Japanese publication Asahi reports game creator Yuji Naka has been arrested once again in connection to alleged insider trading involving Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier.
According to Asahi, Yuji Naka and another former Square Enix employee allegedly bought shares of Ateam, the development studio behind Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, before the game was announced. In this case of insider trading, Yuji Naka would have illegally sold shares of Ateam after Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier was announced.
Previously, Naka and two other individuals were arrested for alleged insider trading involving Dragon Quest Tact. Naka bought roughly 10,000 shares in Aiming, the developer of Dragon Quest Tact, before the game was announced. These shares amount to roughly 2.8 million yen or $20,000.
Naka’s fall from grace seemingly continues after the release of Balan Wonderworld, the creator’s latest game project. Balan Wonderworld was mired in development troubles, and Naka’s insider trading dates back to the game’s development.
Although Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier was expected to be a major success for Square Enix, the opposite turned out to be true. Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier will end service on January 11, 2023 for Android and iOS.
