Yu Suzuki

Yu Suzuki (鈴木裕), AM2's star developer, is one of the most highly-regarded visionaries in the industry. He joined Sega in 1983 as a programmer and producer, and two years later he created Hang-On, the first simulation arcade game. Hang-On was also the first arcade racing game to feature a fully interactive cabinet, with the player sitting on and controlling a replica motorcycle.

Suzuki has always tried to push the limits of arcade hardware and was the first to develop a title using the cutting-edge Sega Model 1 arcade board. With the Model 1, Suzuki began his first foray into the world of polygons, and the result was Virtua Racing. This F1 racing simulator was completely rendered in 3D, and allowed players to experience the action from four different camera angles.

In 1993, Suzuki's next Model 1 masterpiece was the acclaimed Virtua Fighter. It was the very first 3D fighting game, and featured what is considered to be one of the deepest fighting engines ever. Virtua Fighter’s impact was such that it is housed in the Smithsonian Institution's Permanent Research Collection on Information Technology Innovation.

In 1999, Yu Suzuki released Shenmue, his first title for a home console. Five years in the making, Shenmue features a sweeping story, multiple gameplay elements, and an unprecedented level of detail. Shenmue also marks the start of a new genre, dubbed by Suzuki as FREE, or Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment. The story, graphics, and the innovative system exceeded those of many previous games.

Shenmue is currently the second most expensive game to be developed (being recently surpassed by Grand Theft Auto IV, which cost roughly 100 Million USD.) with the whole project costing 70 million USD.

In 2003, Suzuki became the sixth person to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame. On April 1, 2009, Suzuki retired from Sega. Since then he now runs his own game company, YS NET Inc. (established November 11, 2008), but still retains a good relationship with Sega.

Overview

During the mid-to-late-1980s, he created Super Scaler arcade games that popularized pseudo-3D gaming with sprite-scaling graphics as well as motion-controlled arcade cabinets, including racing video games such as Hang-On, Out Run and Power Drift as well as third-person rail shooters such as Space Harrier and After Burner. During the early-mid-1990s, he created Sega Model arcade games that popularized and advanced polygonal 3D graphics and gameplay, including Virtua Racing, the Virtua Fighter series of fighting games, the texture-filtered racing game Daytona USA, and the Virtua Cop series of light gun shooters.

In the late 1990s, he created the racing simulation F355 Challenge, and the critically acclaimed Shenmue series for the Dreamcast, which was a major step forward for 3D open world gameplay. During the early-mid-2000s, he create several more arcade hits such as Virtua Fighter 4 and OutRun 2 while working on experimental titles such as the cancelled touchscreen fighting game Psy-Phi, but has been mostly inactive since then.

In 2003, Suzuki became the sixth person to be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame. IGN listed him at #9 in their Top 100 Game Creators of All Time list.^[1]

Career

Suzuki was born and raised in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, the older of two children to parents who were elementary school teachers. Suzuki's father was Yuzuru, and his mother, Taka, taught piano. Suzuki has one younger sister named Yuka, who became a dance teacher. Yu Suzuki's interests were wide-ranging as a child. At a young age, he was encouraged by his father to have an interest in music and the arts on which it would end up staying with him for the rest of his life. He also enjoyed building numerous model cars, wooden miniature houses, and robots made of plastic blocks, as well as a passion for drawing.

Before entering college, Suzuki flirted with the idea of going into education, having been influenced by his parents. After a while, he thought of becoming an illustrator and then a dentist; however, the latter dream was short-lived, as he didn't pass the required entry exam for dental school. Ever resourceful, Suzuki began to play the guitar, but he stated in an interview with G4TV that, "No matter how much I practiced, I never got that much better."

Seeing the similarities between the plastic blocks he played with as a child and the architecture of electronic design, Yu Suzuki decided to pursue computer programming at the Okayama University of Science. He graduated from there in the early 1980s. He was also interested in music. He played guitar at Music club called "Muscat" at Okayama Ridai.

