Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has confirmed that he will be leaving both Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA. As part of the restructuring announcement, RGG Studio also confirmed it is currently working on a sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

This news from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Nagoshi follows a report that said Chinese developer and publisher NetEase was in "final negotiations" with Nagoshi to hire him away from SEGA, the company he has been with since 1989.

Nagoshi, in a statement, didn't reveal what his next move was, but he did confirm that he was leaving SEGA and RGG Studio.

"As I depart from SEGA, I’m also leaving my position as the head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio," Nagoshi wrote. "Thank you to the fans who have supported us and the Yakuza series for many years. You have my sincerest and deepest gratitude.

"I persisted and am here now thanks to what I learned from many people around me. It’s credit to the colleagues who supported such that I could hone my mindset to continuously push boundaries.

"As of today, a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is born where the series will live on. Though I don’t know for sure what they will create, I believe the new generation will further enhance the foundation we built over the years and deliver great games to the world. To achieve that, they too need to continue to learn, challenge themselves, and grow. I ask that you continue your support of the studio’s endeavors.

"Once again, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all of you. Thank you so much for your support. Stay tuned for the many new beginnings!"

Nagoshi will be walking out the doors of RGG Studio alongside Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato, who was the head of the studio for nine years.

Going forward, the new director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will be series producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, and he discussed how the team will keep pushing forward with what made the studio a success while also forging a new path. One of the first steps on that road, according to Yokoyama, is a sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Ichiban Kasuga's story.

"Ryu Ga Gotoku’s predecessors have passed down their beliefs and know-how to each and every staff member," Yokoyama wrote. "You can witness it in the recently released Lost Judgment and will see it in the upcoming sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon which will continue Ichiban Kasuga’s story.

"This game is currently being developed by producer Sakamoto and directors Horii, Ito and Mitake. I myself along with Takeuchi and Furuta are working on the story.

"Whether it’s six months or one year from now, I hope to show you a new Ryu Ga Gotoku title by a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio that is different but still the same, and something that will spark a feeling of 'this is what we are waiting for' within you. I’d like to continue on my life as a video game creator with earnestness."

Nagoshi joined SEGA in its early arcade days and worked on such series as Virtua Racing, Monkey Ball, and more before founding Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and the Yakuza franchise.

For more, check out our review of Lost Judgment, how the studio has said they are charting a new future with Lost Judgement and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and our review of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi has confirmed that he will be leaving both Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA. As part of the restructuring announcement, RGG Studio also confirmed it is currently working on a sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

This news from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Nagoshi follows a report that said Chinese developer and publisher NetEase was in "final negotiations" with Nagoshi to hire him away from SEGA, the company he has been with since 1989.

Nagoshi, in a statement, didn't reveal what his next move was, but he did confirm that he was leaving SEGA and RGG Studio.

"As I depart from SEGA, I’m also leaving my position as the head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio," Nagoshi wrote. "Thank you to the fans who have supported us and the Yakuza series for many years. You have my sincerest and deepest gratitude.

"I persisted and am here now thanks to what I learned from many people around me. It’s credit to the colleagues who supported such that I could hone my mindset to continuously push boundaries.

"As of today, a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is born where the series will live on. Though I don’t know for sure what they will create, I believe the new generation will further enhance the foundation we built over the years and deliver great games to the world. To achieve that, they too need to continue to learn, challenge themselves, and grow. I ask that you continue your support of the studio’s endeavors.

"Once again, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all of you. Thank you so much for your support. Stay tuned for the many new beginnings!"

Nagoshi will be walking out the doors of RGG Studio alongside Yakuza series producer Daisuke Sato, who was the head of the studio for nine years.

Going forward, the new director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will be series producer Masayoshi Yokoyama, and he discussed how the team will keep pushing forward with what made the studio a success while also forging a new path. One of the first steps on that road, according to Yokoyama, is a sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Ichiban Kasuga's story.

