Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 973: A Different Kind of Trailer

Gamers were both stunned and delighted, and even ordinary viewers recognized Mario's image.

It was the first time in history that a video game character had appeared in the Olympic Games.

Everyone — including those in the sports industry — began speculating: could this be a signal?

It was too early to say for sure, but at the very least, it showed that the Olympics were clearly trying to modernize and appeal more to younger audiences.

Although the Rio Olympics appeared lively, the actual attention from younger generations was noticeably lacking.

According to statistics, the global average TV viewership rate was only around 2–3%.

In contrast, at the Olympics' peak, global television and radio audiences once exceeded 10%.

That was when the Olympics truly held the world's attention.

At that time, attending the Olympics in person was a dream for many — tickets were nearly impossible to get.

That's still the case today, but even so, the Olympics are undeniably on a slow decline.

Young people now have many other things that occupy their attention — their personal lives, work, or entertainment formats that better suit them.

Among those forms of entertainment is video gaming.

"This is probably the boldest gamble I've made in my life," the Olympic Committee president muttered.

Meanwhile, gamers were absolutely ecstatic.

Seeing video games represented in the Olympics meant that mainstream society was beginning to embrace them.

Then again, they didn't have much choice.

From the moment video games were born, they appeared in people's lives with overwhelming force, capturing attention like nothing else.

That rise was partly due to how incredibly fast the industry evolved — and in the beginning, the average quality of games was astoundingly high.

Since the founding of Gamestar Electronic Entertainment, every game they released had been a masterpiece — drawn from decades of top-tier game design in an alternate world.

In a parallel world where aesthetics and preferences weren't all that different, people naturally fell in love with these titles.

And that is the very meaning of video games — to bring joy and wonder.

On the big screen, Mario continued his adventure through various regions of Japan. freёwebnoѵel.com

Each area represented a cultural landmark of Japan.

But these weren't just backdrops to showcase Japanese scenery and style.

Each location featured a "guardian" — iconic cultural symbols that Japan was most proud of.

Among them were popular video game characters like Pikachu from Pokémon, the Hero from Dragon Quest, Cloud and Tifa from Final Fantasy, the ninja protagonist from a famous stealth action game, and even the Sun Knight from Surei Electronic's hit title Knight of the Sun.

Beyond gaming icons, anime characters also made an appearance.

This was Japan putting its cultural soft power on full display.

Not only were gamers thrilled, but fans of Japanese anime, TV, and film were just as excited.

Anime showing up at the Olympics was another sign of the event's push to modernize and appeal to youth culture.

The idea was to get younger generations to care more about the Olympics — to spend less time on other distractions and bring their attention back to the Games. Otherwise, the IOC wouldn't be able to sustain itself financially.

And it worked — fans of video games and anime were enthralled.

On platforms like Facebook, people were already sharing the preview footage with joy.

Of course, the preview eventually had to end. After Mario explored Japan's most iconic locations and met many familiar characters, he finally discovered something that felt familiar — a giant green pipe.

Excited, Mario leaped into it.

But inside, it wasn't just a normal pipe. It was more like a dimensional portal, warping him through the Earth's core and into another world.

As the screen gradually dimmed, the stadium's central spotlight came on.

Right there in the middle of the Olympic arena stood a replica of that green pipe. Above it was an elderly Asian man, with a kind and gentle appearance — though his true personality was hard to guess.

But his current look thrilled gamers.

He was dressed like Mario.

Then came the sound of fireworks, followed by the Dragon Quest victory jingle.

Dancers entered the arena, circling around the "Mario" figure in celebration.

"People of the world, hello!" the man said. "I am the Prime Minister of Japan, and I am honored to announce that the next Olympic Games will be hosted in our country."

"The Olympic Games have a history spanning more than a century. Since their inception, they've stood for peace — a way to promote global progress and development through nonviolent means. In the same spirit, the cultural works we now create — video games, anime, and more — are born with the same goal in mind."

"So I hope everyone will come to appreciate our cultural exports, and if you ever have the chance, we welcome you to visit Japan and experience the unique charm and cultural origins that our nation has to offer!"

As a national leader, his eloquence was unquestionable. Even though many in the audience didn't understand Japanese, they were swept up by the emotion and energy of the moment.

The crowd began to cheer.

These were the gamers — people who loved and lived for video games.

For them, gaming had become an inseparable part of life.

To witness the rise of video games like this, and to foresee a future where they become even more fun and meaningful, was the best news a player could ask for.

The Prime Minister smiled and looked around the stadium.

"Oh, and I have one more piece of happy news to share," he added. "In Tokyo, on the morning of August 30th, Pacific Time, the world's first video game-themed amusement park will officially open. If anyone is interested, I hope you'll come visit. I truly believe this park will fulfill every player's dream."

After those words, the stadium fell into momentary silence.

Then, the two men who had been chatting earlier locked eyes.

"We're booking flights to Japan. Now!"

They shouted in unison.

"Aren't you afraid your wife will be mad?"

"Hell no! I'm a grown man — why should I be scared of my wife?!"

He said it with conviction... though he clearly wasn't fully confident.

But no matter how angry his wife might be, he had to see that park — and witness its grand opening with his own eyes.

Even if he couldn't get a ticket for day one, day two or three would be just fine.