Gaming company Square Enix came under threat recently just a few weeks after the Kyoto Animation tragedy. 40-year-old Kenichi Hiratsuka was arrested for death threats against Square Enix stating a possible “repeat of Kyoto Animation.” This is the second major death threat to Square Enix this year, after an incident back in March when a man was distraught over how much money he spent in a game.
These threats come right off the heels of the tragic Kyoto Animation arson. Over 30 people were killed when a man set the animation studio on fire. This was a shock across the entire nation (and world,) as Japan is typically a safe country with low rate of violent crimes. Hiratsuka was possibly hoping to emulate the attack with his threats.
Kenichi Hiratsuka was upset over a game made by Square Enix and that was the reason for the deaths threats. When he was questioned by the police he stated, “I was pissed off at losing in a game, so I sent the mail.” The mail consisted of several threats stating that he wanted his money back and the possibility of a repeat of what happened just a few weeks ago.
This news comes after a few tragic shootings took place in the United States when 31 lives were lost in Texas and Ohio within the span of 24 hours. Both shootings rocked the US, which has been struggling with gun violence and shootings. The long running claim that video games are a source of violence (and a possible reason for the shootings) surfaced again. While those claims are entirely baseless, the news of a man threatening to burn down a company because of a video game doesn’t help the situation.
A lot of people are on edge from all the recent violent incidents that have dominated the news as of late. Japan is still reeling from the senseless tragedy at Kyoto Animation and the US is in the midst of a violent crisis. Just a few days ago a motorcycle that backfired in Times Square caused mass panic as people believed it to be gun shots. The important thing to note, though, is that Square Enix and its employees are safe, and the threats were quickly neutralized by the police.
