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This is the second time Naka has reportedly been arrested in under a month.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

December 7, 2022

1 Min Read
A headshot of Yuji Naka

Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka has reportedly be re-arrested on suspicion of insider trading during his time at Square Enix.

According to Japanese outlet Asahi (via Eurogamer), Naka is now accused of violating insider trading laws during the development of Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier.

Naka is specifically alleged to have dropped 144.7 million yen on a stake in the game's developer, Ateam, before the project was announced.

The news comes around a month after Naka was arrested for a similar offense, having reportedly purchased 10,000 shares in Caravan Stories developer Aiming after learning the company would be collaborating with Square Enix to create Dragon Quest Tact.

It's claimed Naka spent 2.8 million yen to purchase those shares in the studio before the partnership was announced, believing Aiming's stock price would surge after the link-up was made official.

Two more former Square Enix workers, Taisuke Sasaki and Fumiaki Suzuki, were also arrested over suspected insider trading, and are believed to have also spent millions of yen on shares in Aiming.

Naka departed Square Enix in 2021 shortly after the troubled launch of Balan Wonderworld, which he claimed was released in an incredibly rough state due to a lack of care on the part of the Japanese publisher.

About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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