"Ryu Ga Gotoku’s predecessors have passed down their beliefs and know-how to each and every staff member," Yokoyama wrote. "You can witness it in the recently released Lost Judgment and will see it in the upcoming sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon which will continue Ichiban Kasuga’s story.

"This game is currently being developed by producer Sakamoto and directors Horii, Ito and Mitake. I myself along with Takeuchi and Furuta are working on the story.

"Whether it’s six months or one year from now, I hope to show you a new Ryu Ga Gotoku title by a new Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio that is different but still the same, and something that will spark a feeling of 'this is what we are waiting for' within you. I’d like to continue on my life as a video game creator with earnestness."

Nagoshi joined SEGA in its early arcade days and worked on such series as Virtua Racing, Monkey Ball, and more before founding Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and the Yakuza franchise.

For more, check out our review of Lost Judgment, how the studio has said they are charting a new future with Lost Judgement and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and our review of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Four new official Star Wars books have been announced for 2022, and one of them - Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith - looks to give more context to the events of not just Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but the entire sequel trilogy.

As revealed by StarWars.com, Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith will be joined by a novel featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker called Star Wars: Brotherhood, a middle-grade anthology book called Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith, and a Young Adult novel called Star Wars: Padawan that focuses on Obi-Wan's early relationship with Qui-Gon Jinn as his master.

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith

SPOILERS AHEAD for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith is a new "essential novel" by Adam Christopher that will be released on June 28, 2022, and is set between the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

Picking up "nearly two decades on from the Battle of Endor," this novel tells a story of a galaxy that is still dealing with the dangers that are still present in this new age of peace. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is one of these people who is haunted by visions of the dark side, and it's all "foretelling an ominous secret growing somewhere in the depths of space, on a dead world called Exegol."

For those who may not remember, Exogol was the planet that Emperor Palpatine / Sith Lord Darth Sidious used in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to hide the Final Order and where the final battle of the film took place.

Luke's fears are made true when Lando Calrissian comes to him "with reports of a new Sith menace." Following the kidnapping of his daughter, Lando searched all over the stars for her. He followed dead end after dead end until he found Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin who was on a mission to capture a different young girl.

Unbeknownst to Luke and Lando, Ochi had been given a sacred blade by "a mysterious envoy of the Sith Eternal" and a promise that they would answer all his questions if he "returns to Exegol with the key to the Sith's glorious rebirth - the granddaughter of Darth Sidious himself, Rey."

Star Wars: Brotherhood

Star Wars: Brotherhood is a new story from Mike Chen that will be released on May 10, 2022, and follows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the height of the Clone Wars. Following an explosion on Cato Neimoidia that the Republic has been blamed for, the Jedi send Obi-Wan to investigate the crime and try to maintain the "balance that has begun to dangerously shift."

He teams up with a "heroic Neimoidian guard" and they work to stop the Separatists and the threat of Asajj Ventress that hangs over it all.

Anakin, on the other hand, has finally become a Jedi Knight and was told to stay behind while Obi-Wan went on this dangerous mission. As Anakin is known to do, he disobeys that order and journeys to help his master with a "promising but conflicted youngling" in tow.

Star Wars: Brotherhood looks to explore the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin now that they are both on more equal ground and looks to see how they can overcome rising tensions to save Cato Neimoidia and its people.

Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith

Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith will be released on June 7, 2022, and is a middle-grade anthology book that tells multiple stories about Jedi and Sith, heroes and villains, light and dark, and much more. These stories will also feature such iconic characters as Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Asajj Ventress, and many more alongside "beautiful spot illustrations."

The authors who will be featured in this collection are Roseanne A. Brown, Sarwat Chadda, Delilah S. Dawson, Tessa Gratton, Michael Kogge, Sam Maggs, Michael Moreci, Alex Segura, Vera Strange, and Karen Strong. The illustrations are by Jake Bartok and the book will be edited by Jennifer Heddle.

