Itagaki leaves Tecmo
Posted by Ryan. Filed under News, Ryan.
Head of Team Ninja, Tomonobu Itagaki the man behind some of Tecmo’s finest games such as the Ninja Gaiden series and Dead or Alive series is leaving Tecmo, oh and sueing them too! Check this out,
“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. “
You may well be asking ”What’s this got to do with Sega?”
Well right now it has nothing to do with Sega but wouldn’t it be pretty awesome if Sega did ‘a Platinum Games’ with Itagaki san and got him working on a new Shinobi game? HELL YEAH it would! This needs to happen Sega, Take note!
So what are the chances of this happening? Well not as unlikely as you might think, I mean, I think Sega might just be the only Japanese developer/publisher he hasn’t insulted before and I hear he is even a fan of the Virtua Fighter series.
Also lets not forget that he used Sega’s ‘Magical V Engine‘ in Ninja Gaiden 2.
[Thanks to Yu from the forums]
So heres the question. Would you like to see Itagaki join Sega? And what games would you like to see him work on? A new IP? Or a Sega classic?
Comments on this article
There have been 44 responses to this article.
LOL! Ryan read my mind! I was thinking about Itagaki on Shinobi series since I’ve seen this news.
Maybe we need to send e-mails to him asking about it right now.
Ah, don’t forget he also used Sega’s “MODEL-2″ in the debut of DOA series and the Saturn version(of DOA1) is his favourite version.
T+
Storm!
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 5:15 am.
Eh? The only thing Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden share is that their title characters are ninjas. Otherwise, no thanks, SEGA has got plenty of people within themselves to make a decent Shinobi game, but if they decide to snap Itagaki for some new action series, I don’t mind really.
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 6:04 am.
And yeah, he likes the Virtua Fighter series, supports it too, and hates the Tekken series more then anything since Namco insulted Dead or Alive!
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 6:05 am.
Well I’m sure Sega have the talent to make a new GOOD Shinobi game. But they haven’t… Not in years…
Ryan
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 6:27 am.
What about Nightshade?
Okay, I’m joking with that one.
Tomonobu Itagaki also said that the Saturn was a great console. And plus, if sega was still in the console market, the DOA games would be on that too.
Taco Lord
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 6:41 am.
Well Shinobi for the Playstation 2 was quite excellent and one of the best action games in the last gen I feel, the only problem was I hated that I had to play as Hotsuma.
Thankfully the real ninja master was a unlockable.
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 7:17 am.
The dude who is partly responsible for bringing us the one fighting game series that literaly had ‘more bounce to the ounce’ in it has left the company?
Yes please, work for Sega Mr. Itagaki. And bring the tits with you. Thanks. :)
DiGi Valentine
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 am.
I will have to respectfully disagree with Aki-at and say that the PS2 rendition of Shinobi was pretty awful… as well as Shinobi Legions for the Saturn.
My only hope is that Sega will keep Shinobi III in mind when they make the next gen Shinobi.
psv
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 7:47 am.
No, no, no! [NIGHTSHADE] is the best title on the series since the last one for Mega-Drive!
The only thing I dislike in this game are the graphics.
T+
Storm!
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 8:02 am.
“Screw this video game bulldink, I always wanted to be a rockstar anyway. AEROSMITH RUUUUUULEZ!”
Nadia
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 8:18 am.
I agree with Aki, we don’t need this pounce to foul up Sega letalone SHINOBI. Ninja gaiden is the only real goodgame this guy has made, DOA is just a copy of VF or specifically Fighting Vipers.
ROJM
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 8:26 am.
…… DOA is as much a copy of ‘Fighting Vipers’ than Dino Hunter is a copy of ‘Pokemon’
Regardless, I would like to see him and the Shinobi team (whats left of it) to get together and form a team together. This will obviously get everyone ‘hyped’ for the next Shinobi title. I think it will even out hype anything Tecmo has to offer for the next Gaiden title.
He can only help SEGA, I don’t know why ROJM is being so negative. Plus someone in Sega needs tor remind Namco that they are shit and will never touch greatness if it was handed to them.
