Sonic Co-Creator Yuji Naka Arrested Over Dragon Quest Recreation

Over the previous 24 hours a variety of individuals in Japan—together with a Sq. Enix worker—have been arrested on insider buying and selling fees associated to a Dragon Quest recreation announcement. Legendary Sega designer Yuji Naka is reportedly amongst them.

The scandal facilities round a studio referred to as Aiming, which in 2020 was introduced because the developer of a brand new Dragon Quest recreation, referred to as Tact. Final evening, it was first alleged that 38-year-old Sq. Enix worker Taisuke Sazaki, who has labored on Closing Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts video games, knew of the deal earlier than it was publicly introduced, and together with a good friend bought a ton of shares in Aiming, hoping to revenue when their share value (presumably) went up.

Naka, 57, who’s credited as one of many essential creators of Sonic the Hedgehog and who has additionally labored on all the pieces from NiGHTS Into Desires to Phantasy Star, has since been arrested on comparable fees. In response to this FNN report, Naka is accused of additionally understanding concerning the Aiming deal earlier than it was public information, and taking the chance to buy 10,000 shares within the firm.

Whereas most well-known for his work with Sega, Naka had most just lately teamed up with Sq. Enix on the ill-fated 3D platformer Balan Wonderland. He parted methods with the corporate in April 2021; these allegations stem from 2020, when he was nonetheless working with the writer.

Naka was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Workplace, which is continuous its investigation. Naka is alleged to have bought 10,000 shares, price ¥2.8 million, or round USD$20,000. (Sazaki, in the meantime, is accused of shopping for ¥26.4 million price, or round USD$188,000.) Authorities have but to reveal whether or not any of the three males arrested thus far nonetheless owned these shares, or whether or not they had been offered off for revenue previous to the investigation.

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Kotaku reached out to Sq. Enix for remark.