Michael Latham

Michael B. Latham

Date of birth: 19xx-xx-xx
Date of death: 2021-04-10 (age 21-121)
Employment history: Rainbird Software Mediagenic Sega of America Divisions: SegaSoft Omega Group Family Group
Role(s): Director, Producer, Designer

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Michael B. Latham was an American businessman and former Sega of America Producer and Designer, best known as the creator of the Eternal Champions series of fighting games. An industry veteran with years of production experience, Latham joined Sega of America and served as Producer to over two dozen games, and also designed many of them personally. Latham would later lead both Sega of America's product development division, SegaSoft, as well as the children's game-oriented Family Group.

History

Pre-Sega

Latham entered the video game industry upon being hired by Rainbird Software, a sister company of Firebird Software, to localize computer games for the American market.

In 1988, he moved to Mediagenic where he served as a Producer on titles such as Ghostbusters II and Tongue of the Fatman before the company went bankrupt in early 1991.

Sega of America

In April 1991, Latham joined Sega of America as a Producer, where he designed games like Home Alone, Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude!, and Eternal Champions.

Sometime around April 1994, Sega of America restructured its internal development groups, resulting in Latham and his teams being merged into Omega Group. Upon hearing news of this restructuring, it's Director Scott Berfield abruptly quit the company altogether, with Latham serving as the group's new Director.

Michael Latham also served as Director of Family Group.

SegaSoft

Post-Sega

Latham passed away on April 10, 2021.^[1]

Production history

Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (Mega Drive; 1992) — Game Design^[2]
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (Mega Drive; 1992) — Producer^[2]
TaleSpin (Mega Drive; 1992)^[3]
TaleSpin (Mega Drive; 1992) — Producer^[3]
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (Game Gear; 1993) — Wild Game Design^[4]
TaleSpin (Game Gear; 1993) — Game Design^[5]
TaleSpin (Game Gear; 1993) — Producer^[5]
Pepe's Puzzles (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks to
Eternal Champions (Mega Drive; 1993) — Designer and Executive Producer^[6]
Eternal Champions (Mega Drive; 1993) — Manual^[7]
Instruments of Chaos Starring Young Indiana Jones (Mega Drive; 1994) — Designer & Producer^[8]
World Championship Soccer II (Mega Drive; 1994) — Special Thanks^[9] (as Mike Latham)
Mickey's Blast into the Past (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks To (as Mike Latham)
Crystal's Pony Tale (Mega Drive; 1994) — Sega Special Thanks (as Mike Latham)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Mega-CD; 1994) — Special Thanks^[10] (as Mike Latham)
NFL '95 (Mega Drive; 1994) — Special Thanks To^[11]
Fred Couples Golf (Game Gear; 1994) — Special Thanks to^[12] (as Mike Latham)
Scholastic's The Magic School Bus: Space Exploration Game (Mega Drive; 1995) — Special Thanks
Garfield: Caught in the Act (Game Gear; 1995) — Executive Producuer^[13]
VR Troopers (Mega Drive; 1995) — Original Design^[14]
VR Troopers (Mega Drive; 1995) — Executive Producer^[14]
VR Troopers (Game Gear; 1995) — Original Design^[15]
VR Troopers (Game Gear; 1995) — Executive Producer^[15]
Wild Woody (Mega-CD; 1995) — Special Thanks^[16] (as Mike Latham)
Motocross Championship (32X; 1995) — Special Thanks^[17]
Pebble Beach Golf Links (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[18] (as Mike Latham)
Daytona USA (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[19] (as Mike Latham)
Sega International Victory Goal (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[20] (as Mike Latham)
Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side (Mega-CD; 1995) — Designer and Executive Producer^[21]
Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side (Mega-CD; 1995) — Manual^[21]
Clockwork Knight 2 (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[22] (as Mike Latham)
Virtua Fighter (32X; 1995) — For SOA^[23] (as Michael B. Latham)
Virtua Fighter (32X; 1995) — Executive Producer^[24]
Hang-On GP (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[25]
Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt! (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks To (as Mike Latham)
Garfield: Caught in the Act (Mega Drive; 1995) — Executive Producer^[26]
Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Saturn; 1995) — Assistant Producer^[27]
Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Saturn; 1995) — Assistant Producers^[27]
Grossology (Windows PC/Macintosh; 1996) — Special Thanks to
Panzer Dragoon Zwei (Saturn; 1996) — Special Thanks^[28]
X-Perts (Mega Drive; 1996) — Game Designers^[29]
NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn; 1996) — Special Thanks^[30] (as Mike Latham)
Garfield: Caught in the Act (Windows PC; 1997) — Executive Producer
Scud: The Disposable Assassin (Saturn; 1997) — Game Design by^[31]
A Year at Pooh Corner (Pico; 1994) — Special Thanks To (as Mike Latham)
Eternal Champions: The Final Chapter (Saturn; unreleased)
Outlaw Racing (Mega Drive; unreleased) — Assistance
The Sacred Pools (Saturn; unreleased) — Producers

