In Memoriam: Tetsuhisa Seko, Celebrated President of Nippon Ichi, Passes Away at 54
Image courtesy of Nippon Ichi Machine.
Tetsuhisa Seko, the president of Nippon Ichi Machine (NIS), sadly passed away this week at the age of 54.
In a translated statement, the company conveyed “deep appreciation for the kindness extended to us throughout his life.” A brief overview of his career in the gaming industry was also provided, commencing with his start at SNK in 1993. He became part of Nippon in 2002 and was elevated to general manager of its business operations in 2005.
By 2019, Seko had advanced to senior managing director and was also serving as the director for Nippon’s U.S. division. In 2023, he was appointed as president and advisory director for the company.
Seko’s game credits include titles such as The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny, Blazing Star, and several other Disgaea series entries. Phantom Hero: The Final Hero, which is set to launch next week on January 30, may be one of the last games he oversaw prior to his passing.
As a former SNK employee, the company has experienced another loss this week: Tsuda Eiji, known for voicing Takuma Sakazaki in King of Fighters and Buriki One’s Jacques Dugarry, passed away on January 20.
A memorial service for Seko will take place on Wednesday, January 29.
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Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Hailing from Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his work can also be found on io9 over at Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he has consumed, as the answer might be more than he is willing to disclose.