled out a box I had hidden in advance in one corner of the conference room.

“This is a prototype created by mobilizing all the capabilities of Tiger Fund’s subsidiary companies.”

“It looks like a PDA?”

“That’s right. It’s a product that looks like a PDA with a touchscreen applied, but it’s a prototype modified and optimized for game controls. The input system is completely different from ordinary PDAs.”

The prototype team wasn’t only modifying iPods.

They were creating various products from PDAs to laptops in new forms.

Of course, the most high-performing and innovative prototype was the modified iPod version.

Since I couldn’t reveal such a secret weapon to just anyone, I brought the modified PDA version as a backup plan.

“You’re saying it’s a device specialized for games.”

“That’s right. Not only can you operate with wheels and buttons, but you can also play using the touchscreen with a pen.”

“May I try operating it?”

Vice President Hasegawa showed great interest.

The Technology Director beside him also shifted in his seat while examining the prototype.

For these executives, I directly added explanations.

“It has a 3.7-inch touchscreen applied and supports 320×480 high resolution. And input is possible with a pressure-sensitive pen.”

“The lines are drawn so smoothly. The writing feel is better than any PDA I’ve seen so far.”

“If you move on to games, you’ll feel the difference even more clearly.”

I launched a simple brick-breaking game and handed it over.

Since it was a classic game that everyone knew how to control, the Technology Director quickly focused on playing.

“The touch response is… really excellent. There are no errors, and the desired points are input precisely.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“But… how does this kind of touch response come about? The panel itself doesn’t look much different from existing PDAs we know, so how can there be such a difference?”

The Technology Director poured out questions without blinking an eye.

While doing so, his fingertips continuously rubbed the screen surface, checking the touch response.

“The panel structure itself is identical to existing PDAs. We can’t manufacture LCDs directly ourselves. But we completely redesigned the firmware and UI structure.”

“To think such a difference can come from software alone… amazing.”

“We completely reconfigured the filters that screen out noise and the sampling cycles. And we also applied new input processing algorithms to increase response speed.”

We didn’t yet have the capability to manufacture hardware ourselves.

But software was different.

We already held dozens of patents for related algorithms and UI technology,

and whenever prototypes were made, I would directly code algorithms and pass them to the prototype department.

“This is truly amazing. I didn’t know Tiger Fund could design software like UI and firmware in-house.”

“I understand Nintendo is also very interested in touchscreens.”

“…What do you mean?”

The executives’ gazes simultaneously focused on me.

Their eyes narrowed slightly, and the air instantly became chilly.

Since they looked at me as if I were some kind of industrial spy, I immediately raised my hands and hurriedly added words.

“Tiger Fund has great interest in touchscreens. We’re even forming a capacitive panel consortium by gathering Korea’s LCD and component companies.”

“I acknowledge your challenging spirit, but what does it have to do with us being very interested in touchscreens?”

Still sharp gazes.

However, seeing their reaction, I became confident that my guess was correct.

Nintendo’s next device would

definitely include a touchscreen.

“Looking at the patents Nintendo has recently registered, there were many touch-related technologies. And related component companies are also preparing to supply to Nintendo.”

“Hmm… is there anything else you know?”

“This is my personal judgment, but it seems very likely that touchscreens will be applied to the next game console.”

Only then did the executives’ expressions soften slightly.

They seemed to understand it was the result of analyzing industry trends rather than being a spy.

“I’ve heard that Tiger Fund’s information network is impressive, but I didn’t know you could grasp even internal secrets.”

“If we hadn’t been interested in touchscreens, we wouldn’t have known this information. Working with various component companies, we naturally came to know.”

“I’ll believe you. If you hadn’t been interested in touchscreens before us, you couldn’t have made such a high-performance PDA.”

Thanks to the PDA, my words carried even more weight.

It had much superior performance compared to currently marketed PDAs and even the next-generation game console touchscreens that Nintendo was developing.

“So I’d like to make one proposal. If we collaborate, we’ll be able to create touchscreens far superior to what we have now.”

“You mean sharing each other’s technology?”

“That’s right. We provide UI and interface algorithms, while Nintendo shares accumulated experience and design technology. And I’ll promise one more thing.”

I slowly made eye contact and continued speaking.

“Tiger Fund will absolutely never enter the console market.”

I emphasized once again that we were partners, not competitors.

Since Nintendo would be in the console market and Tiger Fund in the mobile game market – completely different areas – there would be no conflicts.

“Hmm… Tiger Fund’s PDA touchscreen is certainly amazingly excellent. I’d want to take it right now.”

“Then why are you hesitating? Isn’t this a mutually beneficial relationship?”

“The problem is IP. IP contracts are directly connected to Nintendo’s identity.”

The Nintendo executives once again emphasized the importance of IP.

I knew well how important IP was to them.

That’s why I was making such various proposals to conclude an IP contract.

But Nintendo wasn’t the only one with IP.

Neo Marvel also had its own game IP.

Though it was still a new IP only serviced in Korea, the depth of technology and data was by no means light.

“Please also take a look at the game IP we’ll provide to Nintendo. There may be many better-made sports games, but I’m confident there’s no game implemented as naturally as this.”

“What kind of game is it?”

“It’s a game that implements Korean professional baseball.”

I presented the baseball game made by Neo Marvel to the executives.

At first, they glanced at it without much interest, but after seeing the actual gameplay footage, they straightened their posture.

