The game industry has experienced a devastating loss. Rieko Kodama, the popular Sega designer also called Phoenix Rie, has died at 58. The woman reason behind death is not specified.
As reported by IGN, Kodama passed away at some point in might of the 12 months, but the woman death was not made general public until recently. Rumours started each time a memorial message had been spotted into the credits of Mega Drive Mini 2, before Sega producer Yosuke Okunari confirmed that she had died early in the day this present year. “while you comprehend it,” Okunari responded up to a tweet asking if Kodama had died. “We respected the girl.”
Sega declined to generally share any more details away from respect the household, by having a interpretation from IGN Japan reading: “We pray your dead will sleep in comfort, so we provide our appreciation on her enormous efforts to Sega.”
Kodama had been a well-known designer at Sega, plus pioneer into the roleplaying game room. She started the woman job in 1984, getting the woman begin being an musician on iconic classics like Alex Kidd and Fantasy Zone. She later on contributed to games like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Skies of Arcadia, it is maybe most commonly known on her work with the Phantasy celebrity series, working the woman method as much as manager by Phantasy celebrity 4.
Rieko Kodama died may 9, 2022. I’ve extremely fond memories of the woman because we had been Sega peers and created Phantasy celebrity and Sonic together. I becamen’t yes in regards to the funeral images, but i needed everybody to consider the girl. May she sleep in comfort. Rieko Kodama, forever. pic.twitter.com/lw9UTxLXbSOctober 27, 2022
Kodama had been additionally commonly regarded if you are among the first respected feminine designers, making the woman the name ‘the very first Lady of RPGs.’ the woman character designs had been vibrant and eclectic, producing heroes made for everybody. “as being a girl myself, once I make games, we do not simply ask them to be male dream numbers, as individuals having to be rescued,” she when stated in a meeting (starts in brand new tab). “i love to make feminine figures folks of both genders can relate genuinely to. But our company is seeing more strong-willed ladies in games intended for feminine audiences.”
Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka paid tribute to Kodama on Twitter. “It offers finally been established that Rieko Kodama has died. I’ve fond memories of working together with the girl on Phantasy celebrity and Sonic. We went along to the wake and funeral and may perhaps not think exactly how unexpected it had been. We pray for the heart sleep in comfort.” Fellow Sonic co-creator, Hirokazu Yasuhara, said he (starts in brand new tab) had been “proud” to possess caused Kodama, including: “we nevertheless cannot think it, it is therefore unfortunate.”
Spelunky designer Derek Yu called her “a pioneering musician and designer of videogames,” while 8-4 creator John Ricciardi said (starts in brand new tab)she had been “always extremely type” and “a genuine legend in Japanese game dev.” Necrosoft manager Brandon Sheffield, who was simply area of the jury that provided Kodama the woman Pioneer Award at GDC 2019, said (starts in brand new tab) “she had been, and continues to be, one of the biggest,” and recalled the woman honor. “whenever we provided the girl an eternity success honor at GDC, she could not go to because of disease. I am happy at the least that she received it during the woman life time. Ideally she knew just how much the woman work designed to everybody all over the world!”