Star Wars: Padawan

Star Wars: Padawan is a Young Adult novel by Kiersten White that is set to be released on July 26, 2022. It follows a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi who is having a hard time in his early days as Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan. While Obi-Wan's friends are training to be "real Jedi," he is still stuck on Coruscant "practicing his forms and sitting in silent contemplation."

Obi-Wan finally gets Qui-Gon to take him on a real mission on "a remote planet once explored by ancient Jedi," but Qui-Gon doesn't show up the morning they are supposed to leave. Obi-Wan takes it upon himself to go anyway and ends up meeting "a group of teenagers with no adult supervision - and who all seem to have some connection to the force." He starts by loving this new freedom, but "the Padawan side" of him begins questioning what is really going on with this group.

For more Star Wars, check out a new epic statue that immortalizes the Clone Wars' greatest battle, our review of LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales, and the latest details on the opening and booking dates of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Four new official Star Wars books have been announced for 2022, and one of them - Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith - looks to give more context to the events of not just Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but the entire sequel trilogy.

As revealed by StarWars.com, Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith will be joined by a novel featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker called Star Wars: Brotherhood, a middle-grade anthology book called Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith, and a Young Adult novel called Star Wars: Padawan that focuses on Obi-Wan's early relationship with Qui-Gon Jinn as his master.

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith

SPOILERS AHEAD for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith is a new "essential novel" by Adam Christopher that will be released on June 28, 2022, and is set between the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

Picking up "nearly two decades on from the Battle of Endor," this novel tells a story of a galaxy that is still dealing with the dangers that are still present in this new age of peace. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is one of these people who is haunted by visions of the dark side, and it's all "foretelling an ominous secret growing somewhere in the depths of space, on a dead world called Exegol."

For those who may not remember, Exogol was the planet that Emperor Palpatine / Sith Lord Darth Sidious used in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to hide the Final Order and where the final battle of the film took place.

Luke's fears are made true when Lando Calrissian comes to him "with reports of a new Sith menace." Following the kidnapping of his daughter, Lando searched all over the stars for her. He followed dead end after dead end until he found Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin who was on a mission to capture a different young girl.

Unbeknownst to Luke and Lando, Ochi had been given a sacred blade by "a mysterious envoy of the Sith Eternal" and a promise that they would answer all his questions if he "returns to Exegol with the key to the Sith's glorious rebirth - the granddaughter of Darth Sidious himself, Rey."

Star Wars: Brotherhood

Star Wars: Brotherhood is a new story from Mike Chen that will be released on May 10, 2022, and follows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the height of the Clone Wars. Following an explosion on Cato Neimoidia that the Republic has been blamed for, the Jedi send Obi-Wan to investigate the crime and try to maintain the "balance that has begun to dangerously shift."

He teams up with a "heroic Neimoidian guard" and they work to stop the Separatists and the threat of Asajj Ventress that hangs over it all.

Anakin, on the other hand, has finally become a Jedi Knight and was told to stay behind while Obi-Wan went on this dangerous mission. As Anakin is known to do, he disobeys that order and journeys to help his master with a "promising but conflicted youngling" in tow.

Star Wars: Brotherhood looks to explore the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin now that they are both on more equal ground and looks to see how they can overcome rising tensions to save Cato Neimoidia and its people.

Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith

Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith will be released on June 7, 2022, and is a middle-grade anthology book that tells multiple stories about Jedi and Sith, heroes and villains, light and dark, and much more. These stories will also feature such iconic characters as Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Asajj Ventress, and many more alongside "beautiful spot illustrations."

The authors who will be featured in this collection are Roseanne A. Brown, Sarwat Chadda, Delilah S. Dawson, Tessa Gratton, Michael Kogge, Sam Maggs, Michael Moreci, Alex Segura, Vera Strange, and Karen Strong. The illustrations are by Jake Bartok and the book will be edited by Jennifer Heddle.

Star Wars: Padawan

Star Wars: Padawan is a Young Adult novel by Kiersten White that is set to be released on July 26, 2022. It follows a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi who is having a hard time in his early days as Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan. While Obi-Wan's friends are training to be "real Jedi," he is still stuck on Coruscant "practicing his forms and sitting in silent contemplation."

