The government held the position of Chairman until his demise
Masayuki Kato, the creator of Japanese developer Nihon Falcom, has unfortunately passed away at the age of 78, the company has announced.
Kato established the company back in 1981 and, as noted by our friends at Time Extension, selected the name ‘Falcom’ as a homage to the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, additionally incorporating ‘Nihon’ because he believed a single-word name was insufficient.
He served as the company’s president until 2001, when Shinji Yamazaki took over. The current president, Toshihiro Kondo, assumed the role in 2007. Nonetheless, Kato continued to serve as Chairman of the board of directors for Nihon Falcom until his passing on December 15, 2024.
A private funeral will be held for immediate family members, and the company has stated that no flowers, offerings, incense, or telegrams will be accepted as we mourn. A memorial gathering is also planned for the future, although further details on this have not yet been released.
Nihon Falcom has become a prominent developer in Japan, best recognized for its contributions to franchises such as Ys, The Legend of Heroes, Dragon Slayer, and Sorcerian. In particular, Dragon Slayer has been acknowledged for shaping the direction of the action-RPG genre.
Our condolences go out to Kato’s family and friends.
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A horror enthusiast at Nintendo Life, when he isn’t immersing himself in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie enjoys exploring a good horror novel while savoring a delightful cup of tea. He also appreciates long walks and listens to a diverse range of music, from TOOL to Chuck Berry.