By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Sony Discussion - SEGA halts shipments and digital sales of Judgment due to Pierre Taki's cocaine arrest. Could effect western release.

Xxain on 13 March 2019
Sega halts Judgment shipments and digital sales in Japan following actor Pierre Taki’s arrest [Update]
posted on 03.13.19 at 12:18 AM EDT by Sal Romano (@salromano)
No word on whether western release is affected.

Sega has announced a voluntary halt on shipments and digital sales of Judgment(Judge Eyes: Shinigami no Yuigon) in Japan following news of actor Pierre Taki’s arrest for allegedly using cocaine in violation of Japan’s drug control law. 

Taki plays the role of Kyohei Hamura in Judgment. Hamura is the captain of the Matsugane family, a subsidiary of the Tojo Clan based in Kamurocho.

In a press release, Sega said, “Sega has received the arrest reports and are currently confirming the facts, but for the time being, we will voluntarily refrain from shipments and digital sales of [Judgment], as well as from things like posting the product’s homepage. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause for customers, as well as the parties involved.”

In a tweet, Sega added its tweets related to Judgment have also been deleted.

Sega will make an announcement regarding its future course of action as soon as a decision is made.

Judgment launched for PlayStation 4 in December 2018 in Japan, and is due out in the Americas and Europe on June 25. There is no word on whether Taki’s arrest will affect the western release.

It should be noted that when Sega re-released Yakuza 4 for PlayStation 4 in Japan this January, Masayoshi Tanimura (one of the game’s four playable protagonists) was recast to be played by Toshiki Masuda due to original actor Hiroki Narimiya retiring in 2016 following allegations of cocaine abuse.

Update 1:34 a.m.: The Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki reported on Twitter that Sega is currently discussing its course of action regarding the western release of Judgment, and that a decision has not yet been made.



Around the Network
Xxain on 13 March 2019

I bet SEGA is pissed. This is the second time in just a few months in which one of their actors for Yakuza studio games did/said something that brought negative press to their respective games.



melbye on 13 March 2019

A little bit ridiculous, halt sales of a product hundreds of people worked on because of one man's idiocy



COKTOE on 13 March 2019
Xxain said:
I bet SEGA is pissed. This is the second time in just a few months in which one of their actors for Yakuza studio games did/said something that brought negative press to their respective games.

Ack. Never mind. Also for cocaine? Ha.

And are you telling me that the character model and VO for Tanimura is totally different in the Yakuza 4 remaster?

melbye said:
A little bit ridiculous, halt sales of a product hundreds of people worked on because of one man's idiocy

Yeah, I'd say it's more than a bit ridiculous.

Last edited by COKTOE - on 13 March 2019

- "If you have the heart of a true winner, you can always get more pissed off than some other asshole."

DonFerrari on 13 March 2019

It is beyond ridiculous to stop the product because someone on the team have made bad stuff outside of the company.

Even funnier is they making games about outlaw, that deals with violence, prostitution and drugs but get so moral about one actor doing what is in the game IRL.



duduspace11 "Well, since we are estimating costs, Pokemon Red/Blue did cost Nintendo about $50m to make back in 1996"

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/post.php?id=8808363

Mr Puggsly: "Hehe, I said good profit. You said big profit. Frankly, not losing money is what I meant by good. Don't get hung up on semantics"

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/post.php?id=9008994

Azzanation: "PS5 wouldn't sold out at launch without scalpers."

Around the Network
KLXVER on 13 March 2019

Who cares? A celebrity using cocaine is not exactly surprising.



COKTOE on 13 March 2019

Jim Sterling has a video up already. He's a big fan of Yakuza and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio in general, so it's not surprising he's all over this.



- "If you have the heart of a true winner, you can always get more pissed off than some other asshole."

forest-spirit on 13 March 2019

Yes, let's punish everyone because one guy messed up. Brilliance, sheer brilliance.



Xxain on 13 March 2019

At the very most, I think they will just remodel the guys face like in Yakuza 4.



Wyrdness on 13 March 2019
melbye said:
A little bit ridiculous, halt sales of a product hundreds of people worked on because of one man's idiocy

Drug use in Japan is a serious offence, unlike in the west getting caught leads to serious repercussions as celebrities who have been caught essentially get black listed and anything associated with them is treated as tainted.