>>719677989
He always has been. Even TROO FAR is a total misinterpretation of what he was doing. He was the man inside Sega with the power to actually make Mania happen, and he personally oversaw the project, as the credits reflect compared to his usual generic series producer credit on other games.
He saw Mania and Forces in development and knew which one would be a more rewarding experience to give a personal hand to.