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View Full Version : Itagaki leaves+sues Tecmo

Akira
06-03-2008, 06:18 AM
Anybody hear about this?
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.

The conduct of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its president Yoshimi Yasuda towards me has been unbefitting of a publicly-listed company.

I have filed this lawsuit with a strong intent to question the social responsibility of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its President Yoshimi Yasuda, as well as condemning them for their unjust acts. Today, in addition to announcing the reasons for this lawsuit, I make clear my reasons for resigning.

To All Game Fans

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.

I truly hope that nothing like this happens again in the future.


Tecmo Co., Ltd. Creative Officer
Leader, Team NINJA

Tomonobu Itagaki

Link: http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/878/878635p1.html
mystictrunks
06-03-2008, 07:34 AM
Itagaki better stay in the business.
Hangatýr
06-03-2008, 08:11 AM
Lol, Tecmo's doomed now. Glasses-guy always got them a lot of money. XD
"Shion"
06-03-2008, 08:48 AM
Tecmo officially sucks now.:LOS
Soulbadguy
06-03-2008, 12:17 PM
Iam the olny one gald DOA could really die now?
Goofy Titan
06-03-2008, 01:09 PM
Iam the olny one gald DOA could really die now?

Yes you are, now sit in the corner and put on Itagaki's "Tekken Sucks!" shirt.

Does any of the drama Tecmo caused have any relation to Ninja Gaiden II looking like a rushed game?
Hangatýr
06-03-2008, 01:14 PM
Well, at least we can kiss both DoA and DoAX goodbye. :awesome
crazymtf
06-03-2008, 01:17 PM
Good i hate the fucker. :)
2Shea
06-03-2008, 01:18 PM
Wow this sucks... Temco is really dead now. They fucked up majorly.

I mean Itagaki is one of the "legends" of the gaming biz, I could understand a company not paying up to some nobody who didn't do much for them, but Itagaki is responsible for pretty much all of their success, and their best titles.

I personally was really looking forward to Dead or Alive 5, and it's really saddening that it may not happen now. I would say that Temco will try and release it on their own (if they have the rights), but it just won't be the same. Ninja Gaiden 2.. well I hope it turns out nice, but as Goofy said, it seems this turmoil may have effected the final quality of the game.

Oh well, it's truly sad that this had to happen, I hope he begins working for another studio now who will continue to let him make the kind of games he's known for.
Akira
06-03-2008, 01:52 PM
Tecmo definetly owe a large amount of their sucess to him, and I doubt Ninja Gaiden or DOA will see sequels, and if they do Tecmo is pretty much shit without Itagaki.
Astronaut
06-03-2008, 02:57 PM
Well, on the upside, he's leaving a shitty work environment.

Uggh, I was actually looking forward to another DOA; I actually enjoy those games for the most part. As for Ninja Gaiden, I've never actually played the game(s), so I can't share in the grief for that franchise.
Kurumie Tsurashima
06-03-2008, 03:23 PM
Tecmo's screwed without him. I mean, Ninja Gaiden and DOA are what made the company well known...:facepalm I guess teh world TRULY IS ending with the instability in game companies *cough the latest Square Enix chaos cough*
Sesha
06-03-2008, 06:11 PM
Wut?

I must admit, the idea of Itagaki being victimized is horribly amusing.

But if this had a notable negative effect on NG2 I'll be annoyed.
Ssj3_Goku
06-03-2008, 06:53 PM
NG2 was his last game / NG developed, I am sure he would not let the franchise he loved / created go bad because of this.


I do not blame him for suing / quiting because I would have as well. All that tecmo's got left is Fatal Frame but Nintendo owns that majority of that license now.
Barry
06-03-2008, 11:45 PM
So am I going to get a new DOA or what? Because I need my helping of Kasumi in the next couple of years.
Chamcham Trigger
06-05-2008, 01:09 AM
NG2 was his last game / NG developed, I am sure he would not let the franchise he loved / created go bad because of this.


I do not blame him for suing / quiting because I would have as well. All that tecmo's got left is Fatal Frame but Nintendo owns that majority of that license now.

Don't you mean, updated, and expanded upon? I thought he said that he'd never played a Ninja Gaiden game before working on the Xbox version.
Goofy Titan
06-05-2008, 02:38 AM
Don't you mean, updated, and expanded upon? I thought he said that he'd never played a Ninja Gaiden game before working on the Xbox version.

Yeah, Itagaki didn't make Ninja Gaiden, he wasn't even in the company when the first game came out.
orochimarusama21
06-05-2008, 05:52 AM
there will probably still be Doa and Ninja Gaiden games made as Tecmo owns the rights to them.
Ichiban-nin
06-05-2008, 06:48 AM
Itagaki is actually quite the piece of work sometimes though. This will definitely make a mark in gaming development.
Ssj3_Goku
06-05-2008, 07:10 AM
Don't you mean, updated, and expanded upon? I thought he said that he'd never played a Ninja Gaiden game before working on the Xbox version.

Yeah, Itagaki didn't make Ninja Gaiden, he wasn't even in the company when the first game came out.


Yes you both are correct. I'm sorry for the confusion.


In the latest news to this development, tecmo's stock prices drop a little over 10% after this announcement.

http://kotaku.com/5013233/after-itagaki-announcement-tecmo-stock-price-drops


Could also possibly drop even more if their games do not pick up the slack.
forgotten_hero
06-05-2008, 08:49 PM
Damn...I really hope that Tecmo pulls their heads out of their asses and go and grovel to get Itagaki back. Have any of their games ever been as well known as those that Itagaki has worked on?

Those bastards...

I wonder how much hate mail Tecmo has recieved since this was made public; I hope it was a lot.