The Sony representatives had vanished without a trace, as cunning as wolves that disappear into the shadows after a successful hunt.
A quick-thinking reporter slapped his thigh and roared, "To Nintendo's booth! Let's ask them! How does it feel to have your wife stolen in public and a child thrust upon you?!"
The words jolted everyone awake.
A massive wave of reporters and analysts, cameras and recorders in hand, surged toward Nintendo's exhibition area in the North Exhibition Hall.
The once orderly Nintendo booth was instantly swamped, becoming a sea of bodies.
Flashbulbs fired like machine guns, their relentless bursts turning the faces of the young booth staff pale, nearly blinding them.
"Did Nintendo know about the content of Sony's press conference?"
"Was the PlayStation's compatibility feature authorized by Nintendo?"
"Does this mean the partnership between Nintendo and Sony has collapsed?"
Questions rained down like artillery shells, one after another.
The staff members, clearly rigorously trained, remained tight-lipped despite the intense pressure. They bowed repeatedly, mechanically repeating the same phrase: "No comment. Please wait for our official announcement this afternoon."
This standard response utterly failed to satisfy the media wolves, who had already caught the scent of a century-defining scoop.
Just as the situation threatened to spiral out of control, the crowd parted.
Minoru Arakawa, President of Nintendo of America, strode forward at a measured pace, flanked by his executive team.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips, as if he had just witnessed an amusing farce rather than a corporate betrayal next door.
"Mr. Arakawa!" The *Wall Street Journal* reporter lunged forward, shoving his recorder almost into Arakawa's face. "Sony claims the PlayStation is licensed by Nintendo and compatible with all Super Nintendo cartridges! Isn't this a blatant betrayal?!"
Silence fell over the crowd as all eyes locked onto Arakawa, awaiting his reaction.
Would it be fury? Shock? Or resignation?
Minoru Arakawa merely glanced at the recorder, which was practically touching his nose. Instead of getting angry, he asked with genuine curiosity, "Sir, your tie is crooked."
The reporter froze.
The entire room froze.
Arakawa calmly reached out and straightened the reporter's tie before speaking slowly, his voice soft yet clear enough to carry across the room: "Authorization? Of course it's genuine. It's written in black and white in the contract. Sony is a reputable company; they wouldn't lie about something like this."
*Boom!* The crowd erupted again.
He admitted it? Nintendo had actually admitted it themselves?!
Just as the reporters thought they had cornered him and were about to press further, Arakawa abruptly changed the subject.
"As for the other questions..." He raised his wrist and glanced at his watch, his movements unhurried. "It's currently 11:30 AM. In two and a half hours, at 2:00 PM, right here on the main stage, Nintendo will hold its official press conference. Please look forward to it."
He surveyed the room, his gaze sweeping across the faces etched with shock, confusion, and fervent anticipation. The smile at the corner of his lips deepened.
"Personally, I suggest you all secure good spots now. After all, Chicago might get a bit crowded this afternoon."
With that, he turned and walked away with his entourage, leaving behind an unhurried, composed figure.
The media representatives exchanged bewildered glances, their pens frozen mid-air, speechless for a long moment.
*What was that?*
Instead of anger, he acted as if nothing had happened, even finding time to tease the reporters and casually sabotage his own press conference?
This unnerving composure was far more unsettling than a furious outburst!
"Damn it..." The *Wall Street Journal* reporter straightened his tie, muttering to himself, "This guy... he seems to have known all along?"
The thought sent a chill down the spines of all the reporters.
Without hesitation, they stampeded back to the main stage like a mob.
*Yes, they had to secure good spots!*
Sony's betrayal was undoubtedly a bombshell, but Nintendo's reaction—this eerie calm—hinted at something far more significant.
Everyone felt a growing sense of foreboding.
This afternoon at CES, the stage wouldn't host a mere press conference about a business dispute—it would be the site of a true war!
2:00 PM, Main Stage.
Minutes before Nintendo's presentation was scheduled to begin, the venue was already packed to capacity. Even the aisles were jammed with reporters lugging cameras and analysts craning their necks.
The entire hall felt like a pressure cooker, heated to a boiling point, with everyone anxiously awaiting the release of the final valve.
Minoru Arakawa's composed remarks earlier that morning had only poured gasoline on the already raging fire, rather than calming the situation.
Everyone understood that Sony's earlier presentation had been merely the prologue. Now, the main act was about to begin.
The lights dimmed, and the entire hall fell silent.
Minoru Arakawa strode calmly onto the stage. Instead of heading directly to the podium, he paused at the edge, his gaze sweeping over the tense, expectant faces in the audience.
"Good afternoon, everyone," he began, his voice resonating through the hall with an uncanny sense of calm. "I know you've all had a very... informative morning."
A low murmur of laughter rippled through the audience, punctuated by the clicks of camera shutters.
"Sony is a good friend of ours," Minoru Arakawa continued, his expression unreadable, "They are very creative and have a great sense of humor." He paused, leaving the audience to wonder if he was praising or criticizing. "They have showcased a truly remarkable product, even thoughtfully considering compatibility with our existing users. On behalf of Nintendo, I express our gratitude."
His words were flawless, yet every seasoned industry veteran in the room sensed something was amiss.
*Gratitude?*
This sounded suspiciously like praising the deceased's good health at a funeral.
Arakawa gave them no time to dwell on it. He stepped behind the podium and pressed a button on the remote control.
"Of course, in response to our friend's gesture, Nintendo has prepared a little something as well."
The large screen behind him lit up, displaying a console peripheral bearing the words "SNES-CD," its design strikingly different from the Sony PlayStation. The image was crystal clear for all to see.
The audience reacted with a mix of knowing nods, confusion, and disappointment.
*This is it? Sony has created a 32-bit next-generation console compatible with all your cartridges, and you're countering with a CD peripheral that's been leaked a thousand times already?*
Many astute journalists began to suspect Nintendo was about to concede defeat. After all, the contractual blunder was their own foolish mistake. What else could they do now but swallow their pride and move on?
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