Itagaki departs Team Ninja, suing over unpaid bonuses

News - Crikey

Outspoken Japanese game designer Tomonobu Itagaki, boss of Team Ninja (Ninja Gaiden II, et al), has quit the firm and is reported to be suing publishing parent Tecmo for alleged "unpaid completion bonuses".

Itagaki's resignation began on June 1st, we're told, the game maestro having only just completed work on the new Ninja Gaiden game.

"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," read a statement.

Itagaki believes he was entitled to the bonus before starting work on Dead or Alive 4, accusing Tecmo's chief of a variety of misdemeanors.

"President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant, telling me, ‘If you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.’ In addition, he made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment," Itagaki offered.

"Thus, I have no choice but to resign from Tecmo."

The developer is reportedly sorry not to be making Dead or Alive 5, making new release Ninja Gaiden II his last Tecmo-backed title.

Source: 1UP.com