Obi-Wan finally gets Qui-Gon to take him on a real mission on "a remote planet once explored by ancient Jedi," but Qui-Gon doesn't show up the morning they are supposed to leave. Obi-Wan takes it upon himself to go anyway and ends up meeting "a group of teenagers with no adult supervision - and who all seem to have some connection to the force." He starts by loving this new freedom, but "the Padawan side" of him begins questioning what is really going on with this group.

For more Star Wars, check out a new epic statue that immortalizes the Clone Wars' greatest battle, our review of LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales, and the latest details on the opening and booking dates of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

While Nintendo hasn’t found a permanent solution to Joy-Con drift, the company revealed in a new interview that it is continuously improving the Joy-Con’s durability since its launch and that the Switch OLED models will come with the newest controllers with the latest improvements.

The Nintendo Switch has had a high-profile, public battle with a phenomenon known as “Joy-Con Drift.” This is when the detachable controllers for the Switch will begin to stop registering the correct inputs from the analog stick.

There have been many teardowns and research into why this is the case, but the most common answer is seemingly general wear and tear over time. And according to Nintendo’s general manager of technology Ko Shiota and deputy general manager Toru Yamashita, Nintendo has been making improvements to the Joy-Con materials regularly since its launch.

“As we have always been trying to improve it as well, we have investigated the Joy-Con controllers used by the customers and repeatedly improved the wear resistance and durability,” Yamashita says.”

“We mentioned that the Joy-Con controller specifications hadn’t changed in the sense that we didn’t add new features such as new buttons,” Yamashita adds. “But the analog sticks in the Joy-Con controllers included with the Nintendo Switch - OLED Model are the latest version with all the improvements.”

Yamashita explains that Nintendo continuously improves the tests for Joy-Cons and when improvements are discovered, these changes are implemented into the Joy-Cons that are sold individually as well as the ones in the Nintendo Switch Lite. The OLED Switch will feature the latest version of the Joy-Cons with all the latest improvements.

Nintendo acknowledged that Joy-Cons will constantly face wear and tear due to general usage. Shiota likens this to car tires that “wear out as the car moves, as they are in constant friction with the ground to rotate.” So the goal for Nintendo is to continuously improve operability and durability.

IGN hasn’t had the Switch OLED long enough to speak in-depth about Joy-Con drift in our review. But we’ll cover any developments regarding the Joy-Con durability as more people get their hands on the new OLED units.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

While Nintendo hasn’t found a permanent solution to Joy-Con drift, the company revealed in a new interview that it is continuously improving the Joy-Con’s durability since its launch and that the Switch OLED models will come with the newest controllers with the latest improvements.

The Nintendo Switch has had a high-profile, public battle with a phenomenon known as “Joy-Con Drift.” This is when the detachable controllers for the Switch will begin to stop registering the correct inputs from the analog stick.

There have been many teardowns and research into why this is the case, but the most common answer is seemingly general wear and tear over time. And according to Nintendo’s general manager of technology Ko Shiota and deputy general manager Toru Yamashita, Nintendo has been making improvements to the Joy-Con materials regularly since its launch.

“As we have always been trying to improve it as well, we have investigated the Joy-Con controllers used by the customers and repeatedly improved the wear resistance and durability,” Yamashita says.”

“We mentioned that the Joy-Con controller specifications hadn’t changed in the sense that we didn’t add new features such as new buttons,” Yamashita adds. “But the analog sticks in the Joy-Con controllers included with the Nintendo Switch - OLED Model are the latest version with all the improvements.”

Yamashita explains that Nintendo continuously improves the tests for Joy-Cons and when improvements are discovered, these changes are implemented into the Joy-Cons that are sold individually as well as the ones in the Nintendo Switch Lite. The OLED Switch will feature the latest version of the Joy-Cons with all the latest improvements.

