eurekapd Chapter 77 Handheld Consoles Are a Hit
Chapter 77 Handheld Consoles Are a Hit
Time flies, and it was May 1968 in the blink of an eye. After two months of tireless efforts, the Zhonghua handheld console finally completed its research and development and production line modification, officially entering the mass production stage. The first batch of handheld consoles rolled off the production line with a black plastic shell and a frosted finish, giving them a delicate and comfortable feel. The front of the console featured a 2.5-inch CRT display screen, with four directional buttons and two function buttons arranged below, a simple and elegant design. The first built-in game was called "Chasing the Dragon," where players controlled a small dragon, dodging obstacles and collecting small black dots; the graphics were simple yet highly entertaining.
Before the product was launched, Lin Zhou invested HK$50 in GG advertising, thus launching an overwhelming publicity campaign.
Major newspapers featured the Zhonghua handheld game console's "GG" logo on their front pages and in the margins. The *Hong Kong Daily* carried a large "GG" logo with the eye-catching headline: "Zhonghua's New Product Launches with a Bang—Handheld Game Console, Play Anytime, Anywhere!" The photo showed a little boy holding the console, beaming with joy, accompanied by the caption: "Children's childhood fun, adults' leisure companion." The *Sing Tao Evening Post* focused on its gaming features: "The first built-in Chinese game, *Greedy Dragon*, is simple to operate, incredibly fun, and suitable for the whole family!"
TV broadcasts even dominated prime time. At 7 PM, after the previous TV broadcast ended, the Zhonghua handheld game console's screen immediately displayed its interface. Accompanied by cheerful music, the camera first showcased the console's appearance, then switched to the game screen: a small black dragon nimbly weaved through the screen, dodging surrounding black blocks and collecting round black dots. A voiceover announced: "Zhonghua handheld game console, an innovative creation from the Zhonghua Group! Compact and portable, powerful in function, allowing you to play wherever you go! Purchase now and enjoy opening discounts, act fast!"
The radio was playing a loop of Zhonghua's handheld game console, "GG!" "Dear listeners, Zhonghua Group has released a new product! A brand new handheld game console, featuring built-in fun games, simple operation, and an affordable price. Whether you're on your way to school, commuting, or relaxing after dinner, it will bring you endless joy. Available at major department stores and electronics stores, welcome to visit and purchase!"
The HK$50 investment in the Game Boy handheld game console was a significant sum in Hong Kong in 1968. Suddenly, advertisements for the game were everywhere, from GG signs on the streets to televisions and radios in every household. The entire city was captivated by this novel product, with people buzzing with excitement: "The Chung Wah Group has released a new product, this time a game console! I heard you can hold it in your hand!" "Really? Can you play it without electricity?" "The Game Boy looks really fun, I wonder how it actually is."
The children were particularly fascinated by the GG handheld game console. On their way home from school, the students gathered together, discussing the game graphics on the console. "That 'Greedy Dragon' looks so interesting, I want to play it too!" "I'm going to ask my dad to buy me one!" "I wonder how much it costs, will it be expensive?"
Back home, the children began to plead and beg their parents to buy them a ZWH handheld game console. "Dad, I want a ZWH handheld game console! My classmates all say it's so much fun!" "Mom, please buy me one! I promise I'll study hard and not fall behind in my studies!" Faced with their children's tantrums, most parents were both exasperated and amused. For an average family, a ZWH handheld game console cost HK$88, which, while not exorbitant, was still a considerable sum. Many parents could only helplessly refuse, some even resorting to the ultimate tactic of "beating the bamboo shoots with meat" (a metaphor for coercion).
"What are you buying! All you do all day is play, you don't study properly, what kind of future will you have?" A father said sternly, raising the feather duster in his hand. The child was so frightened that he quickly shut his mouth, but the longing in his eyes did not diminish at all. In some families, a "double whammy" ensued, with the father scolding, the mother hitting, and the child crying his heart out, but still refusing to give up the idea of wanting a game console.
