It is here where Yu Suzuki programmed Hang-On, Sega’s first “Taikan” game, a Japanese term that was coined by Sega during the 1980s to describe their experience based deluxe cabinets. The popularity of Hang-On inspired Sega to create a line of “Taikan” games such as Space Harrier, Enduro Racer, OutRun, Super Hang-on and After Burner.  As Sega continued to revise how the company was structured Studio 128 became Sega R&D8 which then became the much more widely known division, Sega AM2 in the early 1990s.

During the mid 1980s while working at Studio 128 Suzuki and team developed some of the most popular full body immersion-based video games.   With the transition to Sega AM2 Suzuki was promoted to producer where he continued to improve the immersion of video games with the team’s first 3D computer generated game, Virtua Racing.  Suzuki became the public face of AM2 for the following decade where he helped create and promote games such as Virtua Fighter, Daytona USA, Virtua Cop and Fighting Vipers.  Along with producing arcade games Suzuki experience and feedback became instrumental in the design of several Sega arcade boards.

After the release of Virtua Fighter 3 in 1996, Suzuki’s focus shifted away from arcade games for the chance to develop a potential ground-breaking concept for Sega’s new home console that was in development, the Dreamcast.  Wanting to create a longer experience game Suzuki’s concept for an action-adventure game did not fit as an arcade game.  Written, directed and produced by Suzuki, Shenmue became one of Sega’s most ambitious video games.  At the time it was the most expensive video games ever produced with a production and marketing cost that exceeded $50 million.  Upon release Shenmue was praised by critics for its unparalleled interactivity and freedom, real-time day/night and weather system, fully voiced non-playable characters and cutting-edge graphics.  Shenmue stood apart from other games of its era and helped pioneer game systems such as quick time events and open worlds.

Despite selling over 1.2 million copies, Shenmue did not recoup its development cost and was considered a commercial failure.   Shenmue was created with the intent of being a multipart series and despite not meeting its sales projections Sega decided to continue to develop and released Shenmue II in 2001 before placing the series on hold as Sega went through a period of financial turbulence.  Sega ended up exiting the video game hardware business and became solely a third-party software developer releasing games for multiple consoles.  During this period Suzuki took on more of an advisory role within the company, retiring from Sega in April 2009.