Sega (1983–2003)

Suzuki joined Sega Enterprises in 1983 as a programmer. In his first year, he created a 2D boxing arcade game called Champion Boxing, which was later ported to Sega's first home game console, the SG-1000. Under the mantle of Sega's development studio AM2, Suzuki began working on another arcade game which would prove to be the big stepping-off point of his career. "To develop this game," Suzuki told G4TV, "I rode on motorcycles a lot. When we came up with the prototype (for the arcades), I would ride on that prototype bike for hours and hours every day." His and AM2's efforts culminated into the game Hang-On, released in 1985. Hang-On was a success as it broke new ground in arcade technology. It did not feature any traditional controls, as the movement of the on-screen avatar was dictated by the movements the player made with their body on the motorcycle cabinet. This began the "Taikan" trend, the use of motion-controlled hydraulic arcade cabinets in many arcade games of the late 1980s, two decades before motion controls became popular on video game console. [1] Running on the Sega Space Harrier hardware, it was also the first of Sega's "Super Scaler" arcade system boards that allowed pseudo-3D sprite-scaling at high frame rate.^[2] The pseudo-3D sprite/tile scaling was handled in a similar manner to textures in later texture-mapped polygonal 3D games of the 1990s.^[3] Suzuki stated that his "designs were always 3D from the beginning. All the calculations in the system were 3D, even from Hang-On. I calculated the position, scale, and zoom rate in 3D and converted it backwards to 2D. So I was always thinking in 3D." [2]

Suzuki and AM2 soon followed with the 3D-esque third-person shooter game Space Harrier later that year. The game introduced a true analog flight stick for movement,^[4] with the ability to register movement in any direction as well as measure the degree of push, which could move the player character at different speeds depending on how far the stick is pushed in a certain direction.^[5] It also featured cockpit-shaped video game arcade cabinet that moved in the direction the player moved the joystick. Its success established Suzuki as the leading arcade game designer at the time.^[4]

Showing his interest in Ferraris, Suzuki created the driving simulator Out Run, which was released in 1986. Although it didn't officially feature a Ferrari, the player controlled a car that looked almost exactly like one. Out Run offered players a wide variety of driving paths and routes to complete the game, adding elements of nonlinear gameplay and increasing replay value. It also featured a radio with three songs to choose from as players drove through the wide variety of landscapes. At the Golden Joystick Awards, Out Run was awarded the Game of the Year award. [3]

Suzuki's later hits included the jet fighting After Burner series in the late 1980s and the roller coaster kart racer Power Drift in 1988. Improving on the "Super Scaler" technology and road scrolling effects of Hang-On and Out Run, Power Drift created "all of its track layouts with flat bitmap" to simulate a "wholly 3D space using strictly 2D technology.".^[6] In 1990, Suzuki brought out a spiritual sequel to After Burner called G-LOC, which featured a gyroscope-like cabinet that rotated 360 degrees to give players the realistic illusion of flying a fighter jet.

Suzuki had been interested in 3D technology since his days in college. Although Space Harrier and Out Run had graphics similar to 3D, they did not fully utilize the capabilities. When Sega released the Model 1 development board, a piece of hardware capable of generating 3D polygonal graphics, Suzuki and AM2 began developing games for it. In 1992, they released the 3D Formula 1 racer Virtua Racing, which was considered one of, if not the most, realistic-looking arcade games on the market at that time. GameSpot listed it as one of the 15 most influential video games of all time, commenting that "It wasn't the first fully polygonal game on the market ... but along with Virtua Fighter, Sega's 1993 release on the same hardware, it introduced the concept of polygonal graphics to the masses."^[7]

In 1993, Suzuki created Virtua Fighter, the first 3D fighting game, which became enormously popular and spawned a series of sequels and spinoffs. It inspired many 3D fighting games such as the Tekken and Soul Calibur series.^[8] Some of the Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) staff involved in the creation of the original PlayStation console credit Virtua Fighter as inspiration for the PlayStation's 3D graphics hardware. According to SCE's former producer Ryoji Akagawa and chairman Shigeo Maruyama, the PlayStation was originally being considered as 2D focused hardware, and it wasn't until the success of Virtua Fighter in the arcades that they decided to design the PlayStation as a 3D focused hardware.^[9] Next Generation, in 1995, stated Virtua Fighter "epitomizes Suzuki's skill of finding the perfect blend of state-of-the-art technology with solid gameplay".^[10] The Virtua Fighter series was recognized by the Smithsonian Institution, [4] as an application which made great contributions to society in the field of art and entertainment. The same year, he debuted the Sega Model 2 with Daytona USA, which featured the use of texture mapping with texture filtering, producing graphics that were, according to IGN, "light-years ahead of anything anyone had seen."^[11]

In 1994, he created Virtua Fighter 2, which featured filtered, texture-mapped characters. Suzuki noted that the game's texture-mapping technology was limited to the military and cost millions, which his AM2 team acquired and used to create a much cheaper affordable graphics chip for the Model 2 that could be mass-produced. Virtua Fighter 2 was also known for its character animations, which were produced using motion capture technology that had previously never been used by the game industry.^[12] The same year, he created Virtua Cop, which broke new ground by popularizing the use of 3D graphics in shooter games.^[13] It inspired 3D light gun shooters such as Time Crisis and The House of the Dead as well as 3D first-person shooters such as GoldenEye 007.^[14] Suzuki also oversaw most of the home console conversions of AM2's arcade games.

