After the release of the original "Sonic the Hedgehog", creator Yuji Naka quit Sega due to disagreements over corporate policy. Mark Cerny, who had recently created Sega Technical Institute (STI) inCalifornia, met with Naka in Japan. He offered Naka a higher salary and more creative freedom if he joined STI. Naka agreed. Hirokazu Yasuhara, the lead level designer of "Sonic the Hedgehog", also decided to join STI.