One of 2021’s most infamously disappointing games wasBalan Wonderworld. The game, which was a collaboration between Yuji Naka and publisher Square Enix, was met with a very negative reception at launch, with many criticizing lacking game design and a general lack of polish. It turns out one of the game’s biggest critics is none other than director Yuji Naka, as he has recently publicly criticized it and revealed that he has finished a legal battle with publisher Square Enix for removing him from his position six months ahead ofBalan Wonderworld’s release.Balan Wonderworldwas first revealed in August 2020. The game was touted asthe return ofSonic the Hedgehogcreator Yuji Naka, who would be teaming up once again with Naoto Ohshima, the character designer for the likes ofSonicandNiGHTS. The game was to be published by Square Enix, and was being co-developed by Ohshima’s studio Arzest and Balan Company, a new subsidiary of Square Enix founded by Naka.RELATED:Former Sega Producer Details How Yuji Naka Canceled A Promising Dreamcast GameWhenBalan Wonderworldlaunched however, the game was instantly met with negative reception, becomingone of the worst reviewed games of 2021. This was mainly due to bizarre game design decisions, uninspired level design, and technical issues across all platforms.
Now, Naka has revealed that he has been part of a quiet legal dispute with Square Enix since the game released, claiming thatthe publisher removed him from his position asBalan Wonderworld’s directorfor criticizing its decision to release an outsourced version of the game’s soundtrack, and for requesting more time to develop the game. In a Twitter thread posted today, translated by Twitter user Cheesemeister, he slams Square Enix, claiming that the publisher does “not value games and game fans.”
Naka alleges that Square Enix also blocked him from publicly commenting on the game, hence why he has refrained from replying to fans and followers on social media regarding the game since his departure from the company. He ends the Twitter thread by mentioning thatduring the last two weeks of development ofSonic the Hedgehog, the game’s design was changed to allow players to avoid death even if they are only carrying one ring. This design choice would not have existed if Sonic Team was not allowed to polish the game up to its release.
Naka’s allegations against Square Enix highlight the growing outcry against toxic workplaces in the games' industry, with many developers coming out to condemn industry standard practices like crunch for taking advantage of workers. Square Enix has had a recent string of critically panned releases, themost recent of which includesBabylon’s Fallfrom Platinum Games, further bolstering Naka’s claim that the publisher does not allow ample development time for some of its titles.
Balan Wonderworldis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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