Chapter 166: Anti-Piracy
While Japan's economy was mired in a recession, in South Korea on March 18, 1992, a legislative election was underway. The Party for Peace and Democracy, supported by Han Woon-Sook and several chaebols, thrived and emerged victorious in the election. This success led to the chaebols' satisfaction, and the process of expelling certain Japanese companies from the country was underway, given that the winning legislative party held a predominantly critical stance towards Japan.
South Koreans still sought reparations from Japan for the damage inflicted on their country. Consequently, in 1992, while Japan grappled with an economic recession, South Korea experienced a more prosperous economy. This boosted people's confidence in their government, economy, and nation.
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As time progressed, KiShin garnered excitement in the United States, with Americans eagerly anticipating the release of their new products. The SKES was scheduled for release in the United States on June 18, 1992.
"I can't wait for Pokémon!" exclaimed a man donning a Pokémon cap while conversing with his friends.
Meanwhile, the filming of 'Jurassic Park' had already concluded, leaving only CGI and motion capture work remaining. On June 1, 1992, a subsidiary company of KiShin specializing in CGI and motion capture took on the 'Jurassic Park' project.
Despite some skepticism within Hollywood and critical voices questioning KiShin's project, many had already foreseen its failure even before its release.
Meanwhile, KiShin's latest products made their way into several countries in Asia, but they faced an obstacle in South Korea. At KiShin's headquarters, Shin found himself quite perplexed. However, one of KiShin's executives provided an explanation for the delay in releasing their latest products to South Korean retail distributors. It was due to the stance of the legislative party in South Korea that was opposed to Japanese companies, which unfortunately affected KiShin's ability to introduce their widely popular SKES and Gameboy in the South Korean market.
Shin couldn't help but feel disappointed, as he recognized the potential of the South Korean market. However, he understood that it was not within his control to challenge a country or its government.
While this situation unfolded, the construction of Pokémon restaurants and cafes in several cities in Tokyo, all under KiShin's Electronic company, had been completed. These establishments quickly gained immense popularity in Tokyo, particularly among Pokémon fans. They flocked to these locations with their Gameboys, treating them as hubs where they could trade Pokémon and share tips with fellow enthusiasts.
KiShin's revenue, initially impacted by the economic recession, began a slow and gradual recovery. As for other companies, both small and large, some managed to bounce back, while others continued to struggle due to the shifting economic landscape. Nevertheless, the Japanese people remained resilient and optimistic about the future, despite the economic setbacks they faced.
Whether they will recover from this economic recession depends largely on their own efforts. If they work diligently enough, they can gradually regain their footing and continue to function as a cohesive society.
Businesses are making valiant efforts to survive during these challenging times. Tora and Suzuki, who have already weathered a significant decline in the Japanese video game industry, are still doing well with their products selling strongly in foreign markets. They have also managed to make sales in Japan by offering their 16-bit console at a significantly reduced price. While this decision resulted in some financial losses for Tora and Suzuki, the increased demand for their affordable consoles also boosted sales of their video games.
In the case of KiShin, with the success of the SKES, many people who owned 8-bit video games realized that they could trade them in at KiShin's physical stores for a discounted price on KiShin's video games. This prompted numerous individuals with KiShin 8-bit video games to exchange them for new KiShin 16-bit video games, whether they were remade or entirely new, at a reduced cost.
However, amidst KiShin's prosperity, the issue of pirated video games began to surface in other parts of Asia.
At KiShin Headquarters, when Shin learned of this situation, despite the executives' annoyance towards the unscrupulous companies responsible for pirated KiShin video games, Shin simply smiled and reassured them, saying, "Don't worry. You might not be aware, but the 16-bit SKES comes equipped with anti-piracy measures. Those who purchased these pirated video games will soon realize that they've wasted their money because they won't be able to play them."
Upon hearing this, the executives couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
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In a particular Asian country, Ronaldo had recently acquired a pirated KiShin video game from a street vendor. He inserted the pirated 'Super Mario World' video game into his newly purchased SKES.
"Hehe, it's a good thing piracy exists. Everything is much more convenient and affordable," Ronaldo remarked with a smile as he turned on the television and powered up his SKES. To his delight, the title screen for 'Super Mario World' appeared, and Ronaldo felt exhilarated that the pirated video game was working.
"Sigh, what a relief. The pirated 'Super Mario World' actually works!" Ronaldo sighed in relief and then started playing the video game.
What Ronaldo was unaware of was that the SKES employed a checksum as a security measure. A checksum is a unique code generated for each video game cartridge.
When the console is powered on, it verifies the checksum of the cartridge to ensure it's a legitimate game. If the checksum doesn't match, the console may refuse to play the game.
Furthermore, the SKES incorporates additional software-based anti-piracy measures. For instance, some games check for specific patterns in the game's memory to detect counterfeit cartridges. If a counterfeit is detected, the game won't run.
Ronaldo remained content, as he encountered no issues while playing 'Super Mario World.' He was currently engrossed in the game's introductory segment.
As Ronaldo delved into playing 'Super Mario World,' he soon encountered an unexpected occurrence. The video game appeared to hang, and suddenly the screen froze. Ronaldo felt a mix of confusion and nervousness. The screen transitioned to a small scene featuring Mario in a castle and green Luigi jumping onto a bomb detonator. As the line connected the bomb to the castle, there was a 'Kaboom' comic effect, turning Mario black due to the explosion. Subsequently, Luigi stood up, and text materialized on the screen, declaring, "PIRATING IS ILLEGAL!" Below this message was another line stating, "Please report this stolen software immediately!" along with further instructions: "Please call this number XXX-XXX-XXX for additional support!" The text concluded with, "Please turn off the console now!"
Following this, the screen went black once more, revealing an image against the dark background. It featured the three characters, Mario, Luigi, and the Princess, positioned in the middle. Below them were the words, "Criminals cannot play!"
When Ronaldo saw this, he found himself momentarily speechless and bewildered. It left him feeling deterred and, in a sense, spooked.
Sighing, Ronaldo muttered, "I shouldn't have bought this pirated video game..." His sentiments were echoed by others who had ventured into trying pirated KiShin video games, all sharing a sense of regret.
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