Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi leaving SEGA along with Daisuke Sato
Posted on 3 years ago by Bryce(@brodee922) in General Gaming, News | 0 comments
Two senior members of SEGA are leaving the company – Toshihiro Nagoshi and Daisuke Sato. The development studio behind the Yakuza series, Ryu Ga Gotoku, announced the departure of Nagoshi and Sato in a statement about the company’s future.
Toshihiro Nagoshi is the creator of the Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball series, and in the company’s statement they say that there was a time where “‘Ryu Ga Gotoku’ was basically synonymous with ‘Toshihiro Nagoshi.'” However, Nagoshi is moving on and leaving not only his development studio but also SEGA in general. The reason for his departure is not given in the press release, nor is what he will do next, but he isn’t the only one leaving the company.
Daisuke Sato, a senior producer and designer (also the Executive Manager of Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD), is leaving the company with Nagoshi. He also did not list a reason for leaving, but he has served as head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio for over 9 years. He says that he is confident that the studio will thrive without him, and that he is grateful to the fans that supported him and their games for so long.
Check out the company’s full statement here as well as extended comments by Daisuke Sato and Toshihiro Nagoshi.
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F-Zero GX producer Toshihiro Nagoshi open to working on the series again, would want new game to be challenging
Posted on 3 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments
Nintendo hasn’t done much with the F-Zero series in well over a decade. F-Zero GX, one of the series’ last major entries, came out way back in 2003 for the GameCube.
Toshihiro Nagoshi is known for the Yakuza series these days, but fans may remember that he held an important role on F-Zero GX. Nagoshi was actually a producer on the game all of those years ago. It seems as though he still has fond memories of the project, as he’d be open to revisiting the series.
More: F-Zero, interview, top, Toshihiro Nagoshi
Nagoshi on SEGA making games for GameCube, was surprised by Nintendo’s unity
Posted on 4 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments
Just like Nintendo, SEGA used to produce its own consoles. But after the disappointing performance of the Dreamcast, the company pulled out of the hardware market. It then became a third-party publisher, and was forced to work with Nintendo – something that was unheard of previously due to the rivalry between the two sides.
As part of an interview with Otaquest, SEGA chief creative officer Toshihiro Nagoshi spoke about what it was like creating titles for the GameCube after the company moved on from the console business. Nagoshi told the site that he initially decided to meet with various people from Nintendo, including late president Hiroshi Yamauchi. He was shocked by those conversations as Nagoshi “never encountered a company where everyone held the same stance and desires and worked together in unity”. This was in high contrast to SEGA, since “it was guaranteed to get at least one differing answer”.
Nagoshi’s full words:
More: interview, SEGA, Toshihiro Nagoshi
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD devs talk new modes, making the game easier, glitches, and why the time is ripe for a remake
Posted on 5 years ago by Oni Dino(@Oni_Dino) in News, Switch | 0 comments
“I was totally addicted to this game when I was younger, so I’m putting in a ton of Easter eggs and details!”
-Masao Shirosaki, producer & director
The recent announcement of Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD marks the series’ return to home consoles since 9 years. To commemorate remaking the game for current-gen consoles, the latest issue of Famitsu features an interview with two key members of the team, Toshihiro Nagoshi and Masao Shirosaki. The interview discusses how development has been coming along, the series’ history, what makes the games so attractive, and new features that are being added to the remake.
We’ve prepared a full translation below the break.
Toshihiro Nagoshi on what makes Nintendo amazing, differences in ways of making games from SEGA
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments
Toshihiro Nagoshi has worked on many high-profile IPs throughout his time at SEGA. These days he’s known for the Yakuza series, but he also created Super Monkey Ball and was a producer on F-Zero GX.
In an interview with Famitsu, Nagoshi highlighted the differences between how Nintendo and SEGA make games. He also touched on what he feels was so amazing about Nintendo. Here’s the excerpt, courtesy of Siliconera:
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Yakuza series producer says Switch ports haven’t been considered for now, characters unlikely for Smash Bros.
Posted on 5 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments
Last year, Yakuza producer Daisuke Sato was asked about the possibility of having the franchise appear on Switch. Sato didn’t seem too enthusiastic about the possibility at the time. Unfortunately, series producer Toshihiro Nagoshi has issued a similar sentiment, telling IGN Japan that ports haven’t been considered for now.
You also probably won’t be seeing Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nagoshi joked around and said that director Masahiro Sakurai perhaps would not want them.
Sonic is one SEGA character you can play as in Smash Bros. SEGA also owns Atlus, and Joker from Persona 5 will soon be added to the roster as DLC as well.
SEGA’s Toshihiro Nagoshi on creating Super Monkey Ball, impressing Nintendo with F-Zero GX, pitched Yakuza to Nintendo
Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in GameCube, General Nintendo, News | 0 comments
Toshihiro Nagoshi has been crucial to the company having directed the Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza franchises. He was also a producer on F-Zero GX on GameCube.
This month’s issue of EDGE has an interview with Nagoshi. There was some noteworthy talk about all of these franchises and games, with Nagoshi discussing Super Monkey Ball’s creation, managing to impress Nintendo with F-Zero GX, and having pitched Yakuza to Nintendo at one point.
More: interview, SEGA, top, Toshihiro Nagoshi
SEGA planning more free-to-play games for 3DS
Posted on 10 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 0 comments
Initial D Perfect Drift Online is SEGA’s first free-to-play game on 3DS. Apparently, it won’t be their last.
SEGA chief creative officer Toshihiro Nagoshi told Famitsu:
“We don’t intend to stop with this title, and after looking over its results, we’ll think about what to do next. However, unlike games for smartphones, I believe there’s a perfect shape of ways to do things, somewhere out there, for the Nintendo 3DS. I believe that finding it will be our challenge, and in many ways, Initial D will be our first step.”
“At the moment, I can say that we’ve been thinking about plenty of things. We have suggestions amongst ourselves like ‘wouldn’t this be a perfect game for a F2P title on Nintendo 3DS’ and many more. So when the time comes to talk about it… we’ll just leave it at that for now.”