Nintendo acknowledged that Joy-Cons will constantly face wear and tear due to general usage. Shiota likens this to car tires that “wear out as the car moves, as they are in constant friction with the ground to rotate.” So the goal for Nintendo is to continuously improve operability and durability.

IGN hasn’t had the Switch OLED long enough to speak in-depth about Joy-Con drift in our review. But we’ll cover any developments regarding the Joy-Con durability as more people get their hands on the new OLED units.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

During New York Comic-Con, Funimation gave an update on its upcoming movie slate beginning with the upcoming Eureka Seven movie.

Eureka: Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution, the final full-length film in the Eureka sequel trilogy will be released in 2022. Set 10 years after the events of the last film, Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution will star Eureka, who is living by herself as atonement for the destruction of the world. Things are quiet until she meets Iris, a new “Eureka.”

The two of them set out into the world thanks to their shared destiny. One, a Eureka who has lost her powers, the other is afraid of her newfound abilities.

The conclusion to the cinematic trilogy is almost here!

EUREKA: EUREKA SEVEN HI-EVOLUTION is headed to theaters in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in 2022!

Find out more: https://t.co/7b5F6MnYo4 pic.twitter.com/5EQuLRYook

— Funimation (@Funimation) October 7, 2021

Hi-Evolution is the third film after 2017's Eureka Seven: Hi-Evolution 1 and 2018's Anemone: Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution. The trilogy began by retelling of some of the events from the 2005 anime before taking the story in a new direction.

This is reminiscent of the Rebuild of Evangelion movies which started as a retelling of the anime before revealing itself to be a true sequel. The Evangelion Rebuild movies ended after the fourth and final movie premiered earlier this year.

Funimation’s full panel also included updates on another anime film, Sing a Bit of Harmony, about an AI high school student and the new friends she makes at school. This co-production from Funimation is directed by award-winning anime filmmaker Yasuhiro Yoshiura.

For more from New York Comic-Con, check out IGN for the latest news and announcements.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

The Nintendo Switch OLED model will release tomorrow. If you already own a Switch, it might not be worth the upgrade; but if you are looking to pick up the latest Switch model, Best Buy will have the console in stock tomorrow, according to its website.

Heading to the Nintendo Switch OLED landing page, Best Buy has a countdown timer to prepare for the release of the hybrid gaming console. We reached out to Best Buy for comment on when the restocks will be firmly available, but the countdown implies that it could be available when the timer hits zero.

The landing page offers listings for both the White and Neon Red/Neon Blue Switch OLED consoles, though there are also a ton of new listings, bundling one of the Switch OLED colors along with either a carrying case, a copy of Metroid Dread (which also releases tomorrow), or all three items together.

The Nintendo Switch OLED was originally announced back in July and features a slightly larger OLED display. The new Switch model uses the same specs as the base Nintendo Switch, so this is not the long-rumored "Switch Pro" many were hoping for.

In our review of the Nintendo Switch OLED, I praised the slightly larger and brighter display despite recycling the same graphical and processing power, making it easier to play in direct sunlight. And that the console was a major upgrade for those that primarily play the Switch in handheld or tabletop mode.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Bungie has announced that the Destiny 2 Forsaken campaign will enter the Destiny Content Vault early next year.

Players can still access the content until February 22, at which point the campaign as well as the Tangled Shore desination will leave the game. This is the same day as the launch of Year 5 of Destiny 2, which includes The Witch Queen expansion. Bungie says Forsaken's departure also makes way for new features including weapon crafting, a Legendary difficulty campaign option, a new weapon type, and more.

If you haven't played the Forsaken campaign, it will be available for free to all Destiny players beginning on December 7.

Bungie created the Destiny Content Vault last year as a way to begin recycling content from Destiny 1 and 2. Last year, Bungie added three campaigns to the vault: The Red War, Curse of Osiris, and Warmind. Besides campaigns, the vault can also include strikes, gambit maps, raids, and other content.

