Tomonobu Itagaki cause of death: Dead or Alive creator battled ‘serious illness’
Tomonobu Itagaki, the legendary Japanese gaming designer, has died at the age of 58. He was the creative mind behind the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series.
Tomonobu Itagaki, the developer behind the Dead or Alive series, has passed away at the age of 58. A legendary figure in the gaming industry, he also created the famous Ninja Gaiden series. The news of his death was announced on his Facebook page in Japanese.
As per Eurogamer.net, it translates to, “Final Words. The flame of my life is about to go out. The fact that this message has been posted means that my time has finally come. I am no longer in this world. (I have entrusted someone important to me with this final message). My life was a continuous battle which I kept winning.
“I caused a lot of trouble for others too. I take pride in having fought to the end and having followed my convictions. I have no regrets, but I am deeply sorry that I could not deliver new works to my fans. I'm sorry,” it added.
Tomonobu Itagaki cause of death
The news of Itagaki’s death was confirmed by his friend James Mielke. While an official cause of death has not been revealed, Mielke explained in an Instagram post that he met Itagaki more than a week ago and knew that “his time was going to be short.”
“While he remained optimistic he could leave the hospital in a month, I think we both knew that was wishful thinking. All I can say is he suffered from a serious illness that escalated rather severely in his final days,” Mielke wrote without sharing more details.
Life and work of Tomonobu Itagaki
According to thegamer.com, Itagaki joined Tecmo (now Koei Tecmo) in 1992. His first project was called Tecmo Super Bowl and was based on American football. He created the Dead or Alive series in 1996, which turned him into a major star of the industry.
He became the head of Team Ninja, an internal studio of Tecmo. The sequels in the Dead or Alive series also gained a lot of popularity, solidifying Itagaki’s tall stature in the business.
Then came Ninja Gaiden, another very successful series created by the Japanese developer. However, before the release of Ninja Gaiden 2, Itagaki resigned from Tecmo, claiming that the company was not releasing bonus payments for his work.
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As thegamer.com reports, things did not go that well for Tomonobu Itagaki in the years following his exit from Tecmo. He directed the development of Devil’s Third, which was panned by critics and fans.
This game was developed at the Valhalla Game Studios, which closed in 2021, Eurogamer reports. Itagaki formed his own company – Itagaki Games – and, as the farewell message states, it was looking forward to releasing a new game. Unfortunately, it could not be completed in time.
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FAQs:
Who was Tomonobu Itagaki?
Itagaki was a renowned game developer.
Which games he was most famous for?
The Dead or Alive series and Ninja Gaiden series were his most popular creations.
Which gaming studio did Itagaki work for?
His major success came with Tecmo. He moved to Valhalla Studios later and formed Itagaki Studios after Valhalla closed down.