George
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 9:16 am.
Shinobi for the ps2 was great, my favorite action game last gen until Tsukiyo ni Saraba/10.000 Bullets came along (well if you count God Hand as an action game which I don’t, because it’s an post-beat’em up, because that’s my all time favorite last gen)
Ninja Gaiden was great until Itagaki butcherd it with his trilogy (XB-DS-360). Ugly character design, stupid fiend-theme,
Nightshade was poor.. easified for the homer simpson-attention span people.
As is Shinobi III, it doesn’t deserve all it’s praise with it’s crap music and easy difficulty. Revenge of Shinobi and the arcade Shinobi are superior, no doubt about that.
loempiavreter
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 11:03 am.
“I will have to respectfully disagree with Aki-at and say that the PS2 rendition of Shinobi was pretty awful…”
What was wrong with it?
“This will obviously get everyone ‘hyped’ for the next Shinobi title”
So would Kamiya and Mikami, more so actually, and those two are already working with SEGA.
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 am.
“So would Kamiya and Mikami, more so actually, and those two are already working with SEGA.”
I agree… but the more the merrier!
Itagaki is a well known figure and he would only add to the talent in Sega.
There is no way Sega picking him up would be a bad thing at all.
Ryan
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am.
NEW original itagaki (whatvr u spell it) ips with sega.. i hope he works for/with sega
joei
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 am.
“I agree… but the more the merrier!
Itagaki is a well known figure and he would only add to the talent in Sega.
There is no way Sega picking him up would be a bad thing at all”
I’m not saying he wouldn’t be able to add to SEGA, just having him work on the Shinobi games is too restricting unless he happens to be a big fan of the series and knows what people expects from the title (Violent decapitations is not one of them) then I see no reason for him to work on the next title, it’s like say Codemasters were a developer and not publisher, and SEGA asked them to make the next Outrun game, good stuff but not really needed as AM2 is perfectly capable.
I just think he’d be better served as the director of his own series being published by SEGA, which would basically be a plan to print money considering how many fans he has on the net.
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm.
“What was wrong with it?”
It wasn’t the least bit fun. It has no style, graphics are poor and little to no replayability. I own both Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) and this, and I take NG every time. It just looks and plays better (and that includes the stupid camera, which was fixed in NG Black).
“As is Shinobi III, it doesn’t deserve all it’s praise with it’s crap music and easy difficulty.”
I don’t deny that it’s easy, but the music was/is great. And its replayability is through the roof. Levels were designed well.
psv
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm.
Well fun is subjective as I don’t find much of it in titles like Metal Gear Solid or Ninja Gaiden itself so I wouldn’t bother on that.
Though I don’t understand how you can comment on “style” since when was the Shinobi series ever known for style? They might have added somewhat of it with the tate system but outside of that, the Shinobi series has never been known for stylish gameplay and is a fairly superfluous statement to make unless your thinking of changing the series, in which I would disagree strongly.
I suppose that Ninja Gaiden has stuff such as unlockable items etc but I still think Shinobi does enough in it’s level designs and content such as Joe Musashi to have enough for a player to continually enjoy himself. So I suppose we’d have to disagree.
And it’s hardly a surprise Ninja Gaiden looks better then Shinobi, which came out on the Playstation 2 a year and a half before Ninja Gaiden did on the Xbox. But for a Playstation 2 game released in 2002 you’d have to be mad to call it poor looking.
As for controls, I’d consider both as good as each other, but I do prefer Shinobi to Ninja Gaiden which I just don’t find all to exciting to be honest but I suppose we’d have to disagree on that.
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 1:00 pm.
And yes everything in my post is subjective, I know!
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 1:03 pm.
ould you like to see Itagaki join Sega?
1-Yes, all talents are always welcome!
What games would you like to see him work on?A new IP? Or a Sega classic?
2-He can do a remake from one of the best previous Shinobi games for SEGA, he can also have a collocation with AM2 for
Virtua Fighter game…
and this will defiantly bring
more sales for world’s first and best 3D Fighter…beside
he can also make a new IP for
SEGA…a SEGAtagaki title!
, and finally even if he get
a rule in developing next
Yakuza or Shenmue games
it can have a positive effect
(especially on sales!), Itagaki
is a very big name now
(To me near to Yu Suzuki,
Kojima and etc)
So, what are you waiting for…
I think Adam Doree might be able to send our comments to him!…especially since they can meet each other!
here is a proof:
http://games.kikizo.com/features/itagaki_iv_jun08_p1.asp
Regards, Alimn
Alimn
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 1:28 pm.
“I think Adam Doree might be able to send our comments to him!…”
@ Alimn, make it happen! I for one would LOVE to see Sega working with Itagaki… Like you said, he is a very popular figure and his involvement in anything would boost its popularity.
@ Digi! TUT TUT! What would your Trippy say!
Ryan
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm.
They should get him to make a new Chakan.
ratix240sx
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 1:47 pm.
Style means ’style of play’. When I think of Shinobi, I think of a fluid combat system with a focus on speed, excellent platforming, over the top boss battles and outlandish super attacks. Shinobi (PS2) isn’t very good at any of these things; it’s gungrave sans the guns and the fun.
Shinobi & Shinobi Legions had me questioning why I was even playing halfway through; I’ve yet to finish either, so maybe the gripes are unfair (FAQs tend to think otherwise, though).
psv
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm.
@Ryan. Lol, the wife would probably agree with me actually, haha! XD
DiGi Valentine
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm.
The Shinobi series never had much of a combat system, it was run and kill, but Shinobi (PS2) has most of those psv, I mean, your sword even starts drinking away your life if your not quick enough in slaughtering the baddies, and over the top bosses? Come on now! What wasn’t over the top about the giant tiger spider thing, or the giant moth, or the giant robotic statue!
Yeah to a extent you could call it like GunGrave, but that’s only because you have to keep a “chain” running or else your dead meat.
And most reviews on GameFAQs are in favour of Shinobi, but meh, whatever suits you man!
Aki-at
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm.
@Ryan, done…just sent a pm to Kikizo’s big boss!
Regards, Alimn
Alimn
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 2:40 pm.
I see Itagaki with Microsoft, not with Sega…
landman
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 3:29 pm.
I’m sending ahim a job offer right now.
Last thing Sega needs is more drama.
Kijuna
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 3:59 pm.
Although Microsoft loves Itagaki,
but it seems that Itagaki loves SEGA OF JAPAN!
So we should see if Itagaki is going
to listen his heart or not!.
although MS has a bigger pocket
but LOVE is more important.
However, Tecmo might apologize
and try to bring him back…
I’ve not heard that Tecmo is not
going to do anything for stopping him.
Regards, Alimn
alimn
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 4:53 pm.
Itagaki did a great job reviving the NG series but he’s not a genius, just an average producer.
MADSYSTEM
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm.
Am I the only person who LOVED Shinobi 3’s music more than #2’s? So what if Yuzo Koshiro wasn’t doing it, it was still great.
Mark
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 9:09 pm.
It would be awesome if Sega got Itagaki on board! I’m not sure if I would want him to make a Ninja Gaiden game named Shinobi (though I would love it), I rather him make an original IP or bring back some old one from the dead.
Sega Uranus
Posted June 3rd, 2008 at 9:30 pm.
Damn, i can guarantee you for sure that he is going for Namco and make Tekken the best fighter!!!!!
lol
SOL
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 1:57 am.
…… DOA is as much a copy of ‘Fighting Vipers’ than Dino Hunter is a copy of ‘Pokemon’
Regardless, I would like to see him and the Shinobi team (whats left of it) to get together and form a team together. This will obviously get everyone ‘hyped’ for the next Shinobi title. I think it will even out hype anything Tecmo has to offer for the next Gaiden title.
He can only help SEGA, I don’t know why ROJM is being so negative. Plus someone in Sega needs tor remind Namco that they are shit and will never touch greatness if it was handed to them.
DOA is more like FV down to some of the elements like the cages and smashing them which you couldn’t do in FV but you could easily get bashed against them, it was the eqvilent of smashing the armour in FV.
I dunno if i like to see a known womaniser, sexual deviant and possible drunk into the hallowed halls of sega. I will say this he’s quite clever leaving when he did. DOA3 and NG sold very very well If NG 2 sells the same amount of units then he’s in a perfect position to negotiate the terms of whatever publisher he wishes too join. itakgu is definatly an admirer of sega and has mentoned his fondness of the saturn several times. I just don’t want him anywhere near a SHINOBI game(which won’t happen anyway.)
ROJM
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 4:45 am.
If he makes Shinobi I bet Oba San would resign, Do you want that?
cube_b3
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 6:33 am.
Yeah I’d rather have Oba make the next Shinobi game then Itagaki, his stayed pretty quiet but if he is involved in a game I know it would be great, SEGA just need to give him sometime and money.
Aki-at
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 6:51 am.
Didn’t the show “Game Makers” from G4 say he almost applied for SEGA before joining Tecmo? Anyway, as some have said comparing DoA to FV rather than VF, thats another game they could do with him, Fighting Vipers 3 and try to revive the series, maybe Shenmue III since Yu Suzuki is no longer part of the project, and yes to bring back Shinobi, or since he has a namesake already maybe SEGA would allow him to create an original IP. I do think there is a good chance for him to join but i’m not holding my breath. SEGA has already lost 3 of their key people Yuji Naka (maybe not so much his last few years), Tetsuya Mizuguchi, and Hisao Oguchi (moved up to CEO of SoJ).
SEGAFan_3000DC
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 1:58 pm.
If Shenmue III project is brought back with anyone but Yu i’m going to personally kill everyone at Sega.
George
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 3:36 pm.
SEGAFan_3000DC:
Why do you wish Itagaki to produce the next Shenmue? Why he’s so important?
As George said, i will kill everyone at SEGA if they let the next Shenmue be produced by anyone but Yu Suzuki, specially Itagaki.
Only because Yu Suzuki is no longer an AM2 developer, doesn’t mean he can’t never go back and help AM2 developing Shenmue3.
Shenmue without Yu Suzuki is nothing, just remember that, SEGA knows it…
MADSYSTEM
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 6:37 pm.
Itagaki would be one of the last people anyone sensible would want to handle Shenmue III. He makes decent mindless action/fighting games with boobies.
MrXmas
Posted June 4th, 2008 at 11:05 pm.
Of course I’d rather have Yu Suzuki do Shenmue III, however I seriously doubt he will, however, the direction of the story and game has already been done, it just needs to be produced and developed. In one sense, I could see him improving the fighting to a point which a mainstream audience could like it more, would it be better, not neccessarily, but at this point i’ll take a few minor changes like that just to finish the story. Remember at this point, there is not much left to do with Shenmue III, Itagaki would not get the chance to rewrite the game (especially since SEGA is pretty much done investing in R&D for the game instead of actually making it). Not to mention, why the heck are you all fixed on the Shenmue thing anyway, stop being fanboys, Shenmue will never have the same charm it did, its not on Dreamcast, not on a SEGA system, and its been 7 years since the SII was released, it needs to be reinvented to be a profitable game, and the market is in no shape to cater to us fans for the game to sell under production value. I’d love for Shenmue to stay as fresh to everyone as Metal Gear has, but I’m not holding out for that, I just want my Shenmue III. And Itagaki-san would STILL be a nice investment on SEGA’s part.
SEGAFan_3000DC
Posted June 5th, 2008 at 2:36 am.
I’m so glad you were able to tie Sega into that. I recommend sending some letters to Sega to get this to happen. Really, even though I think the guy is an overrated douche, he would help Sega in a way that only he can. Plus he likes the Xbox (I think he views it as a spiritual successor to Sega’s work, as I do), and doesn’t seem to like Sony very much because he once said that he’d rather make a game for the Saturn than he would the Playstation. So if Sega decides to get him on the ship, I’ll be very happy for Sega’s sake, not necessarily his.
Gamerschoice
Posted June 5th, 2008 at 7:10 am.
I think he might do a good job with billy hatcher.
ribbitking17
Posted June 5th, 2008 at 12:19 pm.