Tecmo responds to Itagaki's remarks and departure

by Dustin Burg { Jun 4th 2008 at 11:30AM }

After digesting what soon to be former Team Ninja member Tomonobu Itagaki had to say about their company and their president (it's Itagakigate!), Tecmo has taken the offensive.

Denying any responsibility for unpaid bonuses that Itagaki claims they didn't pay him, Tecmo says that they do and continue to pay bonuses to their employees and believes that the bonus Itagaki specifically mentioned in his letter was one that was promised by previous company management. Tecmo also says that the allegations about Tecmo CEO Yoshimi Yasuda are pretty much baseless and are a product of "distortions" by Itagaki. All in all, Tecmo isn't happy that Itagaki decided to make this legal mess a public issue and complained about the fact that Itagaki is acting like he exclusively developed the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive properties. Like we said ... this is going to get U-G-L-Y.

Tags: team-ninja, tecmo, tomonobu-itagaki

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Yonatan @ Jun 4th 2008 11:42AM

FIRSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT BIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATCHHHH.

DjDATZ @ Jun 4th 2008 1:20PM

I hope your life is now complete. You can go kill yourself now.

Viva La Champ @ Jun 4th 2008 11:43AM

So is there, or is there not going to be another Ninja Gaiden, or Dead or Alive 5?? I'm confused XP

Baligouxji @ Jun 4th 2008 11:59AM

I think there will be, just not made by him. Hopefully there's some one else at Team Ninja who's as crazy-good as he was. Which I'm sure there is, but still... Itagaki will be missed. It's still just really odd since it would seems like Tecmo would have wanted to do anything in order to keep him.

Mr Khan @ Jun 4th 2008 12:28PM

Maybe they'll get Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture to start taking over Team Ninja's products, like they got control over Tecmo's Fatal Frame IV

Dirty @ Jun 4th 2008 12:59PM

I'm just going to go out on a limb and suggest that perhaps the next DOA will have fewer bouncy breasts without Itakgaki at the helm.

DjDATZ @ Jun 4th 2008 1:21PM

Oh teh noes! Flat chicks in DOA!! LOL

Dirty @ Jun 4th 2008 1:59PM

That came out funny. My engrish is not so good in the mornings.

For the record I am not suggesting that they take out the bouncy breasts, I am merely stating that without Itagaki at the helm they probably wont have such exaggerated female body parts. I'm all for bigger floppy boobies in games.

Dirty @ Jun 4th 2008 1:00PM

I'm just going to go out on a limb and suggest that perhaps the next DOA will have fewer bouncy breasts without Itakgaki at the helm.

Pudge @ Jun 4th 2008 1:06PM

Tecmo's right, DOA and Ninja Gaiden were not solo projects. But considering that Itagaki was the innovative leader behind the team of developers that made the game, it's going to be hard to recapture the magic behind the games. DOA might be easy considering how formulaic it is, but Ninja Gaiden 3 will be horrible if they attempt it.

Musicman247 @ Jun 4th 2008 2:37PM

Agreed. It would be like taking Peter Molyneux away and then trying to make Fable 3 or Black and White 3. It might be a good game, but it just wouldn't be the same.

DjDATZ @ Jun 4th 2008 1:23PM

"believes that the bonus Itagaki specifically mentioned in his letter was one that was promised by previous company management."

Regardless of who promised him those bonuses, it was in the company's name. The company should honour such a promise regardless of which company management promised it to him. Especially so, if the work he was doing for them was with these specific bonuses hanging above his head.

nick @ Jun 4th 2008 3:03PM

I agree, that they even admit that prior company management made a promise that wasn't kept seems to me that they're admitting Itagaki is right. Just became management changed, doesn't necessarily mean any deal made with Itagaki changed.

metallbizkit @ Jun 5th 2008 8:41AM

You know... I was thinking the same thing. It doesn't matter, the company had promised it to him, so he deserves it no matter what. It's quite odd that they state they "believe" it to be a previous offer... why wouldn't they know? Wouldn't the first thing to do be to investigate the issue before one of your best employees (at least in sales) leaves?