Update: In a subsequent tweet, Yuji Naka sought to clarify what he meant, noting that he’s using a translation tool to post in English, which he does not speak. In this (also translated) tweet, he noted, “I feel like I’m being misunderstood a lot.” He also pointed to an official Sega TikTok video, which features Sonic and a Michael Jackson song. As such, it seems he was not attempting to confirm Jackson’s involvement in the Sonic 3 soundtrack, though he also doesn’t deny the long-running rumor. So for now, it appears this will remain a rumor.

Original story: The late Michael Jackson’s involvement in the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s soundtrack has been a long-running rumor in gaming circles, and one that the co-creator of Sega’s blue blur has confirmed. With the release of Sonic Origins, a compilation of classic Sonic games for modern platforms, veteran game developer Yuji Naka commented on how Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s original soundtrack was missing from the game.

“Oh my god, the music for Sonic 3 has changed, even though Sega Official uses Michael Jackson’s music,” Naka tweeted.