Especially the Technology Director’s reaction was very intense.

He looked at the footage with an even more surprised expression than when he first saw the PDA’s touchscreen.

“Is this really actual gameplay footage?”

“That’s right. If you can’t believe it, you’re welcome to play it directly.”

“Then I’ll try it myself.”

The Technology Director actually played the game.

Since it was in Korean, I explained the controls from beside him.

Perhaps because he was a game technology director, he quickly became familiar with the controls and played the game.

“How is such natural movement possible? It really seems like actual players are inside the screen.”

“We introduced pitching labs for the first time in the world and implemented realism using motion sensors and capture. And we collected precise data from actual professional baseball players and applied it to the game.”

The Technology Director suddenly stood up from his seat.

Like someone who had realized something, he even clapped and raised his voice.

“Using a pitching lab and motion capture would make it possible!”

“We precisely collect pitching motions through sensors and cameras from multiple angles. We simulate ball rotation, release point, and arm angles in real-time. Based on this data, we’ve also created a new baseball game engine.”

Vice President Hasegawa grabbed the Technology Director’s sleeve and tried to force him to sit down.

But the Technology Director raised his voice even more and leaned toward me.

“You can… quantify movements? The parts that have been blocked until now are completely opened up!”

“As I mentioned, any movement can be converted to data. Whether waving hands or leaning the body.”

“Then we could implement not only natural movements, but also realistic physics simulation!”

As the Technology Director became increasingly excited, Vice President Hasegawa finally jumped up from his seat.

Then he covered the Technology Director’s mouth with his hand.

“Please stop! How far are you planning to go with this!”

“I’m, I’m sorry…, but this is the technology we’ve been looking for. If we modify that system just a little, motion-based games would become possible too!”

“Good heavens! What are you saying right now!”

Seeing Vice President Hasegawa’s flustered reaction, I was certain.

Nintendo wasn’t simply interested in touchscreens.

I could tell they were already developing motion-based gaming systems and were currently blocked by technical limitations.

“We’re the only ones worldwide who possess a proper pitching lab and motion capture system. If you wish, we’ll share our technology and data. Tiger Fund also owns a professional baseball team, making it possible to secure even more precise data.”

“…How much did it cost to secure that data?”

The reaction had definitely changed.

They were showing much greater interest in motion-based systems than touchscreens.

I calmly explained the scale of the system we had built.

“It depends on how much you include in the costs. Including baseball team acquisition and operations, it costs over 30 billion won annually. Even just the pitching lab and motion capture system construction and operation costs easily exceed 10 billion won.”

“So it’s data and systems secured with tremendous investment.”

“That’s right. And if collaboration takes place, we can share all the technology and data we possess with Nintendo.”

In some ways, it might have looked like a structure where Tiger Fund would lose out.

Since I said we’d share all the data and systems built with hundreds of billions of won.

But in reality, it wasn’t a loss at all.

As much as we give of what we have.

We could receive Nintendo’s technology, experience, and decades of accumulated know-how in return.

The moment that technology was applied to Neo Marvel, our technical capabilities would explode upward.

And if we could dominate the mobile game market based on that technology.

Trillion-won profits were possible, and we could gain Nintendo as an excellent long-term partner.

So it absolutely wasn’t a loss, but rather a structure that would benefit Tiger Fund.

“It’s truly an attractive proposal. But making a decision right now… would be difficult.”

“There’s still one final proposal left. To prove the sincerity of our collaboration, we plan to proceed with equity investment as well.”

I drove in the final nail.

This was the decisive blow I’d been waiting for since Vice President Hasegawa entered the meeting hall.

“When you say equity investment, how much are you referring to?”

“We plan to invest in 5%, which would be about 75 billion yen.”

“That much?”

“If you wish, even more is possible.”

An amount exceeding 750 billion won in Korean currency.

Since Nintendo’s market capitalization reached 15 trillion won, securing just 5% inevitably meant this scale.

And this amount would certainly be an oasis for Nintendo.

I could tell just by seeing Vice President Hasegawa’s rigid face brighten up.

“If you had mentioned that from the beginning, the conversation would have been much smoother.”

“That’s why I deliberately saved it for last. Tiger Fund doesn’t simply want to invest money. We wanted to first show our sincerity in wanting to grow the gaming industry together with Nintendo long-term.”

In fact, Nintendo wasn’t in financial difficulty.

They had maintained profitability for a long time and had sufficient liquid assets.

That’s why I brought up the equity investment talk at the end.

Only by clearly showing that Tiger Fund wasn’t just an investor.

But a strategic partner that would share technology, could I win their hearts.

“I fully understand what you’re saying, Branch Manager. And I completely agree. However, this isn’t something I can decide alone. I need to return to headquarters and hold meetings with the executives.”

“Does that mean you’ll consider it positively?”

“It’s beyond the consideration level. I’ll personally push it through. I’ll definitely persuade them so we can become partners.”

Vice President Hasegawa already had a determined expression.

Then the Technology Director beside him went one step further.

“I’ll lend my support too. If the executives oppose it… even if I have to lie down in protest, I’ll make this contract happen no matter what! We’ve finally found the key to the technology, and we can’t let this slip away right before our eyes!”

I had succeeded in completely convincing the Vice President and Technology Director.

Looking at their reactions, the contract was as good as done.

They absolutely wouldn’t want to miss out on Tiger Fund’s touchscreen and motion-based systems.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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