‘An exciting new chapter’ – Devil May Cry, Dragon’s Dogma director returns with new AAA studio

Capcom veteran Hideaki Itsuno has returned to development, leading a new studio owned by Tencent subsidiary LightSpeed Studios.

Itusno will lead Lightspeed Japan Studio, which will operate across two offices in Tokyo and Osaka, it announced on Tuesday.

Itsuno’s career at Capcom spanned over three decades. In that time he served as the director of classic games such as Power Stone, Devil May Cry 3, 4 and 5, Dragon’s Dogma 1 and 2, as well as producing several other Capcom projects.

His latest release, Dragon’s Dogma 2, was met with critical acclaim. VGC’s Dragon’s Dogma 2 review called it “the most vital action RPG since Elden Ring.”

“Joining LightSpeed Studios is an exciting new chapter for me,” Itsuno said in a statement. “With LightSpeed’s strong development capability and global network, I look forward to creating original AAA action game titles together with the amazing team, and building aesthetic and innovative experiences for the global player community.

“We welcome all talented and passionate game creators from the world over to join our vision.”

LightSpeed Studios president Jerry Chen added: “It is our great honor to have Hideaki Itsuno join LightSpeed Studios. The establishment of LightSpeed Japan Studio is a significant step in LightSpeed Studios’ expansion and demonstrates our commitment to bringing the best possible games to our players.”

Itsuno announced in August that he would be leaving Capcom after more than 30 years.

“At the end of August 2024, I will be leaving Capcom after 30 years and 5 months,” he wrote at the time. “Thank you for your long-term support of the games and characters I have been responsible for. I hope you will continue to support Capcom’s games and characters.

“From September, I will start developing a new game in a new environment. I hope to create fun, beautiful games that are as memorable as, or even more memorable than, the ones I have created so far. Please stay tuned for my next creation.”