Tomonobu Itagaki, Influential Creator of Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, Dies at 58

Michael Hassall Published October 18, 2025

Tomonobu Itagaki, outspoken and influential founder of Team Ninja, and the creative force behind Dead or Alive and the revival of Ninja Gaiden, has died at the age of 58.

News of his passing was first shared on his official Facebook page in a final message posted at his request by a loved one. In it, he reflected on his life and work:

“The light of my life is finally fading… My life has been a series of battles. I kept winning. I’ve caused a lot of trouble, too. 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… So, it goes.”

(Translation via James Mielke on Instagram)

Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja, the studio Itagaki founded and helped define, released an official statement honoring his legacy.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Team NINJA’s first leader, Tomonobu Itagaki. We will carry on the philosophy and creativity that Itagaki-san began and continue to create games that many gamers will enjoy. Our deepest condolences for his loss. From everyone at Team NINJA”

Following the announcement, tributes poured in from across the games industry. Among those sharing their condolences were Super Smash Bros. luminary Masahiro Sakurai, Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, and Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada.

Itagaki was the creative force behind the Dead of Alive series, sparking a rivalry with Tekken creator Harada. (Image Credit KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD)

Harada, who at times was known as a rival to Itagaki, shared a particularly heartfelt message on Twitter:

“It’s hard to believe, but Itagaki-san…my senior from university and my rival as a creator has passed away. The last message I ever received from him was, “Let’s go drinking. Let’s make some noise soon!”

To think that he’s gone at just 58 years old… Yes, everyone dies eventually …that’s inevitable.

But you… isn’t it a bit too soon?

Didn’t you say you were going to defeat me someday? Didn’t you come to my wedding, wearing your usual black leather jacket and sunglasses, and call me your comrade-in-arms? Didn’t you tell me to come to you whenever I was in trouble? I never even got the chance to consult you about anything…”

Known for his over the top persona and dramatic look, Itagaki was never one to shy away from strong opinions in interviews. His work with Team Ninja helped push the boundaries of the original Xbox console in the 2000s, helping to create legendary titles like Dead of Alive, Ninja Gaiden, and Nioh. Beyond his work at Team Ninja, he established a new studio in 2001 and remained active in development in recent years.

Featured Image Credit: Tomonobu Itagaki via Facebook