In March 2004, a game was set to be released.
Created by the action game powerhouse, Capcom, this game involved players becoming hunters who hunt dragons.
At first glance, this may seem like a pretty ordinary game.
After all, there are plenty of games about hunting dragons with swords and magic.
The amazing part was that this game didn’t have any magic at all.
Without any game skills like magic or ultimate moves, players had to hunt dragons simply and earnestly with nothing but great swords, hammers, and bows.
If you just heard the description, you might struggle to understand what was so fun about it.
After playing games where you soar through the sky casting spells with ease, could you really bear the idea of trudging on the ground, struggling to swing your weapon to hunt a dragon?
Just imagining it sounds frustrating and hard.
Yet, surprisingly, the game was fun.
Not just fun, but incredibly “fun!”
Against all odds, this game that surpassed everyone’s expectations turned into a massive commercial success.
The original game sold about a million copies, and since then, numerous series like G, Portable, X, and World have all been successful, totaling around 90 million copies sold—a record-breaking achievement.
This is Capcom’s flagship game, a game that created countless hunters around the world, “Dragon Hunter.”
Why would such a simple game, fighting only with weapons like one-handed swords, great swords, hammers, and bows, be considered so entertaining?
To cut to the chase, while the weaponry may be simple, “Dragon Hunter” was by no means simple.
It’s true that all you had to do was fight dragons with your weapon.
But the dragons you had to fight were several times larger than the player’s body, and one swipe of their tail could send you soaring into the sky. A single breath attack could leave you barely alive, and if luck wasn’t on your side, you could end up knocked out and devoured.
In the literal sense of life and death, gamers had to hunt dragons under tension.
Of course, if it had only been that way, it would have been too hard, and the game would have flopped.
“Dragon Hunter” cleverly resolved this issue.
By allowing cooperation with other gamers.
Just as our ancestors hunted animals many times bigger and stronger than themselves in prehistoric times through collaboration, gamers could battle against large dragons together.
While one person occupied the dragon up front, someone else could drink potions to recover health, and another could use various special ammunition to disrupt the dragon’s attacks.
The fun lies in experiencing humanity’s strength—the notion that while one may be weak alone, together, they are strong.
*
“I believe if we create this game, it could represent the Kingdom of Ra.”
I was explaining “Dragon Hunter” to Ras and Prince Lethers in my study.
I almost blurted out stories from my high school days while playing “Dragon Hunter” with friends several times, but I managed to contain myself and only explain the core points of the game well.
But why is the atmosphere so tense?
Did I say something wrong?
“Um… Yuren, does it have to be a game about hunting dragons?”
As Ras’s cold gaze sent chills down my spine, Prince Lethers sweatily spoke up.
I confidently replied.
“Yes, it absolutely has to be this game.”
Upon hearing my words, Ras looked very serious and spoke with a chilling expression.
What did I say wrong?
“You know our Kingdom of Ra is a country created by the descendants of dragons. Are you aware of what it means to create a game about hunting dragons in such a land?”
I understood what Ras was talking about.
If you are of royal blood flowing with dragon’s essence, it’s natural to feel uncomfortable with “Dragon Hunter.”
Ras’s reaction seemed as serious as if he himself were a dragon; perhaps he indeed possessed a particularly strong dragon bloodline.
“Can I ask you one question? Aside from Capsule Monsters, have you played any of my games?”
“I’ve only heard of them.”
Preparing for this possibility, I responded.
“I’ve also created games about killing countless humans. Does that make those who created or played them murderers?”
“That’s a different story.”
“No, it’s the same. Ultimately, it’s just a matter of what target you project your emotions onto.”
Sure, I created a game that involves killing people, and many play it without any issues.
Because it’s just a game.
A game that occurs in a fictional world of magical powers.
Besides, I had a reason for considering “Dragon Hunter.”
“I’ve seen many dragons since coming to the Kingdom of Ra. I felt the intense love the people of Ra have for dragons, and I believe they would enjoy ‘Dragon Hunter’ more than anyone else.”
