Ninja Gaiden producer Tom Itagaki quits his job at Tecmo

[Timstuff]

This was reported a few days ago, but I don't see anyone here talking about it, so I figured I'd post this. Apparently, Dead or Alive series creator and Ninja Gaiden producer Tomonobu Itagaki quit his job at Tecmo, and is suing them for about $1,400,000. He has stated that he did not recieve a bonus that he was promised, and that he feels like the company undermined his reputation with his subordinates (this may be connected with the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him last year). He's going to continue making games elsewhere, but he will no longer be involved with Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168056

Tecmo quickly responded, and stated that the company's bonus policy changed, and that Itagaki was paid a bonus under the new policy, and they want to seek a settlement as soon as possible. They apologized to Team Ninja's fans, and stated that Team Ninja has multiple new projects underway.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168077

I have mixed feelings about this, but the strongest of them is curiosity. Given that he has a rock star complex and works within the highly regimented Japanese business world, it's not at all hard to imagine what kind of friction must have existed between Itagaki and the rest of the company. He frequently bashed his peers and even his own co-workers, which isn't professional behavior by a long shot.

Also, he was a huge Xbox fanboy, and in the increasingly multiplatform industry that is third party videogames, that apparently got him into a lot of fights with his bosses. He did not like the idea of Ninja Gaiden being ported to Playstation 3, and even bashed that project's producer in a few interviews. Ironically, the fellow producer who he bashed is likely the one that will replace him when the next Ninja Gaiden title begins development.

It's hard to gauge how this will effect Tecmo looking forward. Given that Ninja Gaiden II and Dead or Alive 4 were criticized for similarity to their last-gen predicessors, while Itagaki hailed them as being big improvements, one has to wonder how much water his well still had in it. While Itagaki was arguably the best thing Tecmo had going for them, injecting fresh blood into the franchises he spearheaded might bring about some new ideas that Itagaki was too stubborn to impliment.

So basically-- does this mean Dead or Alive 5 finally have skin textures?

 

[venom892]

He always seemed to me like the type of guy who pleasures himself to the thought of himself.

 

[Addendum]

The only thing I liked by Team Ninja was Ninja Gaiden. But I did like reading his interviews

 

[Timstuff]

I liked reading his interviews, if only for the "holy crap, he can actually say that and keep his job?" factor. However, that's probably not going to go away assuming that he finds a new job quickly. His self-inflated ego might make finding work a bit of a challenge, though, so quitting his job may not have been the smartest idea. But hey, that's true of any loud-mouthed employee who is difficult to cooperate with.

 

[Addendum]

Though if he either worked for Sony, or made exclusives for Sony, then your complaints would be nonexistent

 

[Benstamania]

Can't stand the guy, and if he worked for Sony I still wouldn't be able to stand him. I never found his Ninja Gaiden games that good anyway...

The first game came down to this..

Find a wall, jump off of it, slash down, repeat.

No wall?

Roll, jump, slash, repeat.

Sure, there are other moves but, none of them are as effective.

 

[Timstuff]

Though if he either worked for Sony, or made exclusives for Sony, then your complaints would be nonexistent

Given how big of an MS ****e he is, I think my reputation is well protected. And even so, he's hit the wall in recent years with DOA4 and NG2, which were fairly disappointing in comparison to their predecessors. I'm more interested in seeing what Team Ninja does without him than what he does without them.

 

[Speedball]

Uggh...
He weirds me out...

 

[DorkyFresh]

he compared himself to Kojima....

 

[Addendum]

Given how big of an MS ****e he is, I think my reputation is well protected.

One with torn clothes is mocking the naked

 

[Addendum]

Edit: Double post

 

[Speedball]

he compared himself to Kojima....

That's the funniest thing I've seen all day!
He wishes he could be as innovative and thought provoking as Kojima...
All he's interested in is teh b00biez...

 

[Addendum]

So where was the comparison to Kojima, or do I need a ouija board and a guide dog to read between the spaces

 

[DorkyFresh]

it's not there, but i remember Itagaki vaguely comparing himself to Kojima.

http://www.mcvuk.com/interviews/260/Ninjas-theory

Is NG II the definitive action game of the year?
Well, MGS4 is also coming out right at the same time. I think it’s out of those two.

I think Hideo Kojima (director of MGS) is very much like myself. He believes that he’s creating a game the world will love.

 

[Addendum]

So it was an earlier interview, and not in the link at the start of the thread He also said he admires Peter Molyneux and wants to be like him.

Is it really something important?

 

[DorkyFresh]

So it was an earlier interview, and not in the link at the start of the thread?

he still compared himself to Kojima. everyone knows this guy is an egomaniac and i felt like poking fun at the guy. so i posted that he compared himself to Kojima. i didn't know we were restricted to talking about only what was in the articles Timstuff posted...

He also said he admires Peter Molyneux and wants to be like him.

saying that you want to be like your idol and comparing yourself to your idol is different. i have no doubt that he has characteristics that are similar to Kojima's, but comparing yourself to someone who is leagues beyond you is a sign of conceit.

Is it really something important?

erm....no. whoever said it was?

 

[Addendum]

They both make games that people enjoy. Whether one is "leagues above the other" is a matter of opinion.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Either you guys just want to bash Itagaki or have a weird reading comprehension.
Where did he compared himself with Kojima?

I think Hideo Kojima (director of MGS) is very much like myself. He believes that he’s creating a game the world will love.

