When was Team Ninja founded and who created it?
Team Ninja was founded in 1995 by Tomonobu Itagaki as a division of Tecmo, initially named Tecmo Creative #3. The studio was renamed Team Ninja in 1999.
Questions about Team Ninja
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is Team Ninja best known for?
Team Ninja is best known for the Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive, and Nioh series. Nioh, released in 2017, became the studio's best-selling title and won multiple awards.
Why did Tomonobu Itagaki leave Team Ninja?
Itagaki announced his departure on the 3rd of June, 2008, citing difficulties with Tecmo. He simultaneously filed a lawsuit against Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda over unpaid bonuses for Dead or Alive 4, and Tecmo fired him on the 18th of June in response to that lawsuit.
Who leads Team Ninja now?
Fumihiko Yasuda has served as president of Team Ninja since 2022, when Yosuke Hayashi left to become general manager of Koei Tecmo's entertainment division. Yasuda previously led development on Nioh and Nioh 2.
Why was Ninja Gaiden II banned in Germany?
Germany's rating board, the USK, refused to classify Ninja Gaiden II in 2008 due to the game's excessive violence, effectively banning it from sale. Publisher Microsoft chose not to release a cut version, and the ban influenced the development of the PlayStation 3 version, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, which toned down the violence significantly.
Why did Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 not release in the West?
Team Ninja chose not to release Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 in North America or Europe in 2016, citing cultural differences in how women are depicted in video games and other media. Sony Interactive Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida noted these differing cultural attitudes at the time of the announcement.