The consequences of Ninja Gaiden II director Tomonobu Itagaki’s departure from Tecmo are starting to be felt, as the company’s share prices took a dive of more than ten percent.
On Tuesday, the shares were valued at 1,102 yen ($10.40). Today they are worth 982 yen ($9.27). If you’re like me and don’t understand the stock market and people who actively enjoy wearing ties, this can all be translated as “Tecmo’s just taken a bit of a buggering.”
This is hardly surprising. Whether you love him or hate him, one cannot deny that Itagaki was a central figure in Tecmo, and his role as the face of Team Ninja was significant indeed. Whatever way you slice it, Itagaki was a great asset, as this new misfortune demonstrates.