Rieko Kodama, the introducing Sega designer behind titles like Phantasy Star as well as Skies of Arcadia, has actually passed away at 58.
Nick Thorpe, includes editor for Retro Gaming Magazine, observed that in the credit ratings for Sega’s Mega Drive Mini II, there’s a message that reviews, “In memory of Rieko Kodama.” Twitter customer Ares Arcadia quote-tweeted Thorpe’s tweet to ask Sega manufacturer Yosuke Okunari if this message implies that Kodama had actually passed away to which Okunari replied and said, “As you understand it. We respected her,” validating her fatality.
Sega has actually given that validated Kodama’s fatality, pointing out that she had actually come on May, according to IGN. Further information around her fatality will certainly not be shared out of regard for her family members’s personal privacy, Sega claims.
“We pray that the deceased will rest in peace, and we offer our gratitude for her enormous contributions to Sega,” Sega of Japan claims, as equated by IGN Japan.
Kodama’s trip via game growth started in the 1980s when she began as a visuals developer for Master System as well as Sega Genesis games like Altered Beast as well as Sonic the Hedgehog. She was the major musician for Phantasy Star as well as remained to work with the collection’ visuals group till Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, which she routed.
Other credit ratings consist of Mega Drive variations of Sorcerian, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as well as much more. After directing Phantasy Star IV, she routed Magic Knight Rayearth in 1995 prior to coming to be a manufacturer as well as growth bait Sega’s Skies of Arcadia. She remained to operate in games growth in some ability till at the very least 2018, where she was the lead manufacturer on the Sega collection title Sega Ages.
In 2019, she was acknowledged with the Pioneer Award at GDC 2019.
The team at Game Informer expands their acknowledgements to Kodama’s family members.
