Thanks to their technological prowess, Sorei Electronics quickly beca the most dazzling star of the entire exhibition.
But that depends on who you're comparing them to.
Compared to the other tech companies at the expo, Sorei's exhibit was undeniably futuristic and full of sci-fi flair.
But when compared to Gastar Entertainnt... it wasn't so simple.
Gastar didn't have as many high-end hardware technologies.
Gastar's strategy had always revolved around ga consoles.
However, they had several powerful allies.
First and foremost: the Morgan Group.
...
...
Under the directive of CEO Lorenzo, Morgan Group dispatched a team of top-tier technical specialists to Gastar's exhibit to provide advanced system support services.
Unlike Sorei's sleek, futuristic hall, Gastar's exhibit felt more like a the park.
Just like the previous collaboration with Morgan Group, the entire exhibit highlighted Gastar's greatest strength—fun.
Sure, sci-fi thes and futuristic aesthetics are appealing to many players.
But Gastar's amusent-park style venue was just as enticing.
Thanks to Morgan Group's support, the control system for the miniature the park exhibit ran flawlessly.
Every attraction and interactive experience in the venue was tightly integrated and worked smoothly together. Even Takayuki had to admit—those systems people really knew their stuff. When it ca to this kind of thing, specialization made all the difference. He couldn't hope to compete.
But when it ca to ga developnt, there was no one in this world better than him.
By now, Takayuki had complete confidence in that.
One side was a the park, the other a futuristic tech wonderland. Even if Sorei had been dragged into this fight, they spared no expense just to maintain their market share.
At this point, both companies were still holding back—they hadn't revealed everything yet.
But the dia was already bursting with speculation and leaks about their upcoming products.
And these two venues were the hottest destinations at the show.
Due to the overwhelming crowd size, even entry to the venues had to be restricted.
There's a limit to how many people a venue can hold—letting everyone in would ruin the experience for everyone.
Takayuki felt a twinge of regret about that, but it was fine—Gastar Carnival was just two months away.
By now, that had beco an annual event. Last year's second carnival broke attendance records, with far more international attendees than the first. This year's third carnival had been in the works for a while.
Tokyo was Takayuki's ho turf. And thanks to the tourism boom generated by the carnival, local officials were smiling so hard their faces practically cracked. Gastar had beco the governnt's golden child—even a savior.
Before Gastar, they never imagined a ga company could bring such massive economic impact.
But if they'd lived through Takayuki's past life and seen firsthand the global passion for video gas and ani, they wouldn't be so shocked.
Now that the Tokyo governnt was behind them, Gastar had access to land, building materials, and endless support.
This year's carnival expanded from one main hall and one stadium to four different venues, each with its own the and function.
But that was a concern for later—for now, all focus was on today's big press conference.
According to the schedule, Gastar Entertainnt would unveil their product first, followed closely by Sorei Electronics.
At this year's CES, it felt like only those two companies really mattered—the attention they brought dwarfed everything else.
It was becoming clear: video gas were going mainstream.
Backstage, Takayuki glanced at his watch.
Their press conference was scheduled for 10:00 AM, right when everyone's energy would be at its peak.
The venue was already packed with 30,000 fans.
If the space weren't as big as a sports stadium, the only thing you'd see would be a sea of heads—and nothing else.
Outside the venue, even more people had gathered, staring up at the giant screens mounted around the building.
The screens displayed live feeds from various caras inside Gastar's exhibit.
In their eyes was pure longing—they desperately wanted in. But there were just too many people.
Still, even if they couldn't get inside, they were perfectly content watching the livestream outside.
Even though they could just stay ho and watch it on Facebook Video, free from the crowds, they still ca here.
"Ugh, what terrible luck! Why couldn't we get in?"
In the crowd, Kazumi complained loudly.
She was standing outside Gastar's venue with Aiko and On-chan, her two best friends, looking extrely disappointed.
Watching the livestream on the big screens, the endless array of fun and interactive displays made their eyes light up. They knew if they could just get inside, it would be an unforgettable experience.
But unfortunately, this year's attendance was insane—enough to make your scalp tingle.
Normally, even the biggest expos would top out around 100,000 visitors.
Small ones might get 10-20k at most.
But 300,000? That was almost unimaginable.
What was supposed to be a tech show had essentially turned into a gaming convention.
Still, the organizers were thrilled—ticket sales were through the roof, and booth rental fees from vendors were rolling in nonstop.
Many traditional tech companies, however, were not amused.
Most attendees didn't even glance at their exhibits—everyone was here for the two ga companies.
As a result, their products didn't get any decent exposure.
To smooth things over, the organizers promised that next year's CES would carefully reconsider the participation of ga companies, and that tech firms would receive discounts on booth fees.
After pacifying the complaints, the organizers went back to happily counting their money.
They were making an absolute killing.
A single VIP ticket sold for $150, and a standard 3-day pass cost $80. With attendance and booth fees combined, revenue easily crossed $100 million—rivaling a World Expo.
Back outside, On-chan shot Kazumi a look and said,
"It's your own fault for waking up late. Aiko and I waited forever for you to get ready."
Kazumi blushed and muttered in defense,
"I was just... uh... still adjusting to the ti zone..."
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