Yu Suzuki, video game designer, Hang On, Out Run, Virtua Fighter, Pioneer Award, Sega, Sega game designer, YS NET
TOKYO -- The designer of Outrun, Virtua Fighter and other classic coin-op videogames is reportedly leaving his post as manager of research and development at Sega in September.
Officially, Yu Suzuki will remain with Sega Corp. in a consulting capacity, but the bulk of his time will be devoted to his startup company YS NET, according to Gamasutra, a videogame news site. The startup will focus on consumer and smartphone games. | SEE STORY
Suzuki, 54, joined Sega as a programmer in 1983 and spent his entire career there. He won the Pioneer Award during the Game Developers Conference on March 2.