It's a big time for Bungie's universe. Besides the upcoming Witch Queen expansion, Destiny may be expanding beyond games into TV shows, movies, and more. And, it just got a little easier to enjoy cross-play, as Bungie recently added voice chat to cross-play in Destiny 2. Bungie also just removed a controversial employee contract clause as a step to improve diversity in the workplace.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Koichi Sugiyama, the composer who defined a generation of RPGs with his music but was also known for his controversial views on LGBTQ+ people and Japan's action in World War II, has died. He was 90 years old.

Like Nobuo Uematsu and a handful of other pioneering composers, Koichi Sugiyama helped define music on the Famicom in the mid-1980s. Known primarily for his work on Dragon Quest, he started as a director at Fuji TV and later worked on projects including Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie.

Sugiyama joined Enix after sending the studio a postcard expressing his appreciation for a PC shogi game they had published. His work on the first Dragon Quest was considered revolutionary for the time. In a look back on the series, 1UP wrote that "he took his cues from classical composers and Wagnerian opera, resulting in a soundtrack that was deeper, heavier, and emotional than any other Famicom game, despite the hardware's strict limits. It's no accident that Sugiyama continues to hold yearly orchestral performances of Dragon Warrior's music in Japan — there are soundtracks that impress the player more, but only very few are better works of art than his work on this series."

Sugiyama continued composing music for the series up until Dragon Quest 11, which released in 2017. While more than a few criticized its somewhat repetitive tunes — a consequence, perhaps, of Sugiyama's age — it was still hard not to be stirred by the symphonic overture leading into its title screen. It remains one of the most readily identifiable themes in gaming, particularly in Japan.

Sugiyama, however, became a controversial figure in his later years. In 2015, Sugiyama appeared alongside Japanese politician Mio Sugita, where he endorsed claims that the lack of children from LGBTQ+ couples were an issue for Japan.

Sugiyama also subscribed to Japan's nationalist rhetoric around World War 2, opposing a resolution to ask Japan to apologize for the use of "comfort women" — a colloquial term for women who were forced into sexual servitude by soldiers during the conflict. Square Enix responded by distancing itself from the composer over those comments, saying that it does not "condone discrimination or harassment of any kind" and that it "respects the diversity of sexuality and gender equality of everyone around the world."

Sugiyama's mixed legacy is reflected in the comments on Twitter following his death.

Koichi Sugiyama, the main composer of Dragon Quest, has passed at the age of 90.

He said horrible things about LGBT people and framed the severity of WW2 era Japanese warcrimes as western propaganda

He also wrote and composed this absolute masterpiece of symphonic euphoria pic.twitter.com/T7COAu29CK

— BerserkChip (@BerserkChip) October 7, 2021

Sugiyama's compositions, especially on DQ3, helped define a series that ultimately put me on the path to becoming a writer. He was also viciously anti-LGBTQ+ and a war crime denier.

...Kids, try to live a life that'll let people mourn your passing without compromise. https://t.co/kl2GsqR0kB

— Nadia Oxford (@nadiaoxford) October 7, 2021

I was shocked to see the breaking news. I never thought that would happen. I've listened to Cosmos with You that he composed so many times lately... which is the most beautiful song out of my favorites. I can't believe it... May he rest in peace, Koichi Sugiyama先生.

— Yuzo Koshiro (@yuzokoshiro) October 7, 2021

Square Enix, for its part, issued a release saying the publisher "mourns his passing."

Square Enix president and CEO Yosuke Matsuda added, "I would like to take this opportunity to offer my deepest sympathy to Koichi Sugiyama's friends and loved ones. Words cannot express the scale of the contribution made by Koichi Sugiyama from the birth of the DRAGON QUEST series until now. I remember seeing him conduct the orchestra in a DRAGON QUEST concert as if it were yesterday. I thank and honor him for his long years of service and the many wonderful pieces of music he has written for our games, and offer my heartfelt prayers for the repose of his soul."

Sugiyama was set to serve as composer for Dragon Quest 12, which was announced earlier this year. Square Enix has not yet announced who will step in as his successor.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN