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Imageepoch CEO potentially missing [IT'S ME AUSTIN!]

desmax

Member
UPDATE 03/06
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Compile Heart uploaded a new trailer for Makai Shin Trillion today. The man wearing a mask with "RPG" written on his forehead looks awfully familiar... hmm...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl9kLPd17hQ

Original

Imageepoch-Ideaf-Tweet_04-03-15.jpg


For the last few months, there has been reason to believe that Imageepoch, developer of such games as 7th Dragon 2020, Arc Rise Fantasia, Criminal Girls, and the upcoming Stella Glow for 3DS, has encountered grave troubles. Though we’ve deigned from previously reporting on their tribulations since many of the details remain unconfirmed rumors. But to better understand today’s story, let’s recap.

In February, word began spreading in online circles of the developer having a mass exodus of employees and even suddenly disappearing from its known address, replaced with a sign asking for a new tenant. Though Stella Glow specifically will see release in Japan by way of Sega and overseas by Atlus USA, suspicion has intensified this past week upon the developer’s main web site and jrpg.jp domain being rendered inaccessible.

Now comes word that Imageepoch CEO Ryoei Mikage could be missing in action as well, albeit from an unusual source: Idea Factory’s official Japanese Twitter feed. Yoshiaki Satou, CEO of the company and board member of Compile Heart, took to the feed earlier today in an attempt to establish contact with Mikage over a business matter related to Makai Shin Trillion‘s marketing.

Here’s Satou’s message to Mikage:
Part 1: “A Message from CEO Yoshiaki Satou: I have been unable to reach to Ryoei Mikage, CEO of Imageepoch. As such, I am left with no choice but to try and reach out here on Twitter.”

Part 2: “A Message from CEO Yoshiaki Satou: If there’s anybody out there who can get a hold of him, please let him know that I wish to talk with him about a matter regarding Makai Shin Trillion‘s advertising.”

As of this writing, there have been no publicly known replies one way or the other as to the current status of Mikage. There was a point when Mikage was usually very active on Twitter, though he seems to have not used it since February 2014, save for one tweet in October.

Gematsu will follow this story and update as developments arise.

Source: Gematsu
 
I'm going to guess Yakuza

Doubt it considering in Japan its quite common for higher ups to go and flee like this when financials are in trouble.

They even have a word for it (the action of running away usually due to financial issues)

夜逃げ
 
I have an idea.

Someone should make a tweet asking for him to reach out say to the guy from Idea Factory, and to please retweet so that this can spread like wildfire and hopefully will be seen by someone who has seen him very recently.

That should work right?

I hope he's safe. :(
 
Imageepoch-Ideaf-Tweet_04-03-15.jpg


For the last few months, there has been reason to believe that Imageepoch, developer of such games as 7th Dragon 2020, Arc Rise Fantasia, Criminal Girls, and the upcoming Stella Glow for 3DS, has encountered grave troubles. Though we’ve deigned from previously reporting on their tribulations since many of the details remain unconfirmed rumors. But to better understand today’s story, let’s recap.

In February, word began spreading in online circles of the developer having a mass exodus of employees and even suddenly disappearing from its known address, replaced with a sign asking for a new tenant. Though Stella Glow specifically will see release in Japan by way of Sega and overseas by Atlus USA, suspicion has intensified this past week upon the developer’s main web site and jrpg.jp domain being rendered inaccessible.

Now comes word that Imageepoch CEO Ryoei Mikage could be missing in action as well, albeit from an unusual source: Idea Factory’s official Japanese Twitter feed. Yoshiaki Satou, CEO of the company and board member of Compile Heart, took to the feed earlier today in an attempt to establish contact with Mikage over a business matter related to Makai Shin Trillion‘s marketing.

Here’s Satou’s message to Mikage:


As of this writing, there have been no publicly known replies one way or the other as to the current status of Mikage. There was a point when Mikage was usually very active on Twitter, though he seems to have not used it since February 2014, save for one tweet in October.

Gematsu will follow this story and update as developments arise.

Source: Gematsu

Possible financial issues?
Maybe he fled to avoid them?
 
Could he have committed suicide under the pressure and stress of Imageepoch's troubles? Hopefully it isn't that, but I wonder.
 
Really weird that Stella Glow is getting localized despite all this.

Sega can't localize their own stuff yet they pull this magic trick!
 
Really weird that Stella Glow is getting localized despite all this.

Sega can't localize their own stuff yet they pull this magic trick!

Sega apparently took over the final duties for the game in Japan, as well. But IE had finished their part by the end of last year.
 
Holy shit. This is some crazy stuff. How people manage to disappear like this in this day and age is kind of baffling.

It's disconcerting that he just upped and disappeared.

But it's also kind of relieving that if someone wants to get off the grid, all they have to do is get off.
 
Wow. Sounds like the financial issues are pretty bad if he goes "missing". Probably worth noting that this seems more like "no one who does business with him knows where he is" missing rather than "his family has made a police report" sort of missing. Not particularly uncommon in cases of failed businesses.

Sega apparently took over the final duties for the game in Japan, as well. But IE had finished their part by the end of last year.

Yeah, and further more the actual producer of the game on the game is still actively around, so he probably helped broker the deal with Sega. I wonder who's going to do the localization programming though!
 
I wonder who's going to do the localization programming though!

This has been on my mind for the last couple of days, as I remember that's how Rune Factory 4 was in limbo in EU until XSEED stepped in to release their version there.

Can Atlus or Sega program it? What if the programmer is working at Sega or Atlus now or just until the localization is over?
 
Yeah, this definitely sounds like he fled to avoid debts. Regardless, I hope he can get things sorted out.
 
Imageepoch-Ideaf-Tweet_04-03-15.jpg


For the last few months, there has been reason to believe that Imageepoch, developer of such games as 7th Dragon 2020, Arc Rise Fantasia, Criminal Girls, and the upcoming Stella Glow for 3DS, has encountered grave troubles.

I hope he went on a quest to find Jesus.
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I hope he is ok, but 'missing' and 'unable to contact' where I live are incredibly different things. I sometimes switch my phone of for days at a time, and I don't think anyone would consider me 'missing' if I didn't answer the door either.

Just seems a bit dramatic is all, hope I'm right and he is just chilling out somewhere random.
 
I hope he is ok, but 'missing' and 'unable to contact' where I live are incredibly different things. I sometimes switch my phone of for days at a time, and I don't think anyone would consider me 'missing' if I didn't answer the door either.

Just seems a bit dramatic is all, hope I'm right and he is just chilling out somewhere random.

Are you a CEO though? being accessible by phone/email etc at all times is kind of a requirement.
 
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