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[Testicular Sound Express]

Following an Official Nintendo Magazine UK back page teaser, NiGHTS looks to be in development but CVG has learnt that original creator Yuji Naka won't be at the helm.

If the rumours of a new NiGHTS game being in development for Wii turn out to be true (read our story on there here), chances are Yuji Naka won't have anything to do with its development.

We recently tracked down the ex-Sega genius Yuji Naka, who left the company last year to form his own start-up Prope, for a catch-up and asked him if he currently has any plans on the table to revisit any of his old Sega properties. We were told flatly that, "At present, I have no such intentions."

Let the speculation begin. Check back later this week for our full interview with Yuji Naka.

hmmmm...if Nights is really being made that mean its being developed within Sega .

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=160463

 

[Defuser]

Can we ban ONM now?

 

[radioheadrule83]

SEGA might be interested though... we'll see.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Thank the Taru Jesus. I love so many of Naka's games, none of which have been released in the last five years. Give it to the Sonic and the Secret Rings team, Sega.

 

[OnWarmerMusic]

SEGA might be interested though... we'll see.

That's what scares me.

 

[Sapiens]

Nights wasnt the sole creation of Yuji Naka was it?

How important was he to its design?


I feel like playing Nights now - gotta find my Saturn

 

[Nakasan]

Please, continue this discussion in the thread it applies to:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146681&page=16

Lets try and keep that one going in order to keep ONM on their toes.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Naka is not the designer he once was. I wouldn't trust him with a Tetris port at this point.

edit: Oh don't worry Nakasan, we've got the fire warmed up for the testicles of ONM already. We won't be forgetting.

 

[Balzac]

I'm telling you, its the Shadow the Hedgehog team that's doing it!

 

[Xiaoki]

Give it to the Sonic and the Secret Rings team, Sega.

Oh, for the love of God NO!!! If there is to be a new Nights then I want it to be good.

Uh, what team at Sega could do Nights justice? Oh, I know - let Capcom handle Nights 2.

 

[Chemo]

Is Twilight Rockstar going to get banned too? I feel like that would be more satisfying.

 

[ethelred]

I don't see why not, Chemo.

 

[Miniboss1232]

Maybe they're outsourcing it to Nintendo?

Hey, we can dream can't we? Sega (with or without Naka) sucks these days.

 

[fresquito]

Oh, for the love of God NO!!! If there is to be a new Nights then I want it to be good.

Uh, what team at Sega could do Nights justice? Oh, I know - let Capcom handle Nights 2.

1- Secret rings is a good game with some flaws that don't detract too much from the overall ejoyment of the experience.

2- The people that formed AV is one of the most talented teams in the industry (see how I use the past because I'm not sure they're still around as AV).

 

[Oblivion]

New NiGHTs game confirmed?

 

[DarknessTear]

Black Nights with machine guns and cars. Go on, picture it.

 

[jett]

Naka not being involved in a game, any game, can only be good news.

 

[pswii60]

So what is Naka working on then?

 

[sprocket]

Naka not being involved in a game, any game, can only be good news.

Thats what I am saying . What was his last big game anyway?

 

[pswii60]

Thats what I am saying . What was his last big game anyway?

Phantasy Star Online. One of my favourite games of all time, thanks.

 

[Core407]

So does Prope have any games announced yet?

 

[Danthrax]

Following an Official Nintendo Magazine UK back page teaser, NiGHTS looks to be in development

but CVG has learnt that original creator Yuji Naka won't be at the helm.

 

[VerTiGo]

YUJI NAKA HAS NOT COME UP WITH ANY REMOTELY ENJOYABLE IN YEARS. GOOD RIDDENS.

 

[wsippel]

So does Prope have any games announced yet?

As far as I understand the Google translation of Propes homepage, it's probably for Wii, and aimed at kids and adults. No details and not even a title, though.

 

[Lazy8s]

Yuji Naka is the creator and main programmer of NiGHTS.

 

[Gaia Theory]

With the way game sequels have been developed in this industry, most people don't care whether the original creator/designer is involved with the sequels.

How many Resident Evils are there where Mikami was lead, if at all involved?
How many Zeldas, Marios, Donkey Kongs?
Sonic for that matter?

Personally, I think that Naka should move on. He is capable of great things. On the flip side, Sega and some of their other talented directors have a roadmap in the original NiGHTS to create a sequel that could be interesting using Wii controls.

