Itagaki sues Tecmo, decides to leave Team Ninja

by Dustin Burg { Jun 3rd 2008 at 4:15AM }

As we eagerly await our chance to experience the Ninja Gaiden II demo we just caught wind of a VERY juicy announcement coming from Mr. cool shades, Ninja Gaiden creator and Team Ninja member Tomonobu Itagaki. Simply stated, Itagaki is suing Tecmo and just announced plans to leave Team Ninja ... ZOMG!

According to 1UP who received an official letter from one of Itagaki's aids, Itagaki reveals that he is suing Tecmo for 145 million yen due to "unpaid completion bonuses" and because Itagaki claims that there were "unreasonable and disingenuous statements made towards me" by Tecmo's president Yoshimi Yasuda which caused "significant emotional distress." The letter goes on to say that the lawsuit is based on a "strong intent to question the social responsibility of Tecmo Co., Ltd." and that Itagaki will resign from Tecmo effective July 1st. Ending his letter, Itagaki addresses his fans, saying that Ninja Gaiden II "will be the last Ninja Gaiden I will create", mentions that he will never "be able to make Dead or Alive 5" and, for that, Itagaki regrets "the disappointment this will cause" those who have enjoyed his work.

Wow ... we're speechless. Itagaki leaves Team Ninja, leaves behind franchises that he helped bring to life and leaves both his fans and the industry, well ... speechless. We can only assume that Itagaki's battle with Tecmo will be hard fought and is going to get very, very ugly.

Tags: itagaki, ng2, ninja-gaiden-2, ninja-gaiden-ii, team-ninja, tecmo, tomonobu-itagaki

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jack @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:29AM

Wow. What the hell...

xenocidic @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:25AM

teh dramaz!

Richard DeV @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:31AM

I wonder what the president of Tecmo said about him. Had to of been real bad.

BananaBoat @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:40AM

Best guess is that they said he sexually harasses women in the workplace (He has been sued for doing it before) even though it's never been proven or anything. That's the only thing I could see affecting his "personal relationships" (IE: His wife getting really really pissed thinking the allegations are true).

Either way...to think that Itagaki will have no hand in Ninja Gaiden III or Dead or Alive 5 when he built DOA up from nothing, and revived Ninja Gaiden from nothing....wow....

FordGTGuy @ Jun 3rd 2008 6:24AM

Dude the sexual harassment charges against him were dropped in court when it turned out that the women was lying about it the entire time.

BananaBoat @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:51AM

I know, that's why I said that it hadn't been proven. Even though it wasn't proven, he was demoted by Tecmo for fooling around at work. So if they'd go so far as to demote him, I can see them making comments about him and all the other things claimed in the press release. I'd say the unpaid bonuses are the real meat of his case though, so we'll see how this pans out.

Richard DeV @ Jun 4th 2008 12:20AM

I forgot all about that sexual harassment deal, totally has to be one of the reasons why he left.

Mike @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:33AM

Well, at the very least I'm glad he stuck around for three years to produce Ninja Gaiden II. Probably wasn't easy...

BananaBoat @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:35AM

I guess he was outraged that his demo didn't come out in time for the games launch.

Now I'm conflicted....do I support Itagaki and not buy Ninja Gaiden II? Or do I support Tecmo and buy Ninja Gaiden II? My brain hurts. Obviously the timing isn't a coincidence, and Itagaki would LOVE for us not to buy the game...but....I don't know....

DemonGSides @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:57PM

He still gets paid, either way.

john paul @ Jun 3rd 2008 3:08PM

Isnt it published by MGS?

UNSCleric @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:51AM

Hopefully MS brings him on board with them.

Van Faulk @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:53AM

Exactly. Sure he can't make ninja Gaiden but he can still make games about ninjas.

Razor_1138 @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:04AM

When he leaves and the games he made (DOA, Ninja Gaiden etc..) will still sell only b/c of the name, but prob not half as much with out Itagaki

Cytech @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:10AM

Hmmm... 145 million for "stress" ? I think that Mr.Itagaki is pushing the sue for the money. Come on it sounds like he's being dramatic just to get this money to form a support from the fan but I think he could win since he is the creator ALL these games and the leader of Team Ninja. Mmmm I think he could win but at the expense of the company?

Razor_1138 @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:27AM

Cytech said...

Hmmm... 145 million for "stress" ? I think that Mr.Itaga

That's not a HUGE amount of money..that's only like $1.4 million. And being Tecmo, that aint $hit.

FordGTGuy @ Jun 3rd 2008 6:31AM

Its funny to see people who don't even understand Yen to Dollar conversions. Not you Razor but Cytech.

Thats $1,383,735 in United States dollars. For whats probably been three years of emotional abuse doesn't sound to much to me seeing as Tecmo will be making way more money from the game then this.

