Yuji Naka

Yuji Naka (中 裕司 Naka Yūji, born September 17, 1965), is a video game designer and head of Sonic Team, a group of Sega programmers/designers.

He programmed the original Sonic the Hedgehog game, while Naoto Oshima designed the character and Hirokazu Yasuhara planned the stages. Naka has also produced several other titles like NiGHTS Into Dreams and Phantasy Star Online. In early games he was often credited as "YU2" (in reference to Yu Suzuki) and "Muuu Yuji". He is one of the few famous Japanese game creators to speak fluent English without the need of a translator.

Naka also helped create a popular EyeToy game for the PlayStation 2 called Sega SuperStars.

Although Naka's previous achievements are recognized as monumental in gaming history, some of his decisions have prompted controversy with fans of Sonic Team. He had opted against producing a sequel to the popular Sega Saturn title NiGHTS into Dreams because of feelings a sequel would not match fans expectations. A story told by developers of the cancelled Sonic game Sonic X-treme also details how Naka told the American developers that they were not permitted to use an engine he had developed for use in NiGHTS.

Yuji Naka on the move

In news released on March 16, 2006 [1], Yuji Naka announced that he intends to create his own game studio, independent of Sega and Sega Studio USA (a.k.a. Sonic Team). It however remains to be seen if this is just talk or is merely preliminaries in a lead up to him quitting his role as President of Sonic Team, the position he holds at Sega.

According to a recent issue of the Japanese game magazine Famitsu, it is currently rumored that Yuji Naka's new games studio has begun work on the sequel to NiGHTS, to be published for the upcoming Nintendo Revolution system.

Alternate Illusion, but Is Real

It may have been that Yuji Naka might have moved into teahouse business, according to an unknown source. However, the credibility is pretty unstable, so stay tuned.

Internet Links

• The GHZ, a Sonic Team fansite