Naka or not, a NiGHTS sequel would be awesome. Even a duplication of the original NiGHTS with updated graphics and Wii controls would be fine by me.

 

[Core407]

As far as I understand the Google translation of Propes homepage, it's probably for Wii, and aimed at kids and adults. No details and not even a title, though.

Awesome. I think Naka needs to stick to simpler hardware and focus on new concepts for the controller.

 

[TreIII]

Awesome. I think Naka needs to stick to simpler hardware and focus on new concepts for the controller.

He needs to moreso focus on just being able to make a really good game again, in my opinion. I hate to sound so "me too", but I haven't enjoyed anything of his in the last few years, Billy Hatcher being the one that really turned me off.

Any way...this is perhaps yet another reason why I wish that Sega would think about commissioning Artoon for some of their stuff. Not only are some of Sonic's creators there, but those who also worked for Sonic also had a hand in NiGHTS, as well. If there was any one qualified to try and bring the "sexy" from the original game back, I would think these guys would possibly be even more qualified than Naka or any body else at Sega at the moment.

 

[Kafel]

Katamary doesn't need its dad as well apparently. I'm not shocked by this news.

 

[Core407]

He needs to moreso focus on just being able to make a really good game again, in my opinion. I hate to sound so "me too", but I haven't enjoyed anything of his in the last few years, Billy Hatcher being the one that really turned me off.

Any way...this is perhaps yet another reason why I wish that Sega would think about commissioning Artoon for some of their stuff. Not only are some of Sonic's creators there, but those who also worked for Sonic also had a hand in NiGHTS, as well. If there was any one qualified to try and bring the "sexy" from the original game back, I would think these guys would possibly be even more qualified than Naka or any body else at Sega at the moment.

I just think he gets really overwhelmed with powerful hardware and loses focus on the actual games.

 

[Jibber Hack]

And? Sega lost their visionaries somewhere along the way. Yuji Naka and Yu Suzuki have painfully irrelevant for the last 5 or 6 years. Phantasy Star Online and Shenmue were the last great games I played by these two. So, if a talented team is making this game that's all that matters. It does not need Naka's name attached.

 

[ethelred]

I just think he gets really overwhelmed with powerful hardware and loses focus on the actual games.

I don't think that's the issue at all.

I think what it boils down to is this:
Yuji Naka the coder, creator, and actual developer -- good.
Yuji Naka the executive producer, businessman responsible for managing brands and teams and company-wide resources -- not nearly as good.

He created games on the Saturn that were still extremely good (NiGHTS and Burning Rangers) and couldn't possibly be dismissed as having no focus as gaming experiences. And the Saturn was plenty powerful. I think the decay of Naka's reputation came when he was moved out of that development role and stuck doing shit like what Sakaguchi was doing before he left Square or what Miyamoto does now (only less successfully than these two).

That's why I'm still very excited by the idea of Naka getting back into development itself, because I think he's proven himself to be a very talented individual. I'm looking forward to seeing what new stuff he comes up with.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Thank the Taru Jesus. I love so many of Naka's games, none of which have been released in the last five years. Give it to the Sonic and the Secret Rings team, Sega.

The only thing that sonic and the secret rings team should get is avian bird flu.

worst 60 euros ever.

 

[Quartet]

NiGHT rider, with a cars and guns ... bring it on sega!!

If i was sega i would let a talented doujin creator do the official new one just to teach those sory ass 200 and more lazy dev team how cool stuff is made.

 

[aeolist]

Amusingly, I have no interest in Yuji Naka making a new NiGHTs game. He'd probably **** it up something fierce.

 

[jak stat]

Why did Naka have so much interest in continuing the Sonic series? There weren't many improvements when he ran its development over the years.

 

[Barry Lightning]

i had no idea yuji naka left sonic team?

i suspect the entire impetus of the wii came from samba de amigo. or perhaps it was miyamoto's tipping point.

 

[Nexus Zero]

I'm not a big fan of Naka at all, but ****. If that guy is right about Sonic Team USA developing this, I might have to resort to murder.

 

[Y2Kev]

I don't think that's the issue at all.

I think what it boils down to is this:
Yuji Naka the coder, creator, and actual developer -- good.
Yuji Naka the executive producer, businessman responsible for managing brands and teams and company-wide resources -- not nearly as good.

He created games on the Saturn that were still extremely good (NiGHTS and Burning Rangers) and couldn't possibly be dismissed as having no focus as gaming experiences. And the Saturn was plenty powerful. I think the decay of Naka's reputation came when he was moved out of that development role and stuck doing shit like what Sakaguchi was doing before he left Square or what Miyamoto does now (only less successfully than these two).