In the quote above he said that i finds himself with Kojima because they both make games they believe in and think that the world will love, that´s not the same as to say as better aor as good as.
Besides, Kojima is such as overracted as any other, he is hardly the God developed many like to say just because he made MGS.

 

[DorkyFresh]

They both make games that people enjoy. Whether one is "leagues above the other" is a matter of opinion.

until Itagaki makes a game that is as deep and philosophical as Metal Gear Solid 1, he's nowhere near Kojima's level....that's my opinion.

Either you guys just want to bash Itagaki or have a weird reading comprehension.
Where did he compared himself with Kojima?

just because he didn't go into detail doesn't mean he didn't compare. anytime you say that you're like someone else, you're comparing yourself to them....even if it's on a minimal level. that's not weird reading comprehension, that's just common sense. if you say "i'm like Batman", you're comparing yourself to Batman, right? well...Itagaki basically said "i'm like Kojima" to a lesser extent.

that´s not the same as to say as better aor as good as.

i never thought that way, but the mere fact that he compared himself to Kojima is just funny to me...even if it's just to say that they both make games that people enjoy. i could easily compare myself to Jim Lee or Adam Hughes and say that we make art that people like to look at.

Besides, Kojima is such as overracted as any other, he is hardly the God developed many like to say just because he made MGS.

Kojima is held in as high of a regard as he is, because he deserves to be there. even if Kojima is overrated, he's still more of a game developer than Itagaki could ever be. i don't think Kojima is a gaming Jesus or anything, but i know how good of a game developer he is and Itagaki just cannot compare.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

To tell the truth, the only game made by Itagaki that i played is Ninja Gaiden Black, and that´s just an amazing game.
Do you like God of War? Devil May Cry?
And don´t even tell me that the game sucks compared to those, because it does not, not even close.
As for DoA, i never played any, but for all i know, it´s as good of a fighting game as any other.

So, i can´t even understand why the all "Itagaki sucks" all of a sudden, but i´m positive that if he made games for the Playstation, the man a "God on Earth".
That is fanboyism as it´s purest form....

 

[Addendum]

To tell the truth, the only game made by Itagaki that i played is Ninja Gaiden Black, and that´s just an amazing game.
Do you like God of War? Devil May Cry?
And don´t even tell me that the game sucks compared to those, because it does not, not even close.
As for DoA, i never played any, but for all i know, it´s as good of a fighting game as any other.

So, i can´t even understand why the all "Itagaki sucks" all of a sudden, but i´m positive that if he made games for the Playstation, the man a "God on Earth".
That is fanboyism as it´s purest form....

That's been my entire point

 

[DorkyFresh]

To tell the truth, the only game made by Itagaki that i played is Ninja Gaiden Black, and that´s just an amazing game.
Do you like God of War? Devil May Cry?
And don´t even tell me that the game sucks compared to those, because it does not, not even close. As for DoA, i never played any, but for all i know, it´s as good of a fighting game as any other.

i'm sorry, i didn't know we weren't allowed to have our own opinions.

anyway, i've played Ninja Gaiden and a couple of the Dead or Alives. Ninja Gaiden was too hard for me and i didn't really get into the Dead or Alive series. however, i don't hold my personal taste against him. he's definitely churned out some quality titles even if i don't dig them.

So, i can´t even understand why the all "Itagaki sucks" all of a sudden, but i´m positive that if he made games for the Playstation, the man a "God on Earth".
That is fanboyism as it´s purest form....

nice of you to insinuate. i guess that's how you want others to treat you as well. i, personally, don't care for his games but i don't hold that against him. what i DO hold against him, is his attitude and his over-inflated ego. the guy has bad mouthed several games publicly and never takes his sunglasses off. even if his arguments are sound (which some of them were), it's very unprofessional and egotistical to call out those games like that. you won't see Kojima talking down about Splinter Cell or (random game that utilizes a peak and shoot system).

the reason i don't like the guy has NOTHING to do with him preferring the Xbox360's hardware. if he prefers to develop on that system because he finds the PS3 too complex, that's fine. i really could give 2 *****s since i never really play his games anyway. my reason for not liking the guy is simply because he has a snotty attitude. plain and simple. if he were developing games exclusively for the PS3, my opinion about him wouldn't change one bit.

it's not fair for you guys to ASSUME that the only reason people hate the guy is because he prefers to make games for the 360. while i'm sure many people do, that's not the only reason why people don't like him. Itagaki is CONSTANTLY being called an egomaniac and conceited. i'm sorry if you guys like Itagaki or his games, but the guy is simply an ass. he's burned too many bridges because he's treated his peers poorly. if he left Tecmo out of frustration, he has no one to blame but himself and his ego.




if you want to believe that people don't like the guy just because he prefers to develop games for the 360, then fine........continue to be ignorant.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

You are allowed to have your opinions, and i don´t disagree with you that Itagaki is kind of a egomaniac prick.
In fact, that attitude is, imo, the only thing that can make MS not put him in their payroll.
And i wasn´t adressing to you (or anyone else in particular for that matter) when i said that "if he developed games for the playstation...", but that´s a given to many of the "Itagaki haters" that are coming all over the internet.

 

[Addendum]

Some games warrant being "bad mouthed publicly" as well as in private. I see nothing wrong in a game developer ranking their competition. It can be nothing more than horsing around, or it could be a method to get the competition to strive for something better, even though it never really happens.

 

[DorkyFresh]

bad mouthing the competition is something you would expect from Uwe Boll, not a professional video game developer.