If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Balan Wonderworld director Yuji Naka has departed Square Enix

Balan Wonderworld director, and Sonic the Hedgehog creator, Yuji Naka is no longer with Square Enix.

Naka announced on Twitter today he that was no longer with Square Enix, and had left the company at the end of April.

"I resigned from Square Enix at the end of April," Naka said in the tweet (thanks, Gematsu).

"While I cannot share the reason right now, I hope to be able to discuss it when the time comes. As for what I’ll do in the future, I’m already 55 years old, so I may as well retire."

A programmer, designer, and producer, Naka was the former head of Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog series of games on the Sega Mega Drive.

With Sonic Team, he also led development on Nights into Dreams, Phantasy Star Online, and others.

In 2006, he left Sega to found Prope, an independent game company. The team created Digimon games for PSP and PS3, but it’s most known for Rodea the Sky Soldier for Wii and Wii U. The company also develops mobile titles.

He joined Square Enix in January 2018, where he directed Balan Wonderworld.

Balan Wonderworld was released on consoles and PC on March 26, and critics weren't too fond of the title.

Sign in and unlock a world of features

Get access to commenting, homepage personalisation, newsletters, and more!

In this article

Sonic the Hedgehog

Android, iOS, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii

Related topics
About the Author
Stephany Nunneley-Jackson avatar

Stephany Nunneley-Jackson

News Editor

Stephany is VG247’s News Editor, with 22 years experience (with 15 of them at VG247). With a brain that lacks adhesive ducks, the ill-tempered, chaotic neutral fembot does her best to bring you the most interesting gaming news. She is also unofficially the site’s Lord of the Rings/Elder Scrolls Editor.

Comments