One Set After Another

"Breakout? Isn't that my game?" Nolan Bushnell, located in Irvine, Texas, frowned when he saw the familiar game interface on the street.

I stared at the TV in the console room for a long time, and long-forgotten memories kept surfacing.

Among them were the high spirits of when Atari was first founded; the excitement of when the games sold well; the boundless pride of when it was making great strides; and the regret and desolation of when it left the stage.

But no matter what kind of memory it is, it contains the image of Ethan Jones.

The nightmare-like following made him shake his head violently.

The next second, having regained his composure, he was also somewhat confused about Steve Ross's thoughts.

Yes.

Although Nolan Bushnell has been out of the spotlight for a long time—his last contact with industry insiders was several years ago when Steve Ross invested in Oracle—this doesn't mean he's oblivious to the world around him and content to be a wealthy man. He won't truly close his eyes until Ethan Jones, the man who caused his downfall and plunged him into the depths of despair, loses his glory.

So, what has happened in the outside world over the years? How many people have been at odds with Ethan Jones? How many have clashed head-on with Ethan Jones? How many have been utterly defeated by Ethan Jones?

He knew all of this.

Therefore, when Nolan Bushnell discovered that even Wall Street financial giants had suffered in silence due to Ethan Jones's manipulation, he had a premonition—

Given Ethan Jones' current form, it's unlikely anyone will be able to challenge his dominance in the future.

Just as he was feeling helpless and resigned, preparing to swallow the bitter pill of regret.

In his desperation, Steve Ross raised a shocking torch.

Even though he had no evidence at the moment, he knew that the only person who could do something as crazy as hacking the machine at this time was Steve Ross, because he had already lost too much and there was no turning back!

In that situation, he would take Ethan Jones down with him...

Perhaps only then can he vent the hatred in his heart!

Judging from the feedback from the outside world over the past few weeks, Steve Rose's playing style is quite methodical.

Riding the wave of opportunity, striking ruthlessly, acting with high profile, and disappearing far away.

That insidious, African-like malice had already put Ethan Jones on the defensive.

According to Nolan Bushnell, all Steve Ross needs to do next is wait patiently.

We wait for things to escalate further, for the hacking method for the Jensen home console to spread throughout North America, for Ethan Jones to frantically fight fires around the world and wipe out those despicable pirate manufacturers, and then...

The creative people of the world will give them a surprise.

Although Nolan Bushnell didn't know what people who liked video games and had certain technical skills would do in this era, he knew that once a machine capable of carrying happiness was hacked, no matter how things developed, it would not be acceptable to Ethan Jones.

But now?

Steve Ross actually got involved himself?

This behavior is completely unscientific!

Because this is not in Steve Ross's best interest at all!

If Steve Ross never intended to hide in the shadows, why would he need to be cautious?

If Steve Ross was already looking to take advantage of Ethan Jones from the start and slap him hard across the face, what was the point of his previous cover-up? Wouldn't that be insane?

Nolan Bushnell couldn't understand why Steve Ross would act so irrationally when things were going so well. And there were many others just as confused as him.

But just as they were expressing confusion and bewilderment, more and more games sprang up across North America like mushrooms after rain. Among them were the Jason console version of Godzilla, MGM's Tom and Jerry, Paramount's Star Trek and Jack the Ripper, and many other video games that had once appeared in arcades...

As games that once brought joy to players continued to emerge over the past decade, almost everyone frowned, because in their view, Steve Ross no longer had the influence he once had, and it was impossible for him to unite all his peers to deliver a fatal blow to Ethan Jones.

Even if everyone in the video game industry wanted to strangle Ethan Jones!

At this moment, those people should not act rashly!

However, everyone soon understood Steve Ross's intention.

When Breakout spread throughout North America and first showcased its unique charm to the public, almost all media outlets reported on the news.

After CBS reported that the game's sales may have surpassed 200,000 copies...

Warner Communications immediately held a press conference.

At the press conference, their spokesperson was extremely indignant and strongly condemned the current illegal activities, stating that their game had been stolen by criminals.

That's right.

Warner Communications issued a formal statement at a press conference.

They claim that Breakout is a game that existed on the Atari New Generation console four years ago. Due to poor sales of the Atari New Generation, they did not produce any more products beyond the initial release of the game cartridges.

As a game company that has abandoned the home console market, they don't know where Jason's home console version of Breakout came from. But they do know that its rampant distribution and malicious copying by unscrupulous individuals have caused them huge losses.

and so……

After discovering that their intellectual property rights had been infringed, they immediately reported the incident to the police, hoping that law enforcement could intervene quickly, find the masterminds behind the pirated games, and bring them to justice.

Following WarnerCom's stern statement, MGM, Paramount, Milwaukee, Disney, and other companies also gave interviews to the media. Like WarnerCom, they stated that they were unaware of why their games were circulating in the market.

They also wanted to figure it all out.

He also vowed to bring the lawbreakers to justice.

When these guys turn into gophers and keep popping up as victims, anyone with a brain can see that Steve Ross is playing the thief crying "stop thief!" trick.

It was clearly him who spread everything.

But at this moment, he had to pretend to be a victim.

This is not just about trying to confuse the public.

It also implies escaping legal punishment.

But the problem is...

"Is this method useful?"

Hiroshi Yamauchi expressed his doubts.

Although Steve Ross had devised a series of plans to create an alibi for himself—for example, the documents retrieved from the U.S. Patent and Copyright Office were signed with Tai Dong's name—but…

Hiroshi Yamauchi knew that Ethan Jones didn't rely on evidence when making judgments.

Because, a few years ago, even though Nintendo had presented information that creating the Color TV Game was not their original intention, Ethan Jones did not accept it and directly made them bear the consequences of betrayal.