That's why I'm still very excited by the idea of Naka getting back into development itself, because I think he's proven himself to be a very talented individual. I'm looking forward to seeing what new stuff he comes up with.

Good post. I like to rail on Naka, but it's only recent Naka. He should be remembered for what he did on the Saturn if nothing else. Got that machine to sing like nobody could...other than the PDS team.

 

[KINGMOKU]

YUJI NAKA HAS NOT COME UP WITH ANY REMOTELY ENJOYABLE IN YEARS. GOOD RIDDENS.

BAM!!!


Preach on brotha. Preach on.

 

[ethelred]

Why did Naka have so much interest in continuing the Sonic series? There weren't many improvements when he ran its development over the years.

Do you understand the difference between the role of developer and the role of executive producer who needs to bring in the money for Sega from a managerial perspective? Different interests for different roles.

Naka's job at Sonic Team was to manage a very large group's resources and to make sure that money was continually rolling in -- and the Sonic franchise was how that got done. Now, I'm still not defending the job he did there, because I do think that franchise was very much mismanaged. But as a developer, he seems to be saying that he wants to work on new stuff, explore new ideas -- like he did back when he was actually developing at Sega. That's a good thing.

I am pretty sure the whole reason he left Sonic Team to begin with was because that's what he wanted to get back into doing -- the process of creating.

 

[Y2Kev]

Do you understand the difference between the role of developer and the role of executive producer who needs to bring in the money for Sega from a managerial perspective? Different interests for different roles.

Naka's job at Sonic Team was to manage a very large group's resources and to make sure that money was continually rolling in -- and the Sonic franchise was how that got done. Now, I'm still not defending the job he did there, because I do think that franchise was very much mismanaged. But as a developer, he seems to be saying that he wants to work on new stuff, explore new ideas -- like he did back when he was actually developing at Sega. That's a good thing.

I am pretty sure the whole reason he left Sonic Team to begin with was because that's what he wanted to get back into doing -- the process of creating.

Sounds like what Kojima did with KP. Got out of the whole administrative role....though KP is still part of Konami. Is Prope part of Sega or is it independent?

 

[ethelred]

Sounds like what Kojima did with KP. Got out of the whole administrative role....though KP is still part of Konami. Is Prope part of Sega or is it independent?

It's independent, but it's partially funded by Sega capital and Sega has first right of refusal on publishing Prope's games -- if Sega passes, Naka can shop his stuff around.

But then I wonder why he didn't continue more Nights/Burning Rangers games. After all, they too were successful.

Only to the extent that the Saturn itself was commercially successful (not very).

 

[jak stat]

Do you understand the difference between the role of developer and the role of executive producer who needs to bring in the money for Sega from a managerial perspective? Different interests for different roles.

Naka's job at Sonic Team was to manage a very large group's resources and to make sure that money was continually rolling in -- and the Sonic franchise was how that got done. Now, I'm still not defending the job he did there, because I do think that franchise was very much mismanaged. But as a developer, he seems to be saying that he wants to work on new stuff, explore new ideas -- like he did back when he was actually developing at Sega. That's a good thing.

I am pretty sure the whole reason he left Sonic Team to begin with was because that's what he wanted to get back into doing -- the process of creating.

But then I wonder why he didn't continue more Nights/Burning Rangers games. After all, they too were successful.

 

[thefro]

Naoto Ōshima (now with Artoon) was the Director/Visual Designer/Character Designer of NiGHTS. He produced Yoshi's Island DS.

Takashi Iizuka also worked on it and he's with Sega, but he made Shadow the Hedgehog .

Naka could certainly be working on it, but he's NDAed right now.

 

[boutrosinit]

Shit must've changed since our last conversation then...

http://www.noooz.com/archives/2006/05/exclusive_yuji_naka_confirms_n.html

;-)

 

[the year 20XX]

"Sorry guys, I just really don't know how I could fit twenty retarded furries into a NiGHTs game. Give it to someone else."

 

[tribal24]

awww man black suited nights with guns and cars-_-

 

[Y2Kev]

"Sorry guys, I just really don't know how I could fit twenty retarded furries into a NiGHTs game. Give it to someone else."

Nightopian animals.

 

[Grecco]

IT doesnt say he doesnt have interest... he doesnt intend do

its totally different.