Itakagi leaves Tecmo, no more DoA or Ninja Gaiden
Filed under: Gaming News and Reportage One ResponseIn a letter sent out to the world, Tomonobu Itakagi, the flamboyant creator of the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive series has announced that he’s leaving Tecmo over monetary disputes, and will not be creating any more games in these series. He’d hinted earlier that there would be no more sequels to Ninja Gaiden, but the letter (the full text of which is below the break) makes the whole matter very clear.
I, Tomonobu Itagaki, hereby announce that on the 14th of May 2008 I filed a complaint in the Tokyo District Court against Tecmo Co., Ltd. for unpaid completion bonuses, and against the President of Tecmo, Yoshimi Yasuda, for such unlawful acts as unreasonable and disingenuous statements made towards me, claiming damages in total of 148 million yen. I also announce that this complaint was delivered to the defendants on May 22nd of the same year.
In addition, I hereby announce that I have today submitted a letter of resignation to Tecmo Co., Ltd. stating that I will resign as of the 1st of July, 2008.
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.
I truly feel sorry to all the fans of the games I have made. NINJA GAIDEN 2, which will launch on the 3rd of June will be the last NINJA GAIDEN I will create. I will also never be able to make DEAD OR ALIVE 5. I regret the circumstances that have forced me to leave Tecmo, where I had worked for so many years, and I regret the disappointment this will cause my fans.
However, I can no longer continue to work with President Yoshimi Yasuda, a man who chooses not to honor promises even when he is able to do so.
One Response to “Itakagi leaves Tecmo, no more DoA or Ninja Gaiden”
OOOOHHH my God, PLEASE,,,OH GOD PLEEEEZZZZZEEEE say it ain’t so….No more new Extreme Beach Volleyball games to play with my Lei-Fang and Ayane on???? no,,,NO NO NO NO NNNNOOOOOO!!!!! I’m,,,,I’M going through withdrawL…………….Aaarrrgggh, stop this..ppleeeaze…stop.ahhhhhhh,,,EEHHHHH , Huzzzzah,no,no,more..stop please..OK. I’m back to normal now!!!!
Let me make this PERFECTLY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY, Itakagi is EVERYTHING RIGHT about Tecmo, he is everything cool about Tecmo,,HE IS TECMO!!! without him THERE WOULD BE NO TECMO!!period. I put him right up there with Miyamoto (oh no I did’t?,, read this again Idiot, I DID), and The creators of MUGEN!!!! He is easily the coolest most awesome man in video games today!! Possibly ever.
Please, Mr Itakagi, don’t let these people get you down, I do hope you get everything owed you. You have sacrified sooo much to the company thay betrayed you,, your adoring fans..to everybody on your team..You are THE MAN. Will video gaming survive without you?? What kind of an existenz would that be??…not one me or any of your adoring fans would want to have anymore. I can tell you unappreciatve Idiots at Tecmo that!!!!
Hell man, take a month’s vacation, take two.. just…try and,,,come back..to us! Please!!!Mr Itakagi, It just isn’t the same rush anymore without my Lei-Fang and Ayane.
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