Shutao Iida, the veteran sport developer finest identified for his work on the Castlevania and Bloodstained sequence, has handed away on the age of 52.
Iida was recognized with pancreatic most cancers in September 2024, and died on February 10 on account of the sickness.
A press release from Iida’s household was posted on his official X account, confirming his demise.
“Shutaro, often called the Curry Sage, who had been battling sickness for a while, handed away on February 10 attributable to pancreatic most cancers,” the assertion learn.
“We deeply recognize the kindness proven to him throughout his lifetime and respectfully announce his passing. Shutaro’s journey on this world has ended, however his work lives on. We sincerely hope you’ll proceed to benefit from the video games he created.”
In his remaining private message, posted on his X account 11 days earlier than his passing, Iida wrote: “Plainly the restrict is close to. I can really feel myself rising weaker daily. Please love Bloodstained 2, which will probably be launched sooner or later, and the video games that I made.”
Iida labored at Konami from 1996 to 2015, primarily as a programmer at first. Within the early 2000s he moved to the Castlevania sequence, working as enemy programmer and system & participant programmer on Sport Boy Advance title Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow.
He went on work as a programmer on quite a few different Castlevania video games, in addition to Metallic Gear Stable 5: Floor Zeroes and Metallic Gear Stable 5: The Phantom Ache, the place he was a lead sport programmer and lead enemy programmer.
When Castlevania sequence producer Koji Igarashi left Konami in 2014 to co-found new studio ArtPlay, Iida joined him to work on Bloodstained: Ritual of the Evening, the place he served as designer and director whereas Igarashi produced.
The sport was launched in 2019 to beneficial evaluations, and a prequel Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement was beforehand introduced for a 2026 launch window.
In an announcement on X, Igarashi paid tribute to his long-time colleague and buddy, saying: “Within the early morning of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, our Artistic Director Shutaro handed away after a 12 months and a half-long battle with most cancers.
“We had labored collectively since Castlevania: Daybreak of Sorrow. It’s no exaggeration to say that many titles hailed as masterpieces wouldn’t have been potential with out his contributions. His expertise was actually distinctive.
“After I left the Castlevania sequence, our alternatives to work collectively grew to become fewer, however I’m deeply grateful that he accepted my invitation to hitch our present firm with out hesitation. I really feel the success of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Evening was additionally made potential because of his super assist.
“Trying again, he supported me for over 20 years. He was somebody who continuously thought of video games, approaching improvement with a ardour that burned like a flame.
“In September 2024, we realized he had terminal most cancers. The information was an amazing shock. The almost year-and-a-half battle that adopted should have been unimaginably gruelling. His passing is profoundly saddening, although understanding he’s now free from struggling brings a way of reduction. Having run at full pace for therefore lengthy, I hope he can lastly relaxation peacefully now.
“The sport he was engaged on, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, is at the moment in improvement. It’s a treasured work imbued together with his spirit. We’ll keep on his imaginative and prescient and see it by to completion, so he received’t be disappinted. We ask to your continued assist and encouragement, now greater than ever.
“Our ideas are together with his household, and we pray for his everlasting relaxation.”
