Former SEGA of America VP of Entertainment Marketing, Mike Fischer, recently dropped some bombshells in an interview with SEGA 16, reminiscing about his time working with "Sonic the Hedgehog" co-creator Yuji Naka. Fischer didn't hold back, calling Naka "the most difficult person I have ever worked with in the game industry or any other part of my life."
Fischer, who worked at SEGA in the early 90s before returning in the early 2000s, recalled pitching Naka on the Western market's growing appetite for more mature-themed games. He even pointed to the future success of the "Yakuza" (Ryu Ga Gotoku) series as proof of this market potential. But instead of an open discussion, Naka allegedly flew into a rage, accusing Fischer of trying to make "pornographic games."
Fischer also dished on the naming drama during Sonic Team's development of the GameCube title "Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg." Apparently, Naka initially pushed for "Giant Eggs" as the title. However, the American team argued that "laying a giant egg" in English slang implies failure, suggesting a name centered around the protagonist, Billy Hatcher, instead. Even after settling on the current title, Naka remained reportedly unhappy, even asking if the English title could be changed to the rather suggestive, double-entendre-laden "Giant Cock."
Beyond the clashes during development, Fischer also accused Naka of attempting to rewrite the history of "Sonic the Hedgehog"'s creation. He claimed Naka once refused to sit in the same row as character designer Naoto Ohshima at an Xbox One public event, believing Ohshima was taking credit for his work. In stark contrast, Fischer praised Ohshima as an incredibly kind individual.
While Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima did eventually reunite years later for "Balan Wonderworld," Fischer's recent remarks pull back the curtain on the previously untold tensions within the early SEGA teams.
via： SEGA 16