Hideki Sato, known as the father of Sega hardware, has reportedly died

Hideki Sato, who led the design of Sega’s beloved consoles in the ’80s and ’90s, died Friday, according to the Japanese gaming site. Bip21. He was 77 years old. Sato worked with Sega from 1971 until the early 2000s, but is best known for his involvement in the development of the Sega arcade games and home consoles that defined many late-Generation

Sato later served as president of Sega from 2001 to 2003. In the message announcing his death, Bip21who interviewed Sato several times over the years, wrote (translated from Japanese): “He was truly a great figure who shaped Japanese video game history and captivated Sega fans around the world. The enthusiasm and pioneering spirit of that era will forever remain in the hearts and memories of countless fans, for eternity.” Sato’s death comes just months after Sega co-founder David Rosen died in December at the age of 95.