“Capcom Overworks Ono,” Street Fighter Boss Attributes Illness to Poor Working Conditions

It appears that Street Fighter legend Yoshi Ono’s relationship with Capcom is a bit more strained than we originally thought, as the developer confessed that his recent health issues are due to being overworked at Capcom.

In fact, Ono went so far as to say that because he has mentioned this, he will “probably get sacked.” The game developer, who recently collapsed in his home earlier this spring, spoke to Eurogamer about the matter, making it clear that Capcom’s working conditions were simply too much for him to handle.

I woke up and walked to the bathroom. When I opened the door the room was abnormally steamy. Stranger still: the steam was rising. It kept rising, up and up, and I didn’t understand what was going on. It was like I was suffocating. Then, when the steam reached my head level I passed out cold and collapsed onto the tiles.

According to doctors who monitored his condition, his blood pressure was off the charts, likening it to someone “who had just finished running a marathon.” Worse still was the response he received from Capcom following his illness. According to Ono, the company “didn’t even acknowledge” his health issues, expecting him to jump right back into work, firing on all cylinders.

When I returned to my desk there was a ticket to Rome waiting for me. There’s no mercy. Everyone in the company says: ‘Ono-san we’ve been so worried about you.’ Then they hand me a timetable and it’s completely filled with things to do.

It is so unfortunate to see such a talented individual collapse under the pressure from a larger corporate entity. While this industry at its core is primarily about making money, working valuable employees to the bone is hardly effective or just. Sounds off with your thoughts on the matter in the comments below.

TRENDING