Japanese online game developer Tomonobu Itagaki has died aged 58.
Itagaki, finest recognized for creating the Lifeless or Alive collection and for reviving the Ninja Gaiden franchise in 2004, had requested an in depth good friend to publish a ‘closing phrases’ message on his Fb web page within the occasion of his dying. It went stay hours earlier than his passing was confirmed by pals.
Final Phrases
The sunshine of my life is lastly fading.
The truth that this message has been posted signifies that the time has lastly come. I’m not on this world.
(I’m entrusting this closing publish to somebody vital to me.)
My life has been a collection of battles. I saved successful.
I’ve brought about a variety of bother, too.
I’m proud to say that I adopted my beliefs and fought to the tip.
I’ve no regrets.
Nevertheless, I’m crammed with remorse that I used to be unable to ship a brand new work to all my followers. I’m sorry.
That is how it’s.
So it goes.
Itagaki Tomonobu
Workforce Ninja, the studio Itagaki placed on the map with the Lifeless or Alive and Ninja Gaiden franchises, issued a press release on social media:
“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Workforce Ninja’s first chief, Tomonobu Itagaki. We are going to keep it up the philosophy and creativity that Itagaki-san started and proceed to create video games that many avid gamers will take pleasure in. Our deepest condolences for his loss.”
James Mielke, co-founder of Tigertron and BitSummit, took to social media to say: “RIP, senpai. You’ll all the time be a ninja.”
“At present I misplaced somebody who was actually like a brother to me,” Mielke stated. “I’m gutted to the core. I assume I can say so now that it is on his Fb web page. He even listed himself as my precise brother on Fb. Anybody who is aware of me is aware of how shut we have been. RIP, senpai. You’ll all the time be a ninja.”
Tekken chief Katsuhiro Harada posted on X / Twitter to precise his disbelief on the information.
No means, Itagaki-sanyou stated, “Let’s seize a drink someday,” didn’t you?I don’t imagine it. I don’t.
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) October 16, 2025
noticed Tomonobu Itagaki has handed away— a uncommon breed of ronin auteur developer; uncompromising, chaotic, unforgettable
I grew up impressed by his work and had a number of possibilities to come across him within the E3 halls… Might his affect burn in each creator who nonetheless believes in going all in pic.twitter.com/rl26OwyKOL
— James Montagna (@JamesPopStar) October 16, 2025
RIP Tomonobu Itagaki, the legendary creator of Ninja Gaiden and Lifeless or Alive. This is a video from 17 years in the past the place I interviewed him about Ninja Gaiden II for Xbox 360. pic.twitter.com/Wqgzo6cFad
— Danny Peña (@godfree) October 16, 2025
Born in 1967, Itagaki joined Tecmo in 1992, initially to deal with the graphics for Tecmo Tremendous Bowl. Itagaki’s brash nature wasn’t absolutely seen till he began on his personal Lifeless or Alive collection in 1998, which featured feminine characters with strategically-placed “bounce” physics and greater than a passing resemblance to SEGA’s Virtua Fighter, a collection he has talked about being a fan of.
When Lifeless or Alive 2 arrived for the Dreamcast, the graphical leap shone a lightweight on Itagaki and Workforce Ninja, and the outspoken developer — who turned well-known for carrying shades always — by no means shied away from commenting on business tendencies. Itagaki’s Ninja Gaiden launched as an Xbox unique in 2004, respiration new life into the hardcore motion recreation franchise. He went on to launch Ninja Gaiden Black, thought-about by some to be one of many best motion video games of all time. Nintendo DS recreation Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, and Xbox 360 unique Ninja Gaiden 2 adopted.
Itagaki break up from Tecmo as a part of a heated and really public breakup on June 2, 2008. After resigning from his position, he launched a public assertion alleging unpaid completion bonuses, with a criticism filed within the Tokyo District Courtroom on Might 14, 2008.
He later based Valhalla Recreation Studios with a number of Workforce Ninja members and launched Satan’s Third. Itagaki stepped down from Valhalla in 2017 and went on to type Itagaki Video games in 2021. On the time, Itagaki stated he had spent the prior 4 years instructing recreation growth to a youthful technology. Nevertheless, he felt that he needed to “make a recreation once more and simply established an organization for that function.”
Itagaki’s dying comes simply days earlier than the discharge of Ninja Gaiden 4, an motion sequel he had no involvement with.
Picture credit score: Tomonobu Itagaki / Fb.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You possibly can attain Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