“Why do you think that?”
When I answered, Ras appeared somewhat intrigued, his tone less cold than before.
I smoothly continued my well-prepared response.
“Because they understand the fear of dragons. They would realize how incredible it is to challenge a dragon, and they would also understand that true courage comes from overcoming that dragon. Even if others might not know, the people of the Kingdom of Ra would.”
“Well… that’s true…”
The great and fearsome dragons; those who challenge and defeat them are called heroes in the other world.
In a land of heroes, “Dragon Hunter” was the perfect game.
“So, as a representative game of the Kingdom of Ra, I believe there’s no game better than ‘Dragon Hunter.’ This game will be loved by the people of Ra as it begins to spread around the world. And remember, it’s not just a game about killing dragons; it showcases the greatness of dragons and the magnificence of the Kingdom of Ra that lives alongside them.”
My words made Ras tap his fingers on the table, deep in thought.
His expression seemed like that of a client pondering, “I have to heed what this punk says, but it’s annoying, so I should stall for time.”
While I pretended to be still nervous, waiting for his response, Ras spoke.
“You’ve got a way with words, I’ll give you that. Alright then, I’ll trust you for now.”
Great!
Thus, the development project of “Dragon Hunter,” with the Dragon Heart Stone at stake, began.
*
Ragnix watched Yuren leave, recalling the events from weeks ago.
After the battle of the divine beasts ended in a draw, the divine beasts that had returned to human form held a long-awaited drinking party.
Their drinking session mainly turned into boasting about the nations they protected, and eventually, it led to the topic at hand.
“By the way, does the Kingdom of Ra have a representative game?”
“What do you mean by that? Sarael?”
Ragnix of the Kingdom of Ra, a man akin to Prince Lethers, and Sarael from the Zers Empire, an elf with green hair, along with Brakkar from the Yura Republic, a dwarf boasting a golden beard, were enjoying drinks when Sarael brought up the subject of games.
Brakkar jumped in.
“What a clueless fool! How can you not know the hottest game among humans these days!”
Ragnix responded gruffly.
“What’s so great about that kind of entertainment?”
“That ‘entertainment’ awakened us from our slumber after 500 years. In fact, I already woke up five years ago because there are so many games in our Zers.”
The desires of humans from each nation are conveyed to them in some form.
This time, the desire conveyed was for enjoyment, and they had awoken from their long slumber out of curiosity about this joy.
And Siriel, the supposed originator of games, boasted about it, while Brakkar tried not to fall behind.
“Don’t underestimate our Yura! We had a bit of a problem, but we’re doing well now!”
The Yura Republic, after the Blue Shock, had robustly grown and revived its gaming culture.
As they continued bragging, Ragnix remained quiet, which prompted them to turn their gaze upon him.
“So, does the Kingdom of Ra have anything?”
“…No!”
Regrettably, the Kingdom of Ra had no games despite enjoying them.
No matter how hard Ragnix concentrated on the voices of the people of Ra, he couldn’t hear any, and he grimaced while replying, and Siriel pretended to realize his mistake, scratching Ragnix’s nerves.
“Oh! I see. I’m sorry, Ragnix, I must have messed up.”
“Hahaha! That’s too bad; how about we give you one of our Yura games? Hahaha!”
That day, humiliated, Ragnix started studying human culture, and games in particular.
The way to resolve a problem is by properly understanding what the problem is.
After living for thousands of years, Ragnix’s conclusion from studying games was that he needed a teacher.
In a kingdom that had never developed a game, it was highly likely that investing with his voice alone would end up being a waste of money.
Then, suddenly, the rumored game-developing wizard Yuren appeared in the Kingdom of Ra.
Ragnix saw this as an opportunity.
If he could commission this guy to develop a game, and the citizens of Ra could then learn from it, surely games could flourish in this kingdom.
“Just you wait, Sarael. I’ll pay you back with the help of the descendants of your nation.”
Grinding his teeth, Ragnix thought of those troublesome friends.
