Tomonobu Itagaki, the Japanese game designer best known for creating Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, has died at the age of 58. The news was shared through a post on his official Facebook page on October 16.
“Itagaki Tomonobu is no longer in this world,” the post reads, translated from Japanese. “My life has been a series of battles. I kept winning. I’m proud to say that I followed my beliefs and fought to the end. I have no regrets. However, I’m filled with regret that I wasn’t able to deliver a new work to all my fans. I’m sorry.”
The message explained that it was posted on his behalf, indicating Itagaki had prepared his final words before his death.
Itagaki was one of Japan’s most prominent developers during the 2000s, celebrated for redefining action combat with Ninja Gaiden on Xbox in 2004 and creating the long-running Dead or Alive fighting series. His sharp design philosophy and direct manner made him one of the industry’s most recognizable figures.
After leaving Tecmo in 2008, Itagaki founded Valhalla Game Studios, which later released Devil’s Third in 2015. He went on to establish Itagaki Games in 2021, expressing interest in returning to full-time development, though the company was officially dissolved in 2024.
As of now, no additional details have been released regarding the circumstances of his death.
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