On the eve of Ninja Gaiden 2’s release, director Tomonobu Itagaki has announced that he is leaving Team Ninja and suing Tecmo. 

According to 1up.com, Itagaki’s aide Andrew Szymanski confirmed his resignation:

At approximately 2:30 PM Japan Standard Time today, June 3 2008, an official statement from Tomonobu Itagaki was sent by fax to major Japanese news outlets. In the interest of fair and expedient reporting of this story throughout the English-speaking world, I have been asked by Itagaki to convey this statement to you. Herein find attached Itagaki’s official statement, in English, for the benefit of your readers.

…You will likely have questions regarding the content of the statement, or about Itagaki’s future plans. I am afraid that I will be unable to answer such questions for the time being; however, rest assured that more information will be forthcoming as soon as it is deemed appropriate to do so.

Here’s an extract from Itagaki’s resignation letter, explaining why he has made such a drastic move:

Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced. However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment. 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. Thus, I have no choice but to resign from Tecmo Co., Ltd.

The conduct of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its president Yoshimi Yasuda towards me has been unbefitting of a publicly-listed company. I have filed this lawsuit with a strong intent to question the social responsibility of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its President Yoshimi Yasuda, as well as condemning them for their unjust acts. Today, in addition to announcing the reasons for this lawsuit, I make clear my reasons for resigning.

To All Game Fans

I truly feel sorry to all the fans of the games I have made. Ninja Gaiden 2, which will launch on the 3rd of June will be the last Ninja Gaiden I will create. I will also never be able to make Dead or Alive 5. I regret the circumstances that have forced me to leave Tecmo, where I had worked for so many years, and I regret the disappointment this will cause my fans. However, I can no longer continue to work with President Yoshimi Yasuda, a man who chooses not to honor promises even when he is able to do so. I truly hope that nothing like this happens again in the future.

This is a complete shock to the gaming world, with one of the most iconic developers leaving the team and games that he made so famous. It’s unsure what Itagaki has planned next, but before his resignation he did state he was working on a brand new violent action game. 

Ninja Gaiden 2 releases today, so fans better eat it up as this will be Itagaki’s last Ninja Gaiden title.

We’ll bring you more information on Itagaki’s resignation and lawsuit when it becomes available.

Source: 1up.com

The stars continue to align… Following the dubious 20th March countdown on an unknown website, a somewhat reliable Japanese news source has revealed that the Home Open Beta will begin on March 24th in Japan.

Jonnyram, as he is known on the Neogaf Forums, says in carefully chosen words “Home open beta starts 24 March in Japan. Sorry if old.”

It’s very possible that the original countdown is to signify the end of the closed beta and the beginning of a worldwide open beta for Sony’s Home. Though Jonnyram is trusted on the infamous Neogaf forums, his reliability is unknown to us, so take his words with a pinch of salt.

Enjoy some footage of the most recent build of Home below.

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Image: Fragcast