Ninja Gaiden & Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki dies aged 58

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Tomonobu Itagaki, the creator of popular video games like Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, passed away on October 16 at the age of 58. The announcement was made on his official Facebook page.

The post announced the passing of Itagaki Tomonobu, stating that his life was defined by challenges he consistently overcame. He expressed pride in living by his convictions and fighting until the very end, with no regrets. However, he was saddened that he couldn’t create one final project for his fans and apologized for that.

The message clarified that someone else posted it for him, suggesting Itagaki had written his farewell statement before he passed away.

Tomonobu Itagaki was a leading game developer in Japan during the 2000s. He’s best known for revolutionizing action games with the 2004 release of *Ninja Gaiden* on Xbox and for creating the popular *Dead or Alive* fighting game series. His strong vision and straightforward personality made him a well-known figure in the gaming industry.

Following his departure from Tecmo in 2008, Itagaki created Valhalla Game Studios and they eventually released Devil’s Third in 2015. In 2021, he started Itagaki Games with the goal of getting back to making games full-time, but that company closed down in 2024.

As of now, no additional details have been released regarding the circumstances of his death.

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2025-10-16 11:48