Jack the Ripper @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:12AM

God bless this man for telling his bosses to kiss his bony yellow ass. I hope he wins everything he wants in court, starts his own company. and blasts Tecmo out of the damn water.

ZenGaijin @ Jun 3rd 2008 6:33AM

Well this just came outta nowhere.

DM89 @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:25AM

No more Code Cronus.......? =*(

Johnny_Ridden @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:36PM

We all know that's a good thing. DOA series was a joke from the start. unless you like playing with one hand inside your pants.

AJ @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:33AM

Love to see this guy team up with a western developer, just to see what they might be able to come up with together.

Ross @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:54AM

He's not leaving.

He just broke free.

... From the MATRIX.

Amirite?

Boff @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:59AM

Christ! That one came out of nowhere! Can't see him leaving the game industry altogether.

Somebody will snap him up! Or he starts his own team....

Disco Ball @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:03AM

Microsoft game studios, to the rescue!

SABCA @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:38AM

WOAH. Now THAT's surprising. Itagaki no longer leading his "digital daughters"? Team Ninja is losing it's soul, and Tecmo is losing it's biggest star... this is definitely going to feel WEIRD.

Rob Bourne @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:56AM

Surely he will get royalties for the sales of NG2 etc, won't he?

If so, don't boycott the game because of this revelation :D

And to whoever said MS Game Studios to the rescue - I think you may be on to something there!

Prhime @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:58AM

Didn't he state before that this was the last ninja gaiden he would be working on / in control of at the MS Spring Showcase. "NGII is my final instalement"

also he said he wants to work on a total new and unrealted project and mentioned working on a game based on Pacific Theater during WWII.

-so i guess this is old news that was hinted but no one would have ever guessed it to happen like this with flair and a little spice on topic with the lawsuit and all that

Rob Bourne @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:58AM

p.s. I've tried uploading an avatar multiple times and it never updates, despite it confirming the upload, wtf halp

PeacefulOutrage @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:15PM

You have to do it on Joystiq for some reason.

Revray @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:00AM

Easy solution to the conundrum of either supporting Tecmo or the New Hotness, flash your 360, buy a kreon drive and burn the hell out of it. You support the New Hotness by playing the game, and give it to Tecmo. I of course, I have no idea what flashing your 360 or buying a "kreon" drive means. I just heard it around town, you know, I'm just saying.

Prhime @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:59AM

-also, agreed with the MS position looking more and more likely

-good thing Tecmo brought back out Tecmo Bowl....if only this was the late 80s /start dream sequence

Prhime @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:59AM

-also, agreed with the MS position looking more and more likely

-good thing Tecmo brought back out Tecmo Bowl....if only this was the late 80s /start dream sequence

Arnon @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:26AM

*salutes* Itagaki

NitroFrost @ Jun 3rd 2008 10:10AM

WHY!!!!!!!!!!!WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will always remember the times I have had playing his games and I wish him the best.

CharleyTony @ Jun 3rd 2008 10:14AM

This guy just became the biggest free agent in gaming out there ...
Microsoft needs to get this guy back onboard and make him the deal of a lifetime.
Something like what they did for Sakaguchi (Lost Odyssey). They fund him the money to make a studio and get exclusive games from that guy.
NOW!!!

iFester @ Jun 3rd 2008 10:48AM

I recall him stating I think it was GDC that Ninja Gaiden II will be the best action game on the best console. Sure it sounded like a marketing line, but I'm getting the impression he is getting tired of Japan's gaming industry and working with Microsoft Game Studios as publisher may have given him a taste for western gaming. The man is a rock star and I think western gaming might suite him as a change. We'll see what happens and I wish him luck.

Trogdor @ Jun 3rd 2008 10:57AM

I hope he comes over to MS, I don't want to risk losing his games on the 360.

Deck @ Jun 3rd 2008 11:52AM

Craziness!

But I do find the dramaz entertaining!

Tony Bowman @ Jun 3rd 2008 11:56AM

I think that whatever Itakaki-san comes up with next, because there is no doubt he will either start a new studio on his own or get picked up by another well-funded operation, will be aslick, quick, and deadly beast of a game. Can't wait!

Daniel Davis @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:30PM

Itagaki-san did say in an interview with Kotaku (is that how you spell it?) he said that working with MGS as a publisher on NG2 felt like a rebirth, the assests he could use thru Microsoft like playtesters really impressed him. I think with the fraudulent sexual harassment case against him, it sounds like his boss, Tecmos prez was not supportive, which may have resulted in a hostile work environment. I am sure Microsoft execs had Itagaki-san's ear during the past few years and I would bet that he said he was thinking of leaving, you know they thought a dev team lead by him in Microsoft Game Studios would be awesome. I am sure a deal is in place, Itagaki-san said an announcement for his next game would happen in July. I can see an annoucement by MGS, stating Itagaki-san has his own studio and his next game is such and such.