When Ethan Jones handled matters in this unreasonable style.

The so-called access to materials is nothing but a pile of excrement.

As long as he believes that Steve Ross is the real culprit behind everything, he will relentlessly attack him. In that case, why is Steve Ross still pretending to cover up the truth?

Isn't this a bit too outrageous?

After all, capitalists who can build a monopoly are not fools!

Their understanding of the enemy must be even more thorough than that of the enemy themselves!

Steve Ross definitely knows that Ethan Jones is a madman!

and so……

What's the point of completing the entire chain of evidence in front of a madman?

Hiroshi Yamauchi's confusion is everyone's confusion.

Nobody knows what Steve Ross was thinking.

But those with resources have already started making calls.

For example, Philips North America CEO Cornelius received many calls from friends asking if the "games being stolen" they were talking about were true.

For example, Ron Miller, the president of Disney, has also received many indirect inquiries. Many people want to know, how come the Milfie faction is still around?

For example, Paramount's chairman, Barry Diller, was directly summoned to a meeting by the parent company, Gulf and Western Industries, who wanted to know if Paramount's games had indeed been copied.

If true, Paramount's stock price might plummet.

If it's fake, then Gulf and Western industries should hold Barry Diller accountable.

Because they are having a tough time right now.

Gulf and Western Industries, which are currently selling off assets to survive, can no longer afford the reckless actions of their subsidiaries.

But no matter how these people ask, they only get one piece of information.

That is, there is no alliance.

Not only that, Barry Diller even smashed the table in the parent company's conference room.

An expression of anger—

Do you guys think I'm an idiot?

"When even General Motors and Ford couldn't handle Ethan Jones!"

"After Wall Street accepted his Dutch auction pricing method!"

"Even if I were struck by lightning, I would never team up with Steve Ross!"

"Isn't this courting death?"

Perhaps it's because these people's attitude is too agitated to seem fake.

However, it is also possible that such an alliance would not be of much significance at this time.

So everyone believed what they said.

But when the fact that there was no alliance emerged, they became even more puzzled.

If all of the above is Steve Ross's own willful act, then what is he after?

No one could answer that question for them.

But those who were involved in the final plot closed their eyes.

Do you think Steve Ross will succeed?

At Disney headquarters, Ron Miller leans back in his boss's chair.

With one hand tapping the armrest and the other holding the receiver, he asked Cornelius on the other end of the phone, "What kind of state do you think Steve Ross is in right now?"

"madman."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Cornelius, far away in New York, had already given his answer.

"Steve Ross has gone mad because he has realized that he has no hope of turning things around, so he wants to do everything he can to make Ethan Jones feel disgusted, uncomfortable, or even lose his mind and go to hell with him."

This answer made Ron Miller nod slightly.

A complex emotion flickered in his eyes as he stared at the ceiling.

Do you think he will succeed?

Ron Miller asked.

What do you think?

Cornelius countered with a question.

"I have no idea."

Ron Miller answered honestly.

"How would I know?"

Cornelius gave a wry smile.

Immediately, both sides fell silent.

In fact, once hacked games for the Jensen home console appeared in North America, Ron Miller and Cornelius already knew that Steve Ross was going to fight a desperate battle.

Because he had prepared everything over the past few years.

The problem is, many things don't succeed just because you're well-prepared.

Sometimes, victory is beyond human control.

"I wish him good luck." Ron Miller hesitated for a long time before finally managing to utter a blessing.

Cornelius was taken aback by these words, but he quickly laughed.

"I wish him good luck."

Amidst the blessings of the two, Steve Ross unleashed his final trump card.

On April 1st, April Fool's Day, a day traditionally celebrated in Europe and America, many suspicious-looking people suddenly appeared in major American cities. Carrying satchels, they roamed the streets and alleys, frequenting arcades and video game arcades. When they spotted someone interested in video games, they would open their backpacks slightly to show the person what was inside.

"Hey bro! We've got a brand new game out here, wanna check it out?"

"I can get it from any company! As long as you can name it, I can get it for you!"

"Piracy? How could it be piracy? Haven't you seen the news? Those big companies have already condemned it! They said these games were ported from their machines!"

"So, aside from the distribution channels, these games are definitely fine!"

"How about it? Want to give it a try? It's super cheap, bro!"

"A five-dollar cartridge contains at least three games!"

"There are at least seven different designs in those nine-dollar cassettes!"

"A 13-dollar cartridge contains at least 13 games!"

"While I can't guarantee you'll like every game, I can assure you there's one you'll love! And, as far as I know, you can even get 'Fate Cubes' here!"

"That's right! For just thirteen dollars, you might be able to unlock a copy of 'Cube of Destiny' that you can play on your console! From now on, you'll never have to worry about power again!"

"Good flippers!"

Congratulations on making the right choice!

The enthusiastic praises captivated the players who had spent money to buy the cartridges, leaving them lost in the eulogy.

With the arrival of the cassette tape, many people felt they had made a fortune.

And when they returned home, full of joy, they inserted the cartridge into the console, swiped it once, and...

Good guy!

There really is a game called "Cube" in there.

But when you click on it...

What are those pixelated images?!

Many people rubbed their eyes, thinking they had misread it.

But after they continued debugging and adjusted the sliding joystick...

The movable blocks and the extremely crude process made them realize a problem.

They did indeed spend thirteen dollars on thirteen games.

There is indeed a game called "Fate Blocks" in this list.

but……

That doesn't seem to be the real "Cube of Fate"?

"Oh! Sxxt!"

"I've been scammed!"

"MFxxk!"

"These people are all animals!"

Almost simultaneously, countless angry shouts rose up across the continent of America.

Meanwhile, Steve Ross, leaning against the wall at home, also began to swirl the red wine in his glass. (End of Chapter)