The man responsible for the best video game soundtrack ever is technically still at Sega, despite just retiring.
While a lot of people may not know his name, gamers of a certain age will already be massive fans of Hiroshi Kawaguchi. He’s the composer responsible for the music in Sega arcade game OutRun, aka the best video game soundtrack ever made.
Although his most prominent work comes from 80s era games like OutRun, Space Harrier, After Burner, and Fantasy Zone, Kawaguchi has remained a part of Sega ever since, even contributing music to modern games like Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble and Sonic X Shadow Generations.
After 41 years at the company, it wasn’t too surprising to learn Kawaguchi had retired, after turning 60 this past April. What is surprising though, is that Sega immediately hired him back.
The official X account for Sega Sound Team (which collectively refers to all the musicians and composers employed at Sega) broke the news on April 30, announcing Kawaguchi’s retirement alongside a photo of him receiving a letter of appreciation from Sega.
However, the same post stated that he will continue to work at Sega in his ‘second form.’ Kawaguchi corroborated this himself via his personal X account earlier today.
‘Starting today, I will be rehired as a new employee at Sega,’ says Kawaguchi, while sharing a photo of his original employment letter from 41 years ago and joking that he didn’t receive a new one.
As for why this is happening, Time Extension theorises that it’s to do with Japan’s continuous employment system. Per Japanese law, companies have to set mandatory retirement ages. The minimum is 60 years old, which is how old Kawaguchi is now.
However, companies are technically allowed to keep on staff who reach retirement age by effectively rehiring them under different terms. This means Kawaguchi will probably continue in the same or similar role that he’s always had.
Hopefully, he’ll stick around long enough to do music for a new OutRun game. There hasn’t been a new entry since 2009’s OutRun Online Arcade, a digital only title you can’t even play anymore, after it was delisted from the Xbox and PlayStation stores.
Sega’s interest in revisiting dormant franchises, like Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi, has us hopeful that a new OutRun game could happen. If not, he should at least get to contribute to the OutRun movie that’s been greenlit.
Said movie is just one of many film projects Sega has announced, which includes movies for Space Channel 5, Shinobi, Streets Of Rage, House Of The Dead, Comix Zone, and even Eternal Champions.
None of them have release dates, though, with the exception of a fourth Sonic The Hedgehog movie that’s locked in for March 19, 2027.
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