Yuji Naka Leaves Square Enix, Will Probably Retire

When Yuji Naka, acclaimed co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog, announced his latest project Balan Wonderworld with Square Enix, he also said that this would be his “last shot” at reinjecting himself into the world of video games. Unfortunately for him, his effort to reintroduce himself to a whole-new generation of gamers didn’t exactly pan out, as critics universally panned his quirky new title, and even the most charitable players said that its charms were offset by a myriad of baffling design decisions that almost definitely could have been avoided if he wasn’t so married to the whole “play the whole thing with a single button” concept.

Well, to the disappointment of many but the surprise of few, it seems he wasn’t joking, because he just announced over Twitter that he’s now left Square Enix, and he’s strongly considering retiring — as he’s hit the ripe age of 55.

While most people would agree that Balan Wonderworld was a huge disappointment, they would also be quick to say his contribution to the world of gaming is indisputable: during his time at Sega, he’s worked on quite a few Sonic titles, as well as Phantasy Star and Puyo Pop Fever. So while his last game might be a dud, he’s still got quite the legacy to fall back on.

In any case, while leaving Square Enix is official, his actual retirement hasn’t happened yet, so who knows? Maybe he’ll take another crack at it yet.