Tecmo today announced that Dead or Alive 4, their popular fighting game for Xbox 360 consoles, sold over 1 million copies worldwide.
Tomonobu Itagaki is the Japanese video game designer who heads Team Ninja, one of Tecmo’s development teams. He is widely known for his work on the Dead or Alive series of video games. But his next Ninja Gaiden games development might be stalled now as he’s on trial.
Itagaki has been sued for sexual harassment by a former female staff member at Tecmo. This is alleged to have happened in 2003, and she demands 10 million yen ($85,000). Apparently, Itagaki admits that something took place, but insists that both parties volunteered for it. I wonder if that’s what he told his wife and two kids. Read the full story at 1UP.
Update December 5th 2007: Itagaki’s sexual harassment case has been settled and the charges against him dismissed. Today the suit has been settled in the Tokyo District Court and Itagaki was found innocent.
To quote: “A verdict has been handed out in the sexual harassment case that was brought against me by a former female employee of Tecmo. I have held my head high and have fought the good fight for the past year in order to clear my name and to uphold the reputations of Team NINJA and of Tecmo,” said Itagaki to 1UP. “The former employee’s arguments were judged to have been false, and all claims that she has brought against me have been dismissed. [I have put the] whole matter behind me and [want to] focus on doing what I do best, which is making great games.”