Of course, many parents from well-off families couldn't resist their children's persistent pleading, or were themselves curious about this novel product, and readily agreed to their children's requests. The next day, these children became the most envied figures in the entire school.
On a school playground during recess, several male students gathered around, showing off their Zhonghua handheld game consoles. Zhang Wei pulled out his black console and proudly said, "Look, my dad just bought me this yesterday, a brand new Zhonghua handheld game console!"
The surrounding classmates immediately crowded around, their eyes wide with surprise. "Wow, it really is a Zhonghua handheld game console! Let me see!" "Can I play it? I want to try 'Greedy Dragon'!"
Zhang Wei carefully turned on the switch, and a small red dragon immediately lit up on the CRT screen. He skillfully used the arrow keys to control the dragon, dodging obstacles and collecting small black dots (it's basically the Snake game, just with a different design). "See? It's easy to play, right?" he explained proudly as he played. "I played all afternoon yesterday, and my highest score was already 1000 points!"
"Wow, that's amazing!" the students exclaimed in admiration. Another student, Li Ming, pulled out his Zhonghua handheld console and said, "I bought one too! I think this game is so much fun; I played it until midnight last night!"
"My mom won't buy it for me, she says it's too expensive," a skinny boy whispered, his eyes full of envy.
"How about we take turns? I'll play your game, and you play mine?" Zhang Wei said generously.
"Really? That's great!" The skinny boy immediately became excited.
For a time, the playground was filled with discussions about the Zhonghua handheld game console. Some students were exchanging game tips, some were competing to see who could score the most points, and others were discussing how to persuade their parents to buy them one. The appearance of the Zhonghua handheld game console was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating a huge uproar among the youth in Hong Kong.
In major department stores and electronics stores, sales of the Zhonghua handheld game console soared. On its opening day, many shops saw long queues of eager customers. Store staff were extremely busy, explaining product features to customers while simultaneously collecting payments and packing orders. Some customers even bought several units at once, saying they were gifts for relatives' or friends' children.
"Boss, give me another Zhonghua handheld console!" A middle-aged man ran up to the counter, panting, already carrying a shopping bag. "My son has been nagging me all morning, saying he won't eat if I don't get one!"
"I'm sorry, sir, the last one was just bought by this customer." The sales clerk pointed to the lady paying next to him and said helplessly, "If you want it, you can come earlier tomorrow, and we will restock it tomorrow."
The middle-aged man sighed in disappointment: "Why is it so popular? I'll definitely come earlier tomorrow."
Scenes like this were common at various sales points in Hong Kong. In just three days, the first batch of 1 Zhonghua handheld consoles sold out completely. Li Zhiqiang from the sales department excitedly ran into Lin Zhou's office with the sales report in hand: "President Lin, fantastic! Sales have exploded! 1 consoles sold out in just three days, and now many stores are urging us to restock!"
Lin Zhou looked at the data on the report and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. The investment of HK$50 in GG had not been in vain. This handheld game console, which carried so many of his hopes, had finally gained a foothold in the Hong Kong market. He knew that this was just the beginning. With the popularization of the product and the release of subsequent games, the Zhonghua handheld console would surely sweep across more places, and his journey of cultural export would officially begin from there.
Su Wanqing soon brought good news: "President Lin, distributors in Macau and Southeast Asia have all expressed their intention to place orders, and we need to increase our production capacity as soon as possible. In addition, several foreign companies have also contacted us, wanting to become agents for Zhonghua handheld consoles in the European and American markets."
Lin Zhou nodded: "Regarding production capacity, have the production department open more production lines as soon as possible to ensure sufficient supply. As for overseas distributors, have the legal and sales departments carefully review their qualifications and develop a reasonable cooperation plan. Remember, our goal is to take Zhonghua handheld consoles to the world and make Chinese-style games known and loved by more people."
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