Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 799: An Unexpected Incident

Assassin's Creed received widespread praise both within the gaming community and beyond. Even though it wasn't considered one of Takayuki's highest-rated games, its popularity rivaled that of top-tier IPs like Mario.

Thanks to the rising attention, many began to see Assassin's Creed as another flagship franchise of Gamestar Entertainment.

With the success of Assassin's Creed 1, plans for sequels quickly followed. Takayuki intended to release a new entry each year for the next three to five years, starting with the Ezio trilogy.

The foundation had been laid.

Using real history with some creative reinterpretation—turning the protagonist into a participant in historical events—became a hallmark of the series. That, along with the historical authenticity, would ensure a loyal fanbase and long-term success.

Takayuki no longer needed to personally oversee the project. All he had to do was hand over the main plot outlines for the upcoming games. As long as the core gameplay stayed intact, the team was free to experiment. He believed this formulaic style would retain its audience for at least seven to eight years.

Just as Takayuki was wrapping up planning for Assassin's Creed and moving on to other projects, he received unexpected news.

The news wasn't just shared with him—it was made public.

The former president of Surrey Electronics, its founder, and a highly respected figure, Kentarō Hayakawa, had passed away peacefully at age 85 at home.

That very day, the story appeared on the front page of multiple Japanese newspapers, and several TV stations aired special reports about his life.

Kentarō Hayakawa had been a famous entrepreneur.

Among Japan's industrial giants, he was one of the most well-known to the public, especially because of his willingness to embrace new ideas in his youth. He led Japan into the era of producing televisions, refrigerators, record players, and many other media and entertainment products.

Surrey Electronics became the first Japanese electronics company to go global.

Though the company may no longer be what it once was, people still remembered everything Kentarō had done.

His passing shocked many.

Takayuki was stunned too. He didn't have a personal relationship with Kentarō, but he admired the man.

After all, Kentarō had the vision to see the potential in video games early on and had the boldness to set up a new game division to compete directly with Takayuki.

Honestly, Takayuki saw shades of Nintendo's late president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, in Kentarō Hayakawa.

But unlike Yamauchi, Kentarō had chosen to retire when the time was right and passed leadership to the son he trusted most.

Ueto Hayakawa had done a decent job, though his vision clearly didn't quite match his father's.

Time had proven that video games had tremendous potential.

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Without Kentarō, Surrey Electronics might never have become a serious competitor to Gamestar Entertainment.

Then again, without that rivalry, perhaps Takayuki himself wouldn't have pushed out so many games.

He couldn't help but feel a bit reflective—but only slightly.

In Chinese culture, someone passing peacefully from old age at 85 is considered a "joyful passing." There's no pain, just peace—a reason to celebrate rather than mourn.

"Takayuki, did you see the news? About Hayakawa..."

"I saw it," Takayuki replied.

Tsukino Aya entered his office with a newspaper in hand, only to notice his television was already playing a news report about Kentarō Hayakawa's life.

Takayuki looked at the screen and said, "I always wanted to meet him someday. I respected many of his ideas. He was someone worth honoring. But now, I'll never get that chance."

Aya looked at him and said, "Then let's attend his funeral."

"His funeral?"

Takayuki thought for a moment. Honestly, he hadn't attended many funerals.

Aya continued, "Since you respected him, sending him off one last time feels right."

"Hmm... maybe I will. Let's ask if it's appropriate."

He did feel like it would be meaningful to see Kentarō off properly. After all, it wasn't about business rivalry—it was about respect.

Besides, Surrey and Gamestar weren't sworn enemies. They were competitors, but also occasional collaborators.

So yes, he would attend the funeral.

In a traditional Japanese courtyard, a framed photo of Kentarō Hayakawa stood at the center of the room.

It was taken during his prime years as president—full of energy.

Ueto Hayakawa was dressed in a black kimono, his calm expression tinged with sorrow.

He had been Kentarō's most favored child, the one his father had invested in the most.

From a young age, Kentarō had taught him philosophies about life, aiming to raise him into a capable leader.

Eventually, when Kentarō saw that his son was ready, he stepped down and handed over the company reins entirely.

Among his siblings, Ueto was the closest to his father.

Now, five or six days had passed since Kentarō's death. During that time, his brothers and sisters had returned, though most showed little emotion. It was Ueto who handled nearly everything.

The others were more focused on inheritance matters.

But Ueto didn't care about that. The lawyers could handle it. Right now, all he wanted was to see his father off properly.

Standing before the altar, he remained silent.

Then, his assistant quietly approached and said:

"Sir, President Takayuki from Gamestar Entertainment has requested to visit with his wife to pay respects to the late President."

Ueto's body gave a slight shiver.