Tohru Okada, the Japanese music producer who lent his talents to PlayStation through the creation of that iconic logo sound, has passed away. He was 73 years old.
"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has worked with Toru Okada for a long time, and to all the fans who have loved Toru Okada's music," said the Moonriders, the rock band that he was a part of, in a translated Facebook post. Last year, Okada had been hospitalised for a compression fracture and had hoped to perform at the Hyde Park Music Festival in April in Okayama, the city where he used to live.
The band said in their statement that he had been "working hard" to ensure he was physically strong enough for the performance following his medical treatments. Understandably, this event has now been cancelled out of respect for Okada and his family.
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His contribution to the beginning of the PlayStation formed the foundation of countless childhoods across the globe, and even now, hearing the logo sound promises that you're about to see something stunning. Okada additionally worked on a song that was used in early Crash Bandicoot commercials in Japan, and fellow producer and the Moonriders member Keiichi Suzuki co-composed the soundtrack to Mother, EarthBound, Real Sound: Kaze no Regret and a few of the Super Smash Bros. entries.
The response from fans has been heartbreaking, however, players have been paying tribute to Okada's legacy and expressing their gratitude for the impact he had on their lives. "Rest in peace to a genuine gaming legend, the PS1 startup is ENTRENCHED in so many core memories," said one. Our thoughts go out to Okada's friends, family and the Moonriders during this difficult time.
Featured Image Credit: Sony, The Moonriders via TwitterTopics: PlayStation, no article matching, Sony