Itagaki confesses to drinking on the job
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Jul 5th 2006 at 5:25PM }
He's been called an eccentric, a rock star, a hypocrite and once, even a game designer. Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki has been called a lot of things and, following on from an interview conducted by "Of course, there are ups and downs, waves, of how I drink in terms of the amount, but it's a long period of time. In the last ten years - not that you asked this question - I think I had better ideas when I was drinking whisky. When I am drinking shochu, that's a conservative drink, so the ideas are not that great. Beer is just like water to me, so it just helps me and everyone else loosen up a little bit, it doesn't really contribute to coming up with ideas." The interview mostly stays on the topic of Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (a game which Itagaki says he's developing as a hobby), but does reveal that Ninja Gaiden 2 is currently in its planning stages.
If alcohol is a vital ingredient in games like Ninja Gaiden, we say let Itagaki and his team have a drink and loosen up. Heck, we encourage him to drink himself into a stupor -- we're sure a couple of vomit-encrusted keyboards are worth receiving another refreshingly difficult ninja kill-em-up. The man's outspoken for certain (don't forget his 5 most hated games, Tekkens 1 through 5), but he usually does a good job of sticking to his promises. That's one trait that many game designers could do well to adopt. Well, that and raging alcoholism.
[tHaNKsh enbob89! Hic.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SuicideNinja @ Jul 5th 2006 5:39PM
Ninja Gaiden 2, now there's a next gen game we need to some some progress on.
Belcho @ Jul 5th 2006 5:42PM
YES FINALLY NINJA GAIDEN 2 (next-gen). I'll buy the man some whiskey if it means getting that game in my hot little hands anytime soon. Ninja Gaiden is (in my opinion) the best game on Xbox.
Any word on what system? Please don't make me buy a PS3 for it. Please!
KrazyIan @ Jul 5th 2006 5:45PM
Ninja Gaiden pretty well spoiled me for all other 3rd person action games. I can't wait for Ninja Gaiden 2. The first one was pretty darn polished (especially Black) that I really dont know where they can go with the next game.
JJ @ Jul 5th 2006 5:46PM
Well i can see why he doesn't like Tekken as Tekken and DOA are rival fighting games and what not...
But should any creator of a series be mad at another series for being higher in number of sequels? I mean a Sequel is a sequel and they wouldnt make more if people didn't buy or like them.
I mean how many DOA's and repackaged DOA's are there? DOA 1 2 3 4, DOA ultimate, etc, XB volley ball 1 and 2, Ninja Gaiden etc? Not to mention movies of both series?
I say drop volleyball and DOA and just stick with Gaiden and Namco should just drop Tekken and stat a new fighting series...(I'm partial to Urban Reign myself =) )
RazorElite @ Jul 5th 2006 6:23PM
Drop DOA?? No, no. DOA is too much of a fantastic fighting game. I'm not gonna argue about DOA vs. Tekken 'cause I don't like nor play Tekken, but DOA is definitely a game that should continue on (with many more improvements). As for Gaiden, there is a lot they can do with it. Not that the first game had many problems, but it's an action adventure game...with a Ninja. They can come up with all types of new moves, characters, stages...A LOT. Not to mention the graphics would be mind boggling on a next gen system. More Tecmo games please, maybe just not DOA Xtreme.
GSI @ Jul 5th 2006 6:23PM
He likes Pikmin and Chibi Robo...
YES!!!
striderhayasa @ Jul 5th 2006 6:50PM
Tekken fell off after Tekken 3. It's a disgrace how Soul Caliber and
Virutal fighter can get a side step right and some real depth but Tekken is still stuck in the dark ages of 3D fighting with cheesy tactics and bull#$%@ wall juggles, a broken side step and a lackluster counter system. Lame.
I loved the first Dead or alive on Saturn. and the DC Dead or Alive is good too. I still play it from time to time. I never played the xbox or the 360 versions because Virutal Fighter 4 and VF4 Evo are the pinnacle.
Virutal Fighter
Soul Caliber
Dead or Alive
Those are the top three 3D fighting games in my book.
IGamefreely @ Jul 5th 2006 7:12PM
I am sorry, but tekken rocks and tekken 5 and dr are solid as a rock, i also play Doa now there is a game that needs to be dropped, have u even tried side stepping in doa? yea u can side step with a foot in ur face , because the side steps are usless, Tekken and VF are deep fighting games i can see why some people don't like them because they get beat down by vet players, Doa is and OK fighting game, but then again it doesn't stand a chance next to Soul Calibur, Doa1-3 might have been the same game for god sakes, part 4 was a tad better because they moved made mid kick couter to forward counter but thats about it. ninja gaiden was pretty,bad camra angles and horrible story. i Like Prince of Persia, fLAME ALL YOU WANT.
striderhayasa @ Jul 5th 2006 7:30PM
@ Igamefreely
hey it's cool man, you won't get any flamethrowing from me.
I liked tekken up to 3 I still play Tekken 5 on occasion because so many of my friends play it but I'll be honest, Lei Wu Long should not be in Tekken he should be in VF. I'd love to see him fight Lei Fei. That would be a beautiful thing to behold. Lei Fei is my number one gun in VF5 Lei Wu Long is my number one in Tekken.