Suzuki's Shenmue, released for the Dreamcast in 1999, gave rise to a new style of adventure games, bending it away from the typical mold most games of its nature seem to fit into, with Suzuki's own concept denoted as "FREE" (Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment). Shenmue was the most expensive game to be developed until Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008, with the whole project costing $70 million USD,^[15] equivalent to $93 million USD in 2011.^[16] Shenmue was a major step forward for 3D open world, nonlinear gameplay, touted as offering an unparalleled level of player freedom, giving them full reign to explore an expansive sandbox city with its own day-night cycles, changing weather, and fully voiced non-player characters going about their daily routines. The game's large interactive environments, level of detail and the scope of its urban sandbox exploration has been compared to later sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto III and its sequels, Sega's own Yakuza series, Fallout 3, and Deadly Premonition.^[1]^[17]^[18]^[19] The game also revived and modernized the Quick Time Event mechanic, and coined a name for it, "QTE". The mechanic has since appeared in many later titles, including popular action game such as Resident Evil 4, 'God of War, Tomb Raider: Legend, Heavenly Sword, and Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy.^[20]

Suzuki's arcade game Ferrari F355 Challenge was a racing simulator created upon a strong partnership with Ferrari. Rubens Barrichello of the F1 Team Ferrari was quoted by Suzuki to "have considered to purchase one for practicing." The game was considered the most accurate racing simulation of the Ferrari F355 possible up until that time.^[8]^[21]

In 2003, Yu Suzuki, along with Hiroshi Kataoka, produced sequels for OutRun and Virtua Cop, entitled OutRun 2 and Virtua Cop 3, respectively. Suzuki left AM2 to form a new Studio eventually named DigitalRex.

Digital Rex (2004–2009)

At DigitalRex, Yu Suzuki worked on 4 games: Psy-Phi, Shenmue Online, Sega Race TV, and an unannounced fantasy sports game. Shenmue Online and the Sports game were cancelled during development. PsyPhi a game that was initially delayed due to development shifting from Sega Chihiro to Sega Lindbergh Arcade boards.^[22] The game was successfully completed but was never shipped as it performed poorly at location testing.^[23] One of the biggest problems with the game the developers couldn't get around was that players' fingers heated up too much from the friction of moving over the screen, and the game just became painful to play.^[24]

The goal of his new studio was to make Shenmue Online to penetrate the rising Asian MMO RPG markets.^[25] After numerous problems in development Shenmue Online was quietly cancelled.^[26] The development of Shenmue Online cost Sega and JCEntertainment almost $26 Million dollars ^[27]^[28]

After 4 years away from AM2 Yu Suzuki released his first game an arcade racing game titled Sega Race TV released under the studio name AM plus. The game was given a limited release and did not do well commercially. After the release of the game Suzuki resumed non executive work as an adviser for AM2.

YS.Net (2010–Present)

In 2010, it was rumored that Yu Suzuki would be appearing at E3, and revealing a game for the PlayStation 3 incorporating the new PlayStation Move motion control technology. The game was rumored to be a reworked Psy-Phi.^[29]^[30] Although this was proven as a hoax as Suzuki was not in attendance at E3 and no updates are available on the cancelled Psy-Phi.

Yu Suzuki's actual main stream return took place in fall of 2010, with a new game in the Shenmue Series, titled Shenmue City, was being developed by Sunsoft and YS Net (Yu Suzuki's new studio) for Yahoo Games.^[31]^[32]

On June 2014, Yu Suzuki received a "Legend Award" in Barcelona, Spain during Gamelab Barcelona 2014.^[33]

In June 2015, he launched a Kickstarter campaign for Shenmue III, which was successfully funded within eight hours, setting a crowdfunding record. It is set to be released in December 2017.

