A tune with a touch of Western street-style flavor began to play.
On the live Direct broadcast, a Black man wearing a white tank top and jeans appeared on screen.
One of the classic characters—Carl Johnson, better known as CJ—finally made his debut.
This was a game Takayuki had been eager to reveal for a long time.
Now, the team finally had the strength to fully realize all of the game's features, and with high-definition visuals, it looked even better than what Takayuki remembered from his past life.
"Hmm? This looks like a modern game." Players were quickly drawn in by the character's appearance.
In the video, CJ stood on a city street, and judging from the setting, it was clearly an American-style neighborhood.
This was actual in-game footage.
...
"Hello everyone. Thank you so much for checking out our latest game showcase. This time, we've explored a brand-new IP series, which we're calling 'Grand Theft Auto,' or GTA for short. We hope you enjoy it."
Another new IP?
Ueto Hayakawa raised an eyebrow.
Takayuki really never stopped pushing boundaries.
Even with so many successful series under his belt, he still kept creating entirely new IPs.
Most companies would've long settled into coasting off their existing success.
But in this, Gamestar Electronic Entertainment had never disappointed.
And in the livestream comments, the previous skepticism toward the console had started to fade. Players were quickly captivated by this entirely new game world.
"This game is called GTA: San Andreas. In this game, we've recreated an American city in stunning detail."
"It features the largest map we've ever built. But unlike traditional RPGs with their empty open worlds, this one is truly interactive."
"The protagonist is Carl Johnson—CJ for short. He's from a local gang family in the streets of America. After many years away, he's finally returned home—and that's where his story begins... Or maybe it's better to call it his life."
In the video, CJ began running through the streets.
At this point, few viewers were still chatting—they were glued to the screen, entranced by this fresh, living world.
For many American viewers, it felt eerily real, like stepping into their own neighborhoods.
"The world is yours—you can do anything you want."
"For example… driving a car?"
Onscreen, CJ approached a parked car.
"Of course, not every car on the street belongs to our protagonist. So... what would you do?"
"In real life, we'd never do this. But in a game? Why not try it?"
CJ glanced around, then smashed the car window with his elbow and swiftly climbed into the driver's seat.
"Wait... is that car theft?"
"This is... kind of amazing!"
Some viewers' eyes lit up.
In everyday life, of course, they followed the rules.
But even law-abiding citizens sometimes fantasize about breaking them. That's why harmless crime films are so popular.
But those were just stories—you never got to play the outlaw.
This game was different.
Here, you made the choices.
CJ hotwired the car and sped off through the streets.
"As you can see, this is a realistic world. There are roads, traffic lights... of course, you can run those red lights in the game—but please don't do that in real life!"
CJ's car blew past an intersection.
Viewers' jaws dropped.
The graphics weren't mind-blowing—but the immersion was like nothing before.
This wasn't some fantasy world of dragons or Mushroom Kingdoms.
It wasn't even a sports sim.
This was real.
"In this world, you can break the rules. But you can also be a law-abiding citizen. You can make an honest living."
"You can be a taxi driver."
The video cut to CJ picking up a hotel guest in a cab, driving them to a marked destination.
"You can work in a restaurant."
CJ wore a chef's uniform, following simple QTE prompts to cook or wash dishes—earning in-game money in return.
"You can enjoy life—play soccer…"
CJ played on a local street field with a group of NPCs.
"...or basketball."
He shot hoops in another scene.
"Fishing, racing, swimming, hunting."
The video rapidly switched between each activity.
With each new gameplay reveal, viewers' astonishment only deepened.
"This... this is just real life, isn't it? Who'd want to live like this inside a game?" someone at Micfo said mockingly while watching the Direct.
Myron Case didn't comment, but privately he shared the sentiment.
A game that basically mimicked everyday life? The only real appeal seemed to be the chance to break the rules in a safe space.
Honestly, he didn't find that exciting.
If anything, he still preferred Tetris—the only Gamestar title he truly admired.
"And in this game… you can even play other games, like Tetris."
The video cut to CJ walking into an arcade.
Inside, a classic Tetris cabinet stood front and center.
CJ inserted a coin and started playing.
All the mini-games available in the arcade were early classics from Gamestar's history.
Myron Case: …
You can do that too?!
Playing games… inside a game?