In a shocking turn of events, Tomonobu Itagaki has left Tecmo and is suing the company. The head of Team Ninja and creator of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive has some monetary disputes with the company. In part of the letter sent to the press, Itagaki writes:
Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced. However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment. President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant, telling me ‘if you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.’ In addition, he made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment. Thus, I have no choice but to resign from Tecmo Co., Ltd.
Ouch. Sounds like Tecmo bent him over a table on that one. He goes on to say that he’ll never be able to make another Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive game since Tecmo owns the franchises. Sad news for fans of both series.
No word yet on what Itagaki’s next move will be, but I’m sure it’ll involve sunglasses and beer. We’ll keep you posted on his whereabouts.
Recent Comments