Japanese online game developer Tomonobu Itagaki has died aged 58.
Itagaki, greatest recognized for creating the Useless or Alive sequence and for reviving the Ninja Gaiden franchise in 2004, had requested an in depth good friend to publish a ‘remaining phrases’ message on his Fb web page within the occasion of his loss of life. It went dwell hours earlier than his passing was confirmed by buddies.
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 now not on this world.
(I’m entrusting this remaining publish to somebody vital to me.)
My life has been a sequence of battles. I saved profitable.
I’ve triggered plenty 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 stuffed 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
Staff Ninja, the studio Itagaki placed on the map with the Useless or Alive and Ninja Gaiden franchises, issued a press release on social media:
“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Staff Ninja’s first chief, Tomonobu Itagaki. We’ll stick with it the philosophy and creativity that Itagaki-san started and proceed to create video games that many players 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 at all times be a ninja.”
“Immediately I misplaced somebody who was really like a brother to me,” Mielke mentioned. “I’m gutted to the core. I suppose 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 at all times be a ninja.”
Tekken chief Katsuhiro Harada posted on X / Twitter to precise his disbelief on the information.
No manner, Itagaki-san
you mentioned, “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 probabilities to come across him within the E3 halls… Could 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 Useless or Alive. Here 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 Useless or Alive sequence in 1998, which featured feminine characters with strategically-placed “bounce” physics and greater than a passing resemblance to SEGA’s Virtua Fighter, a sequence he has talked about being a fan of.
When Useless or Alive 2 arrived for the Dreamcast, the graphical leap shone a light-weight on Itagaki and Staff Ninja, and the outspoken developer — who grew to become well-known for carrying shades always — by no means shied away from commenting on trade developments. Itagaki’s Ninja Gaiden launched as an Xbox unique in 2004, respiration new life into the hardcore motion sport franchise. He went on to launch Ninja Gaiden Black, thought of by some to be one of many biggest motion video games of all time. Nintendo DS sport 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 function, he launched a public assertion alleging unpaid completion bonuses, with a grievance filed within the Tokyo District Court docket on Could 14, 2008.
He later based Valhalla Sport Studios with a number of Staff Ninja members and launched Satan’s Third. Itagaki stepped down from Valhalla in 2017 and went on to kind Itagaki Video games in 2021. On the time, Itagaki mentioned he had spent the prior 4 years educating sport growth to a youthful era. Nevertheless, he felt that he needed to “make a sport once more and simply established an organization for that goal.”
Itagaki’s loss of life 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’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
