Welcome! Startup Village - Phoenix Edition
[Startup x Management: Real Experience Simulation]
"Welcome! Startup Village" (Oisuta, for short) is a board game that allows players to simulate the processes of startup and management. Players aim to launch their own startup and lead it to success within the "Startup Village," which Kitsune Shacho (President Fox) created to contribute to Japan becoming a "Startup Nation". The game reproduces the reality of management, which is both demanding and enjoyable, with unexpected events constantly occurring. In some scenarios, players' companies may even face bankruptcy.
■ The Goal of the Game: Money Is Not Everything
The goal of this game is not solely to increase the company's funds (i.e., prevent bankruptcy). The true objective is to ensure the continuation of business management by pursuing three essential Victory Points (VPs):
Management Capability (Keiei-ryoku): Calculated based on the amount by which liquid funds were increased.
Happiness Score (Kofukudo): The happiness level of the manager (player) (management cannot continue if it's not enjoyable).
Social Contribution Score (Shakai Koken-do): The degree of positive influence the company provides to society.
■ Experience the Detailed Management Cycle
The game proceeds in two stages: the "Startup Phase" and the "Management Phase".
1. Startup Phase:
This involves critical preparation and decision-making necessary to launch the business. Actions include funding procurement (securing self-funding, challenging for loans), acquiring startup support, hiring employees (colleagues), and determining executive compensation and employee salaries.
2. Management Phase:
Management is repeated over 12 months (12 turns), with each month counting as one turn. Players draw cards for sales and support, calculate income and expenditures (determining performance), and engage in forward-thinking management actions such as handling troubles, networking, investment, and branding.
After the Management Phase concludes, a "Closing Turn" occurs, where realistic accounting procedures—such as aggregating annual performance, paying corporate taxes, and repaying debts—are carried out.
■ Why the "Phoenix Edition"?
This game is titled the "Small Business Edition", focusing on the practical realities faced by small and medium-sized enterprises. The subtitle "Phoenix Edition" was chosen to reflect the developer's belief that "Japanese companies are full of 'Phoenixes'"—companies that endure numerous crises and manage to resurrect. Players will experience situations that push the company to the brink of survival, helping them learn the required indomitable spirit, or "Shachōship" (Presidential qualities).
■ "Paradigm Shift Experience" That Changes Your Perspective
The greatest benefit expected from this game is the natural induction of a "Paradigm Shift—a Change in Perception and Perspective". Through play, participants can easily and enjoyably experience the multi-faceted perspective of a manager: shifting from being the recipient of a salary to the payer, and moving away from a short-term focus toward looking slightly ahead.
Based on the questionnaire results (77 responses), 75.3% rated the overall enjoyment of the gameplay highly (score of 4), and 55.8% responded that they "would like to play again". The game receives high praise for being enjoyable in a game format, even while teaching important lessons, such as the difficulty of starting a business and the importance of funding procurement (53.2% gained insight into funding).
Utilize the assistance of unique characters, combined with your physical strength, intelligence, and a dash of luck, to successfully launch your startup and strive to become an indomitable "Phoenix"!
