Mon, Jun 11, 2012 | 16:27 BST
“Capcom overworks Ono,” says health-stricken Street Fighter boss
Street Fighter head Yoshi Ono has said his recent collapse was from over-work and that he’ll “probably get sacked” for complaining about it.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Ono said: “Capcom doesn’t allow a trade union or any sort of worker movement you see. So if I complain I will probably get sacked. You have to say it for me, OK? I want you to write: ‘Capcom overworks Ono’. That’s your headline.”
Ono collapsed at home in May and was rushed to hospital.
“I woke up and walked to the bathroom,” he explained. “When I opened the door the room was abnormally steamy. Stranger still: the steam was rising. It kept rising, up and up, and I didn’t understand what was going on. It was like I was suffocating. Then, when the steam reached my head level I passed out cold and collapsed onto the tiles.”
Doctors said Ono’s blood pressure was similar to that of a person “who had just finished running a marathon”.
Ono said that Capcom “didn’t even acknowledge that I had been in hospital” when he returned to work after a week at home.
“When I returned to my desk there was a ticket to Rome waiting for me. There’s no mercy. Everyone in the company says: ‘Ono-san we’ve been so worried about you.’ Then they hand me a timetable and it’s completely filled with things to do.”
Read the full thing through the link.
[Pic]
11 
Posted in: Capcom, Development
Tags: street fighter, Yoshinori Ono
11 comments
#1
stockops3
11/06/12, 4:37 pm
Just like us consumers, Capcom obviously doesnt even give a shit about employees, idiots
#2
Ireland Michael
11/06/12, 4:39 pm
And people still wonder why 90% of Capcom’s creative talent have jumped ship? Here’s your answer.
If the guy had any sense, he’d bail.
#3
Ali Hayas
11/06/12, 4:49 pm
Sounds like Ono is leaving.
#4
diego-rbb-93
11/06/12, 4:54 pm
3# Instead of reading the damn titular, you should read the whole article completely. Its awesome and one of the best interviews I´ve read so far in videogame´s press.
#5
TMRNetShark
11/06/12, 4:57 pm
And here I thought I was gonna buy Dragon’s Dogma. HA
#6
Ali Hayas
11/06/12, 5:39 pm
@4 I read this whole article. Sounds a lot like inafune’s situation. He started to speak out, months later he left. I won’t be surprised if Ono left. I am sure I am not alone. Even though I am not a fan of his work, the guy seems nice and deserves better. I wouldn’t want to see him having a heart attack or cerebral stroke and palsy just to get his games.
#7
Telepathic.Geometry
11/06/12, 6:43 pm
That is just typical Japanese style. I was working this weekend and all this week, which will make 12 days straight, and the previous weekend, I had to work on Saturday, and the following weekend I’ll have to work on Sunday. And I have an easy job, it’s just that June is particularly busy.
In Japan, there will be bucket-loads of lip service to acknowledge that people work way too hard, but overtime often goes unpaid, and in fact many of the people I know dread promotion, as it often just means more work and responsibility with little or no increase in your salary. :-/
#8
xino
11/06/12, 7:55 pm
they are trying to kill him man, they WANT to kill him:)
#9
roadkill
11/06/12, 10:00 pm
Thank you Pat!
#10
manamana
11/06/12, 10:05 pm
Very interesting interview indeed.
#11
Beta
11/06/12, 10:46 pm
Excellent interview, I’ve already boycotted Activision products thanks to Bobby “air of fear” Kotick , Looks like Capcom may be going the same way. I remember reading this as well: http://kotaku.com/5911353/japanese-game-developer-apparently-harassed-so-much-she-attempted-suicide