Dead Or Alive Creator And Longtime Ninja Gaiden Director Tomonobu Itagaki Has Died At 58

**Tomonobu Itagaki, Renowned Game Developer Behind Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, Passes Away at 58**

Tomonobu Itagaki, the esteemed lead director of the *Dead or Alive* fighting series and the revival of *Ninja Gaiden 3D*, has died at the age of 58. The news was confirmed via a heartfelt Facebook post made on Itagaki’s official account, which included his final words to fans and followers.

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### Words I Leave Behind

*“The flame of my life is finally about to go out. If this message has been posted, it means that the time has come. I am no longer in this world. (This final post has been entrusted to someone dear to me.) My life was a series of battles. And I kept on winning.*

*I know I caused trouble for many along the way. But I followed my convictions and fought to the very end. I have no regrets. Only one thing weighs on me—I’m deeply sorry to all my fans that I couldn’t bring you a new work. I truly am. That’s just how it is. So it goes.”*

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Katsuhiro Harada, director of the *Tekken* franchise, shared a moving tribute on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on his friendship and the loss of a fellow industry titan.

“To think that he’s gone at just 58 years old,” Harada wrote. “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.”

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### Legacy and Career

Itagaki founded Tecmo’s division Team Ninja in 1995, where he earned acclaim for his work on titles such as *Dead or Alive* and *Ninja Gaiden*. However, he left Tecmo under strained circumstances in 2008 and went on to form Valhalla Game Studios, the developer behind *Devil’s Third*. After Valhalla’s closure in 2021, Itagaki established Itagaki Games, which, as of his passing, had yet to release its first title.

Team Ninja paid tribute to Itagaki on its official X account, honoring the lasting impact he had on the gaming community.

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At this time, the cause of Tomonobu Itagaki’s death has not been publicly disclosed. Fans and colleagues alike mourn the loss of a passionate developer whose work influenced fighting games and action genres worldwide.

Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
https://kotaku.com/tomonobu-itagaki-death-dead-or-alive-team-ninja-gaiden-2000636025

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