Slaughter Sport (1990)

Interviews

External links

References

[https:.2F.2Farchive.vn.2Fi6VjX-1] @MikeJMika on Twitter (archive.today)

[:File:Greendog_MD_credits.pdf_p-2] 2.0 ^2.1 File:Greendog MD credits.pdf

[:File:TaleSpin_MD_credits.pdf_p-3] 3.0 ^3.1 File:TaleSpin MD credits.pdf

[:File:Greendog_GG_credits.pdf_p-4] File:Greendog GG credits.pdf

[:File:TaleSpin_GG_US_Manual.pdf_p10-5] 5.0 ^5.1 File:TaleSpin GG US Manual.pdf, page 10

[:File:Eternal_Champions_MD_credits.pdf_p-6] File:Eternal Champions MD credits.pdf

[:File:Eternal_Champions_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p66-7] File:Eternal Champions MD US Manual.pdf, page 66

[:File:InstrumentsofChaos_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p18-8] File:InstrumentsofChaos MD US Manual.pdf, page 18

[:File:World_Championship_Soccer_II_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p27-9] File:World_Championship Soccer II MD US Manual.pdf, page 27

[:File:Mighty_Morphin_Power_Rangers_MCD_credits.pdf_p-10] File:Mighty Morphin Power Rangers MCD credits.pdf

[:File:NFL_95_MD_credits.pdf_p-11] File:NFL 95 MD credits.pdf

[:File:Fred_Couples_Golf_GG_credits.pdf_p-12] File:Fred Couples Golf GG credits.pdf

[:File:Garfield_Caught_in_the_Act_GG_US_Manual.pdf_p19-13] File:Garfield Caught in the Act GG US Manual.pdf, page 19

[:File:VR_Troopers_MD_credits.pdf_p-14] 14.0 ^14.1 File:VR Troopers MD credits.pdf

[:File:VR_Troopers_GG_credits.pdf_p-15] 15.0 ^15.1 File:VR Troopers GG credits.pdf

[:File:Wild_Woody_MCD_credits.pdf_p-16] File:Wild Woody MCD credits.pdf

[:File:Motocross_Championship_32X_credits.pdf_p-17] File:Motocross Championship 32X credits.pdf

[:File:Pebblebeach_sat_us_manual.pdf_p22-18] File:Pebblebeach sat us manual.pdf, page 22

[:File:Daytonausa_sat_us_manual.pdf_p18-19] File:Daytonausa sat us manual.pdf, page 18

[:File:Ivg_sat_us_manual.pdf_p-20] File:Ivg_sat_us_manual.pdf

[:File:Eternal_Champions_MCD_credits.pdf_p-21] 21.0 ^21.1 File:Eternal Champions MCD credits.pdf

[:File:Clockworkknight2_sat_us_manual.pdf_p22-22] File:Clockworkknight2 sat us manual.pdf, page 22

[:File:Virtua_Fighter_32X_credits.pdf_p-23] File:Virtua Fighter 32X credits.pdf

[:File:Virtuafighter_32x_us_manual.pdf_p31-24] File:Virtuafighter 32x us manual.pdf, page 31

[:File:Hangongp_sat_us_manual.pdf_p3-25] File:Hangongp sat us manual.pdf, page 3

[:File:Garfield_Caught_in_the_Act_MD_credits.pdf_p-26] File:Garfield Caught in the Act MD credits.pdf

[:File:Battle_Arena_Toshinden_Remix_Saturn_credits.pdf_p-27] 27.0 ^27.1 File:Battle Arena Toshinden Remix Saturn credits.pdf

[:File:Panzerzwei_sat_us_manual.pdf_p14-28] File:Panzerzwei sat us manual.pdf, page 14

[:File:XPerts_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p26-29] File:XPerts MD US Manual.pdf, page 26

[:File:Nightsintodreams_sat_us_manual.pdf_p30-30] File:Nightsintodreams sat us manual.pdf, page 30

[:File:Scud_Saturn_credits.pdf_p-31] File:Scud Saturn credits.pdf

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