The sales of Gbox-1 started. With the help of Microsoft and Wind and Rain Electronics brands’ influences and Wind and Rain Games, it is selling well despite it is slightly more expensive.
Although Sony claimed their gaming console can be fitted with an LCD display and can be played in the car, the price of that LCD display is very high. The console and the display are more expensive than the Gbox set.
Also, Sony’s PSone is not perfect. The console still has many weaknesses like, if an external battery is used, the battery life is very short. It cannot last longer than Nintendo’s handheld devices. Wind and Rain Games had acquired many game development companies. They resulted in a sudden decrease in game titles for PSone.
Sony had called for a Directors’ Meeting to discuss how to maintain its market share with PSone. Wind and Rain Electronics and Microsoft are too powerful, and they heard Gbox-1 will be entering the Japanese market soon. Japan is the highest spender on a gaming console globally, and the home ground of Sony!
“Chairman, President, I think we should enter into a cooperation with Wind and Rain Electronics. We can use our PSone technologies to exchange for their mobile phone technologies. The profit from mobile phones will be much higher than gaming consoles!” A Director suggested.
Norio Ohga rolled his eyes at that Director. “Put yourself in their shoes. If we have the mobile phone technologies, will you exchange them for gaming console technologies? Furthermore, have you look at Gbox-1 specifications? They had made it like a PC, and users can save the games from a DVD in the console. This means a game DVD can be exchanged between users and all of them can play at the same time.”
What a stupid suggestion. Although Gbox-1 is slightly inferior to Sony’s console, it still has some unique selling points. This console was also just introduced to the market, and no one knows how the market will respond. Yet, you want to use this opportunity to take advantage of them and try to get their mobile phone technologies?! How is this possible?
Moreover, the shareholder of Gbox is not Wind and Rain Electronics. Although Gbox and Wind and Rain Electronics are subsidiaries of Tai Hua Holdings, the shareholdings are different. Also, Microsoft is one of the shareholders.
Do you think Feng Yu is an idiot who will let you take advantage of?
“President Norio Ohga, I think you misunderstood me. I am not talking about exchanging all of Wind and Rain Mobile phone’s technologies. We just need the patented technology of the TF card. With our experience in flash drive technologies, we can exceed Wind and Rain Electronics if we get the basic patent of TF card technology to develop. This technology can bring in high profits for Sony in the future!”
Norio Ohga sighed. If this Director is not the Chairman’s son, Norio Ohga would have to kick him out. “You said that if we get the basic patent of this technology, we can develop it and exceed them. If you are Wind and Rain Electronics, will you sell your patent to your competitor?”
If someone wants to kill you, will you give him a knife?
Norio Ohga ignored that moron and looked at the rest of the directors. The Chairman of the board seldom speaks at the Director meeting and let Norio Ohga handles everything. After all, Norio Ohga had turned Sony Pictures from a loss-making entity to a profit-making entity.
“I think what Director Ichiro suggested is right. We should try it.” Another Director said.
Norio Ohga rolled his eyes. This Director is just kissing Director Ichiro’s ass. Ichiro is inexperienced, but you are not. If I agree to this suggestion, are you going to negotiate with Tai Hua Holdings?
“I think we can work in this direction. If we cannot get mobile phone technologies, we can try to get MP3 technologies instead. Isn’t Feng Yu the biggest shareholder of Aiwa? If Feng Yu is willing to exchange his MP3 technologies with us, it will also be beneficial to us.” Another Director added.
This Director was formally the Acting President when Norio Ohga left Sony. But the Chairman still supported Norio Ohga in the end, and this Director is feeling sore.
Who doesn’t want to be in power?!
“Maybe we can package our DVD patent technologies with our gaming console technologies to negotiate with Wind and Rain Electronics. Our market share of the gaming console market is number one.”
Norio Ohga looked at that Director and thought to himself. Nintendo’s market share is not far away from us, and their market share for a handheld gaming device is higher than us.
Why do these Directors think that Feng Yu will be interested in Sony’s gaming console technologies? Norio Ohga is Sony’s Chairman and is confident of Sony’s gaming console.
But don’t forget who the other party is. Feng Yu and Bill Gates are prideful, and how did this Gbox come about? It is because Sony had refused to cooperate with Microsoft.
Also, Sony’s relationship with Feng Yu had soured a long time, and they are competitors for many of their products. Since Aiwa had separated from Sony, they had not worked together again!
Norio Ohga suddenly felt exhausted. He would have quit a long time ago if it wasn’t for his ambition to be the Chairman of the Board.
These Directors only know how to suck up to the Chairman and play politics. None of them knows how to manage the company.
Sony might still be powerful now, but don’t forget that Feng Yu’s personal assets are almost on par with Sony, let alone his companies.
Because of Feng Yu’s dispute with Paul Allen, Feng Yu sold all of his Microsoft shares in anger. Microsoft shares plunged, causing the internet bubble to burst.
Do you all think it will be easy to deal with someone like Feng Yu? Do you all think Sony is still at the peak like ten years ago?! After ten years, Sony had just recovered, and these people started to become arrogant again.
Norio Ohga decided to speak to the Chairman after this meeting. Some of these Directors must retire. If these morons are still around, he is not confident to bring Sony to the next level.
These few years, Norio Ohga had led Sony to enter the movie industry and produce several electronic products. Sony’s electronic products, including their MP3 players, are still profitable.
The Chairman saw Norio Ohga’s hard work, and Norio Ohga believes the Chairman will support him.
The Chairman finally spoke. “All of your suggestions are good, and you all should represent Sony to negotiate with Feng Yu. Whoever that succeeds will be rewarded by the company.”
Norio Ohga sneered. Hurry up and volunteer. I want to see which one of you can clinch this deal.
Norio Ohga thought none of the Directors will agree, but the Chairman’s son said suddenly. “Since no one is confident, I would like to try.”
Norio Ohga is surprised. He looked at Ichigo and then at the Chairman. Is this arranged by the Chairman?
The rest of the Directors immediately voiced their support, and Norio Ohga had to agree. He suddenly felt this might be the Chairman’s idea, and the Chairman is trying to groom Ichigo to be his successor.