I see what you're saying about DOA and again, to be honest, I still like the first DOA the best and the DC DOA I really liked. But, the reason I didn't play it on xbox and 360 is because it's trying too hard to be Virtual Fighter. Why would I play it when I can play the very game it's modeled after on PS2?
Tekken, well, I'll put it like this. Namco should tone down the wall juggles, make the side step more reliable and increase the move list.
I totally agree with you on the reasons why many people can't play some of these games. But that's the beauty of learning a character and competing. Once you learn a character, you KNOW the character and that's where the depth comes in. Changing tactics on the fly because someone threw something at you , you didn't expect.
Gnac @ Jul 5th 2006 7:37PM
At least we know why he wears shades all the time. His eyes must look DESTROYED.
Dirk Dorkelson @ Jul 5th 2006 7:47PM
Wow. I never realized alcoholism was so funny. Next time I read about someone killed by liver failure or drunken driving, I'll make sure to have a good laugh.
AoE @ Jul 5th 2006 7:49PM
Hmm... You can correct me if I am wrong, but since not even a single word of your post addressed the blog entry we're all replying to, isn't your own comment nothing more than a "fLAME" IGamefreely?
Now, we all know that Itagaki has strong feelings on the subject, and I bet Namco does too; but perhaps game companies should just go nuts, and rather than kill a popular game series because rabid fanboys of another popular game series don't like it... perhaps they continue making iterations until it's no longer profitable for them? I know, I know it's super pessimistic of me to think that game companies are in it for the money, but what can I say? I'm a pessimistic guy.
Finally, on-topic: It all makes sense now Itagaki. All of the off-kilter statements (was he drunk when he said "x"? obviously, yes!), all of the trash-talking about other devs/franchises (sorry dude, I love DoA too; but let's not kid ourselves, it's NOT the best fighting game franchise on the planet, though probably the bounciest, and you'd have to be drunk to think otherwise), all of the bizzaro pervy comments about Kasumi; even the drunken, broken camera in Ninja Gaiden! It all makes sense!
LongshotX @ Jul 5th 2006 9:03PM
Soul Calibur is clearly better than DOA, Tekken, or Virtua Fighter. I will kill anybody with Ivy. You can find me in the arcade beating the crap out of you.
Hey guys remember Battle Arena Toshinden, Fighting Vipers, and Tobal! What happened to these games?
ill trooper @ Jul 5th 2006 9:51PM
"Wow. I never realized alcoholism was so funny."
Well, go rent some old Dudley Moore films!
rudy @ Jul 5th 2006 10:49PM
not only is alcoholism funny (at least up until the cirosis), it's fun. have a beer. lighten up.
GSI @ Jul 5th 2006 10:53PM
Battle Arena Toshinden = crap
Fighting Vipers = crap
That's why they aren't around anymore. :-)
geves @ Jul 6th 2006 12:13AM
nice slant you put on the story joystiq.
most people knew that DOAX2 was in the works. i don't see how alcoholism works into the scheme. in japan it's not uncommon to drink with people. he's already confirmed that he drinks SEGAs shenmue/virtua fighter creator, that's why DOA4 has a baji quan practioner in it. for their friendship.
no need for the eye capturing topic... get back to your roots. not saying this site is bad. but don't rely on the same shit as the media please.
Jason @ Jul 6th 2006 12:18AM
Haha, that's awesome. Now, if he'd just get the execs at Tecmo to do some "loosening up" instead of persecuting their own fans and mod community.
bobeotm @ Jul 6th 2006 3:20AM
Im not even going to touch the DOA vs Tekken issue (I'm on the side of tekken personally). Of course he would hate those games, they are in direct competition with his own. I dissagree that tekken has dropped off after 3, Tekken Tag Tournament and Tekken 5 were very good games. Tekken 4 was a mistep, because they were trying new ideas that the fanbase didnt like. I think all can agree that DOA is by far not the best there is in fighting games. They both have their fans, and since they are on two separate systems (with fans of one not really caring for the other), I dont see how it matters.
David @ Jul 6th 2006 12:36PM
"but he usually does a good job of sticking to his promises. "
Itakagi once said that he developed games for the X-Box only because it was the most powerful system at the time. He said he didn't have any sort of allegiance with MS, it's just that he will only develop games for the most powerful system at a given time.
Now if the PS3 manages to be more powerful than the 360, then games like Ninja Gaiden 2 should come to Sony's platform. Even if the system manages to be only like 5% more powerful than the 360, he should do it on the PS3...if he is really a man of his word. And he has kept that word in the sense that he first did DOA2 on the DC at the time the most powerful system...then he did DOA2 Hardcore for the PS2 at the time also the most powerful system...and then when the X-box came out he stayed there.
Maybe he is developing games for the 360 now because it is the most powerful on the market at this time, and maybe when the PS3 launches he'll develop for that system. Come to think of it maybe that's why he still hasn't announced a system for Ninja Gaiden 2...or maybe he was just drunk when he said the statement about developing fot the best console.
Anyway I can't wait for a next-gen Ninja Gaiden it should be awesome.
Liquid @ Aug 9th 2006 3:29PM
why in the world wouldn't Itagaki release a PS3 version of Ninja Gaiden ...that would mean a HELL of a lot more sales AND the PS3 is powerful now and has more storage space due to Blu-ray