Tecmo has accepted Tomonobu Itagaki’s resignation from Team Ninja, effective this July. What’s better (or worse, depending on your perspective) is that Itagaki’s development team will stay intact, and we’ll still get games in the future from Team Ninja. No word yet on who’ll be taking the helm, but Tecmo’s statment below suggests they have begun work on several new projects.
Would you buy a new Ninja Gaiden game from Tecmo…without Itagaki’s name on it?
“On June 3, 2008, Tomonobu Itagaki, executive producer of Tecmo-owned development studio Team Ninja, submitted his resignation. Due to the fact that he had recently filed a legal complaint against Tecmo, there was no choice but to accept his resignation. His resignation is effective July 1, 2008.
“The legal complaint is in regard to a claim to an incentive bonus linked to a past project. The parties could not reach an amicable resolution to this matter, and Itagaki chose to seek a legal remedy. Tecmo will let the court decide the outcome of this case and will seek a true, fair, and quick resolution.
“Most importantly, Tecmo would like to assure its loyal fans that Team Ninja, known for its top-selling and critically acclaimed Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises, is intact and, as a matter of fact, has several new projects already underway. Team Ninja is, more than ever, committed to producing compelling and cutting-edge games in order to maintain its reputation as a high-quality developer and to continue to receive the support of its loyal fans.”
Pingback: The Tanooki » Up to three dozen more may be leaving Team Ninja