Takahashi Leaves Hudson After 29 Years

Hudson executive Toshiyuki Takahashi has announced that he is leaving the company after 29 years of employment. Takahashi, also known as Takahashi Meijin -- or 'Master Takahashi' -- explained today, on his 52nd birthday, that he is leaving the company on May 31. He did not give a reason for his departure on his blog, as translated by Andriasang, nor did he reveal what he'll be doing next, or whether he'll be staying in the games industry at all. Takahashi joined Hudson in 1982, and was first given the Takahashi Meijin nickname in 1985. During his first years at Hudson, he became known for his quick trigger finger, as he was able to fire 16 shots per second while playing various NES titles. He also appeared as a character in the Hudson's Adventure Island game, and was subsequently renamed to 'Master Higgins' in the U.S and European versions. Hudson revealed earlier in the year that it was being taken over by Japanese publishing and development giant Konami, while also restructuring its efforts to focus on social games.