Tomonobu Itagaki, the Japanese developer best known for founding Team NINJA and for directing the Dead or Alive and modern Ninja Gaiden series, has passed away at the age of 58. Reports indicate his family confirmed his death after a close friend posted his final message on the creator’s Facebook page at his request.

In his final written words, Itagaki said his life’s light was fading and that he had lived by his convictions, fighting until the end with no regrets—though he expressed sorrow at being unable to deliver another work to his fans.

Itagaki began his industry career at Tecmo in 1992 and later established Team NINJA in 1995, where he became the studio’s defining creative force. He directed the first four main Dead or Alive entries—alongside the series’ beach volleyball spin-off—and went on to oversee the gritty revival of Ninja Gaiden, transforming a 2D franchise into a technically advanced, brutally challenging 3D action series with the 2004 release of Ninja Gaiden and its 2008 follow-up.

After a high-profile split from Tecmo—partly resolved through a lawsuit over unpaid bonuses that was settled in 2010—Itagaki founded Valhalla Studios and directed the action title Devil’s Third, initially announced in 2009 and released on Wii U in 2015. The project suffered a difficult reception, and Itagaki eventually left Valhalla Games in 2017. Valhalla’s parent company was later acquired and reorganized, and the studio’s staff were merged into another team.

In the years since, Itagaki remained less visible publicly but continued to mentor younger developers. He served as “Supreme Advisor” on Soleil’s 2020 release Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time and later launched Itagaki Games in January 2021.

His death arrives days before the launch of Ninja Gaiden 4, an entry in the franchise he originated though he was not involved with this release.

The games community has shared condolences and memories across social channels, including messages from notable figures and studios such as Katsuhiro Harada, Marty O’Donnell, James Montagna, Ed Boon, and Team NINJA. In an official statement, Team NINJA expressed deep sorrow at the loss of their first leader and pledged to carry forward the creativity and philosophy he established.

For more details and the original family confirmation, see the coverage by IGN and the post shared on Itagaki’s Facebook page.

Sources: IGN, original Facebook post (shared by a close friend), and archival Game Informer interviews and features.