Sega 3D Classics Developer Akira Saito Loses Battle With Cancer

Very sad about this. Rest in Peace ;_;
Played some Sega 3D Classics after hearing this.

Sucks...

[sigh]
So many people good people have succumbed to cancer this year, and it's only February...

Don't think I'd heard of him before but really sad news. I love the M2 games and he helped make them as great as they are. He also appears to be credited for sound programming previously, obviously a very dedicated and passionate man.

Damn it. And to think I saw the Deadpool movie yesterday... to quote its protagonist: "The worst thing about cancer isn't what it does to you, it's what it does to the ones you love".
A very sad way to start off the week, indeed. To say this is made worse considering the amazing ports the man delivered would be demeaning to the good men, regardless of their accomplishments, who also lost their lives to this, sadly, still incurable illness.
Hats off.

Rest in place..

Oh my gosh, how unfortunate. Rest in peace.

I don't like the expression "Loses battle with cancer".
Cancer patients are never losers.

My thoughts are with his family and friends

"Port" used to be a derogatory term in videogaming, but M2's Sega conversions set a new high water mark that displayed genuine programming skill. As I recall, Sega didn't even think the SoR2 conversion would be possible. Also, the team's love for the original games continues to shine through in all the fine detail and different options on offer.

As Damien says, our thoughts are with Saito's family, friends and colleagues.

It always sucks to hear about these untimely deaths.

43 is no age, such a shame

Dang, I hope the best for his family and friends.

Thank you very much Mr. Saito , i love these games .

R.I.P.

He was only 43 years of age....
if it wasn`t for Akira Saito-san, who I didn`t even know was the main programmer, I (probably) wouldn`t own ANY of Sega`s Mega Drive games via the Wii Virtual console service. You are in heaven now where my grandparents are (I now only have one Grandmother) , Satoru Iwata and many key figures of the industry. I will ensure that today I will play many Sega games in your honor, not original but virtual console ones you programmed. I may even have enough to download everyone now as I have roughly 16,000 Nintendo Wii virtual console points.
Rest in peace Akira Saito-san , I wish all the very best for your family and friends.

Before being a great developer, he was a man, so condolences to his family, and may he rest in peace.

I'm having trouble finding a complete list of projects he's worked on. I found a list of M2's projects, but I'm not sure which projects he was involved in.

Wow, rest in peace good man. Your input in preserving and enhancing old classics, introducing them to new gamers and reintroducing them to old gamers is of high value.

Is this the man responsible for the Streets of Rage 2 and Monster World 4 releases on Wii VC? He did great work in that regard, if so.

That's a rather young age for cancer, so it was probably developing while he was in his 20s or 30s, maybe even childhood. Too bad it wasn't discovered (or perhaps just fully treated) sooner... It was probably preventable.

That's sad. It's such a frightening disease. I hope there will be a cure one day.

Very sad.

e'yup

;_; Rest in peace, good sir, and I humbly thank you for your great work on the M2 games.

R.I.P.

Sad to see him go, and at such a young age! My condolences to his friends and family.

I will think of you Akira when I buy the boxed coppy and when I play the games on it. Very sad.

Cancer should not exist, it is a cancer for cancer to simply exist.

…

R.I.P.

This is sad news. Very sad, but his work is and will always be appreciated if gamers keep playing in his honor. The 3D Classics he helped with brought me a ton of joy.

May he rest peacefully. I wish to see the day where cancer is curable and is no longer a threat.

Ugh. It's always sad to hear another human lose their battle with cancer, but at least he lived his life getting to do something he loved.

Sorry to hear about this. Eff cancer!

RIP Akira Saito

Cancer sucks. So sad

Rest in peace.

It's obviously always sad to see someone pass, but being a big Sega fan and classic gamer, and reading about his involvement with the 3DS sega classics makes it even sadder to lose such a talent in that area!! Rest in peace sir! You were called upon much to young!