The industry mourns the loss of Tomonobu Itagaki, the visionary mind behind Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden (2004), who has died at 58.
Tomonobu Itagaki, the Japanese game designer best known for creating Dead or Alive and leading the development of the 3D Ninja Gaiden reboot, has died at the age of 58. The news was shared through one final message on his Facebook profile.
In his final post, entitled “Final Words,” Itagaki reflected on his life and career, writing that “the flame of my life is about to go out” and that the message’s publication meant his time had come. He described his life as a continuous battle that he kept winning, acknowledging that he had caused trouble for others but took pride in having fought to the end and stayed true to his convictions.
While expressing regret that he could not deliver new works to his fans, he concluded his message with a simple farewell: “I’m sorry. So it goes.” Notably, this final farewell seems to reference a line from Slaughterhouse-Five, a book written by Kurt Vonnegut. Its protagonist famously repeats the phrase “So it goes” throughout the story.
James Mielke, Itagaki's friend, later confirmed Itagaki's death and also paid tribute to the veteran developer on BlueSky. “Today I lost someone who was truly like a brother to me. I am gutted to the core,” he said in his post.
“I guess I can say so now that it's on his Facebook page. He even listed himself as my actual brother on Facebook. Anyone who knows me knows how close we were. RIP, senpai. You will always be a ninja,” Mielke added.
Later on, Mielke posted another tribute, sharing how he has been “finding solace in the 4+ hours of conversation [he] recorded with Itagaki-san last year” for a book that the pair were working on together.
“They were his development memoirs, and I will do everything in my power to bring this to life.”
Tomonobu Itagaki’s legacy in Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden
Tomonobu Itagaki played a major role in shaping Japan’s action and fighting game scene. He joined Tecmo in the 1990s, where he went on to establish Team Ninja (then known as Tecmo Creative #3). Under his direction, Dead or Alive became one of the most recognisable fighting game franchises, praised for its responsive combat and technical mechanics. He also led development on the 3D Ninja Gaiden reboot titles for Xbox, starting with Ninja Gaiden (2004), which received acclaim for their challenging gameplay and refined design.
In 2006, Itagaki faced legal challenges following a harassment claim, which he denied. He stepped down from his executive position at Tecmo but was later found innocent by Japanese courts in 2007. In 2010, he reached a settlement with Koei Tecmo over unpaid bonuses related to Dead or Alive 4.
After his time at Tecmo, Itagaki founded Valhalla Game Studios, which released Devil’s Third in 2015. Following the studio’s closure, he formed Itagaki Games in 2021 and announced plans to work on a new title.
Recognised for his distinct appearance and outspoken personality, Itagaki maintained a strong presence in the games industry for over two decades. His death at 58 marks the loss of a notable figure whose work helped define modern action game design. He is survived by his daughter.
