On October 16, the sad news broke via Tomonobu Itagaki’s Facebook account: the renowned video game developer had passed away at the age of 58. Immediately, an outpouring of heartfelt tributes began, coming from both devoted fans and fellow game creators, particularly in his native Japan, all mourning the loss of the Dead or Alive visionary.
On his Facebook page, Itagaki had arranged for a final message to be posted in Japanese, which read:
“My Last Words:
The flame of my life is finally about to be extinguished.
The fact that this message has been posted means that the time has finally come. I am no longer of this world.
(I entrusted this final post to someone important to me.)
My life was a series of battles. I kept winning.
I caused a lot of trouble for others too.
I’m proud that I fought to the end, following my convictions.
I have no regrets.
Except I am extremely sorry that I could not give all my fans a new game.
That’s the way it is.
So it goes.
Tomonobu Itagaki”
Image credit: Tomonobu Itagaki / Facebook.
Itagaki’s career at Tecmo began in the early 1990s, where he brought the iconic Dead or Alive fighting series to life, contributing to seven titles—even expanding it into beach volleyball. He was also instrumental in the triumphant return of Ninja Gaiden, particularly with the critically acclaimed 2004 Xbox reboot and its follow-ups. His tenure at Tecmo concluded dramatically in 2008, when he departed and successfully sued the company in Tokyo District Court, a dispute that was eventually resolved.
After leaving Tecmo, he founded Valhalla Studios alongside former Team Ninja colleagues, and from there directed Devil’s Third, released in 2015. In 2021, Itagaki established his own studio, Itagaki Games, with aspirations of developing a new title, a goal that, sadly, remained unfulfilled.
The gaming community immediately saw an outpouring of tributes from his peers. Katsuhiro Harada, producer of the rival Tekken series, reacted to Itagaki’s Facebook post with a poignant comment: “No way Itagaki-san—You said to me we’d go out for a drink next time,” revealing their last personal interaction. Harada later expanded on his sentiments in a detailed Twitter post, reflecting on their complex, sometimes competitive relationship. Despite leading opposing fighting game franchises at different companies, Harada cherished Itagaki’s description of him as a “comrade-in-arms.”
Kohei Ikeda, director of Tekken 8, expressed his sorrow over Itagaki’s untimely passing at just 58, honoring him as “the fighting game legend who shaped an era.”
Team Ninja Studios, where Itagaki once served as their first leader, also shared a message on X (formerly Twitter) in both English and Japanese: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Team Ninja’s first leader, Tomonobu Itagaki. We will carry on the philosophy and creativity that Itagaki-san began and continue to create games that many gamers will enjoy.”
Takanobu Terada, former producer of the Super Robot Wars series, recounted a surprising invitation from Itagaki years ago for dinner, despite their lack of professional ties. Terada remembered Itagaki’s encouraging words: “Please keep on enthusiastically creating things.”
Similarly, Ryutaro Ichimura, former Dragon Quest producer, fondly looked back on conversations with Itagaki over meals, discussing the future of the game industry. He cherished Itagaki’s supportive words and even recalled a moment when Itagaki, showing his humble side, asked for his autograph for a fan in his family.
“Itagaki’s kindness in that moment made me an even bigger fan,” Ichimura shared. Upon learning of Itagaki’s death, he confessed, “it didn’t feel real at first, but once the truth hit me, I couldn’t stop crying. Carrying Itagaki’s words with me, I want to keep pushing forward and continue to create new works without any regrets.”
Masahiro Sakurai, the legendary creator of Kirby and Smash Bros., also paid his respects on social media, offering a simple yet profound message: “May his soul rest in peace.”
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.