Production History

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Champion Boxing (Sega SG-1000) (1984) — Programmer, Director, Designer, Producer
Champion Pro Wrestling (Sega SG-1000) (1985) — Director & Producer
Hang-On (Arcade Version) (1985) — Director, Designer, Producer
Space Harrier (Arcade Version) (1985) — Director, Designer, Producer
OutRun (Arcade Version) (1986) — Director, Designer, Producer
Super Hang-On (Arcade Version) (1986) — Producer
After Burner (Arcade Version) (1987) — Director, Designer, Producer
After Burner II (Arcade Version) (1987) — Director, Designer, Producer
Space Harrier (Sega Master System Version) (1986) — Special Thanks (as Yu)
Power Drift (Arcade Version) (1988) — Director, Designer, Producer
Dynamite Dux (Arcade Version) (1988) — Producer
Turbo Outrun (Arcade Version) (1989) — Producer / Sp. Thanks (as Yu.)
G-LOC: Air Battle (Arcade Version) (1990) — Director, Designer, Producer
GP Rider (Arcade Version) (1990) — Producer
Strike Fighter (Arcade Version) (1991) — Designer, Producer
Rent-A-Hero (Sega Mega Drive Version) (1991) — Producer
F1 Exhaust Note (Arcade) (1991) — Producer
Soreike Kokology (Arcade) (1991) — Producer
Virtua Racing (Arcade Version) (1992) — Director / Chief Programmer [NOTE: Also Producer]
GP Rider (Sega Game Gear Version) (1993) — Producer
F1 Super Lap (Arcade) (1993) — Producer
Virtua Fighter (Arcade Version) (1993) — Producer & Director
Virtua Formula (Arcade) (1993) — Producer
Burning Rival (Arcade) (1993) — Producer
Soreike Kokology 2 (Arcade) (1993) — Producer
Daytona USA (Arcade & Saturn Versions) (1993 & 1995) — Producer & Special Thanks
Virtua Fighter (Sega Saturn Version) (1994) — Producer
Virtua Cop (Arcade/Saturn/PC Versions) (1994/1995/1997) — Producer & Supervisor
Virtua Fighter 2 (Arcade Version) (1994) — Director, Producer
Virtua Fighter Remix (1995) — Producer
Virtua Cop 2 (Arcade & Saturn Versions) (1995 & 1996) — Producer
Virtua Fighter (32X Version) (1995) — Special Thanks
Fighting Vipers (Arcade & Saturn Versions) (1995 & 1996) — Producer
Virtua Fighter 2 (Saturn Version) (1995) — Producer
Sonic the Fighters (1996) — Producer
Virtua Fighter 3 (1996) — Director & Producer
Virtua Fighter Kids (Arcade & Saturn Versions) (1996) — Producer
Fighters Megamix (1996) — Producer
Scud Race (Arcade) (1996) — Producer
Virtua Fighter 2 (PC Version) (1997) — Supervisor
Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle (Arcade Version) (1997) — Director & Producer
Virtua Striker 2 (Arcade) (1997) — Producer
Virtua Cop 2 (PC & Dreamcast Versions) (1997 & 2000) — Producer & Supervisor
Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle (Dreamcast Version) (1998) — Director & Producer
Fighting Vipers 2 (Arcade Version) (1998) — Producer
Virtua Striker 2 Version '98 (Arcade) (1998) — Producer
Daytona USA 2 (Arcade) (1998) — Producer
Daytona USA 2: Power Edition (Arcade) (1998) — Producer
Ferrari F355 Challenge (Arcade & Dreamcast Versions) (1999 & 2000) — Producer & Director
D-2 (1999) — Special Thanks
Shenmue (1999) — Story by, Produced by, Directed by, Executive Producer (Sega Enterprises Ltd.) (Shenmue (Orchestra Version) OST)
Eighteen Wheeler: American Pro Trucker (2000/2002) — Special Thanks
Fighting Vipers 2 (Dreamcast Version) (2001) — Producer
F355 Challenge 2 (Arcade) (2001) — Director
Shenmue II (Dreamcast Version) (2001) — Story, Director, Producer
Propeller Arena: Aviation Battle Championship (2001; unreleased) — Producer
Virtua Fighter 4 (Arcade Version) (2001) — Producer
Virtua Fighter 4 (PS2 Version) (2002) — Executive Director
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (Arcade Version) (2002) — Producer
Virtua Cop: Elite Edition (2002) — Producer
Ferrari F355 Challenge (PS2 Version) (2002) — Producer
Shenmue II (Xbox Version) (2002) — Executive Producer (Xbox Version), Directed by (Tie‑up With), Produced by (Tie‑up With)
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (PS2 Version) (2003) — Executive Director
Devastation (2003) — Special Thanks to
OutRun 2 (Arcade Version) (2003) — Producer
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 8: Virtua Racing -FlatOut- (2004) — Executive Supervisor
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 13: OutRun (2004) — Executive Supervisor
Virtua Fighter 4: Final Tuned (2004) — Producer
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers (2005) — Producer
Psy-Phi (Arcade) (2005) — Director & Producer
Sega Race TV (2008) — Director & Producer
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010) — Creative Officer (Sega Japan)
Shenmue III (2017) — Director & Producer