Rieko Kodama, better known by her stage name Phoenix Rie, began her career in 1984 at Sega as a visual designer for the video games Altered Beast and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Rieko Kodama gradually advanced to more prominent positions before directing and producing Skies of Arcadia and Phantasy Star 4. Her final effort was the 7th Dragon series and Sega’s ages for the Nintendo Switch.
Her final effort was the 7th Dragon series and Sega’s ages for the Nintendo Switch.
Female superheroes in video games weren’t common at the time, so Rieko Kodama advocated for their inclusion. She made her initial appearance in 1987 alongside the first female hero, Alis (aka Alisa).
Fans frequently referred to Rieko Kodama as the “First Lady of RPGs.”
Rieko Kodama received the Pioneer Award at the 2018 Game Developers Choice Awards in recognition of her contributions.
At the launch of the Sega Mega Drive 2 mini-console, Sega producer Yosuke Oskunari declared Rieko Kodama dead.
Legendary female game creator Rieko Kodama passes away at the age of 58; read more at
IGN issued an official statement, “We pray that Rieko Kodama’s soul rests in peace, and we offer gratitude to her for her extraordinary contributions to Sega.”
Developers from Sega like Hirokazu Yasuhara, Yuji Naka, and other company developers and fans extended their tributes to her.
FAQs
When did Rieko Kodama die?
Kodama died in May, just a week away from her 59th Birthday. This sad news from Japan came today when Sega confirmed Kodama’s death.
Rieko Kodama was famous for?
Kodama was a female video game developer was recognised as the industry’s pioneer. She was linked with Sega’s role-playing games and spent more than three decades in game development.
