Nihon Falcom founder Masayuki Kato dies at 78 

In a notice to shareholders published on December 17, Nihon Falcom announced that its founder, chairman and former president Masayuki Kato died on December 15, 2024. 

In March 1981, Kato founded Nihon Falcom Corporation, which started producing PC software the next year. The company went on to play a formative role in the JRPG genre, establishing beloved franchises like Ys, The Legend of Heroes and the Trails spin-off series. 

Kato was Nihon Falcom’s president until 2001, after which he became the chairman of the company’s board of directors. Nihon Falcom expressed gratitude for the late Kato’s kindness during his lifetime and announced that a farewell ceremony will be held at a later date.