After 20+ years at Konami, Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi is leaving the company to pursue new dreams. In a statement to Polygon, the veteran producer has revealed his reasoning for parting ways with the publisher that he founded his career in.
"I've decided to break out on my own to have the freedom to make the kind of games I really want to make — the same kind I think fans of my past games want as well," Igarashi said to Polygon. "Leaving Konami was a big decision, and not one I took lightly — I've spent my entire career there, made many friends, and had a lot of great opportunities — but I hope all the gamers and fans who have supported me in the past will join me in being excited about what comes next. Wish me luck!"
Igarashi is credited as producer for multiple Castlevania games from throughout the series. He started with the series as an assistant director and programmer on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, taking credit for at least half of the definition of the “Metroidvania” genre. Igarashi's last produced Castlevania game was Harmony of Despair.
Igarashi joined the company in 1990 and has worked on over twenty games since then. He will be at this year's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco where he will hold a panel called “There and Back Again: Koji Igarashi's Metroidvania Tale”. The panel will explore the Metroidvania genre and reflect on Igarashi's work in the industry.
With Koji Igarashi's departure from Konami to create games for his fans and his hosting of a Metroidvania panel, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a new game announced this week from the former Castlevania producer. Inafune left Capcom and made a spiritual successor to Mega Man; would it be shocking to see Igarashi do the same with Castlevania? Probably not. With the reception to Lords of Shadow 2, perhaps fans could use just that.