#Hideaki Itsuno joins LightSpeed Japan Studio as its director

Hideaki Itsuno, the legendary developer who reinvigorated the Satan Could Cry franchise and created Dragon’s Dogma, not too long ago introduced that he was leaving Capcom after working there for over 30 years. After just a few months of radio silence, he simply introduced the subsequent chapter of his profession.

On his private Instagram account, Itsuno revealed that he’s now the pinnacle of LightSpeed Japan Studio, a brand-new division of LightSpeed Studios, the corporate that made PUBG Cell, which is owned by the large Chinese language know-how conglomerate, Tencent. In his submit, Itsuno acknowledged: “I’m assured we’ll create authentic AAA motion sport titles alongside our wonderful group, delivering aesthetic and revolutionary experiences to gamers worldwide”.

LightSpeed Studios’ official web site reveals that this new Japanese department relies in Osaka and Tokyo and, like Itsuno revealed, its essential focus is on creating high-quality AAA motion video games. The corporate’s president, Jerry Chen, mentioned: “It’s our nice honor to have Hideaki Itsuno be a part of LightSpeed Studios. The institution of LightSpeed Japan Studio is a big step in LightSpeed Studios’ enlargement and demonstrates our dedication to bringing the very best video games to our gamers”.

After months of hypothesis, followers on Instagram reacted very positively to Itsuno’s announcement, since this confirms that he isn’t retiring and that he’ll preserve making motion video games, that are his bread and butter. One notable determine who congratulated Itsuno is Johnny Yong Bosch, Nero’s voice actor within the Satan Could Cry video games, and Dante’s voice actor within the upcoming Satan Could Cry animated collection.

Hideaki Itsuno is ideal for LightSpeed Japan Studio

The principle purpose of LightSpeed Japan Studio is to develop authentic AAA motion video games, so it couldn’t have employed a extra appropriate individual for this job than Hideaki Itsuno. In spite of everything (and because the studio proudly claims on its official web site) Itsuno’s contributions to the motion style ended up altering the trade eternally.

Whereas he directed well-liked Capcom fighters like Energy Stone and Rival Colleges, what ultimately put him on the map was his work on Satan Could Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, a unbelievable hack & slash journey that saved the franchise after the monumental failure that was Satan Could Cry 2 (which Capcom made him direct years earlier). After engaged on Satan Could Cry 4, Itsuno lastly pitched Dragon’s Dogma to the corporate, a brand new IP that he created on his personal. He later got here again to Dante’s franchise, when he directed 2019’s Satan Could Cry 5.

Over time, Itsuno grew to become synonymous with dynamic and over-the-top hack & slash video games with refined fight programs and unimaginable boss fights. So whereas his departure from Capcom was fairly unlucky – particularly as a result of it meant he would by no means work on Satan Could Cry or Dragon’s Dogma once more – his new place at LightSpeed Studio Japan provides him the possibility to create one thing completely new and particular that has the potential to affect the trade as a lot as his earlier works did. We simply hope that Tencent and LightSpeed Studios will preserve their promise and provides Itsuno as a lot inventive freedom as he wants.