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What was the controversy surrounding Tomonobu Itagaki? Career explored as Ninja Gaiden creator passes away at 58

News of Tomonobu Itagaki's death was first revealed through a statement posted on Facebook.
  • Tomonobu Itagaki's name was associated with multiple games over the years (Image via Getty)
    Tomonobu Itagaki's name was associated with multiple games over the years (Image via Getty)

    Video game designer Tomonobu Itagaki, 58, died from unknown causes on October 16, 2025. The news was revealed through a Facebook post.

    He was in the headlines since last year after establishing Itagaki Cames Co., Ltd. Apart from that, Tomonobu was a part of Tecmo for a long time.

    However, his association with the company took a different turn when a female employee sued him on charges of s*xual harassment in 2006, as per IGN.

    The outlet also reported that Tomonobu Itagaki’s journey dates back to the time when he joined Tecmo Super Bowl’s graphics team. He eventually became a popular face for the Dead or Alive series.

    Apart from the Itagaki Games, he was known as the founder of the Valhalla Game Studios, which became inactive around four years ago.



    The latest tribute featured a few words that were seemingly prepared by Tomonobu before his sudden demise. It also included a photo of Itagaki seemingly taken at an event, with the caption saying:


    “Words to leave The light of my life is about to run out. The fact that this sentence has been posted means it’s finally time. I’m no longer in this world (This last post is for someone special to me.) My life has been a series of battles. We stayed winning. I’ve caused a lot of trouble.”


    The tribute continues:


    “I stand by my beliefs and I owe it. No regrets. I just feel so sorry to all my fans that I can’t deliver my new work sorry. It is what it is. So it goes.”




    Tomonobu Itagaki was active in the world of video games



    The Tokyo, Japan native developed an interest in creating video games during the ‘80s after being heavily influenced by the anime of that period.

    After Dead or Alive, it was the Ninja Gaiden reboot that helped him expand his fan base among the general public.

    Both games became famous, with Dead or Alive being praised for its unique environment and counterattacks, as per Tomonobu Itagaki’s biography on Mabumbe.

    Apart from these, his work in games such as Dead or Alive Xtreme and Beach Volleyball was also recognized.

    During a conversation with Bloomberg around four years ago, Tomonobu opened up on his experience of working on DOA, as he said:


    “You know, everything got a risk or two, but you can minimize it by managing it right. As for DOA 3, I was so sure we can make this a big success, if we manage risks right. With this machine, and with this passionate guy sitting in front of me, and that Microsoft is saying it would do its best after all, I had no doubt.”


    Itagaki even contributed to other titles like Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, and God of War.

    According to Game Daily, Tomonobu could not release another successful game after Ninja Gaiden, and a project named Devil’s Third was not liked by critics, despite that it became a cult classic.

    As mentioned, a female employee had once filed a lawsuit against him on allegations of s*xual harassment.

    IGN stated that, as per some sources, Tomonobu and the victim were inside a taxi in 2003 when the former allegedly put his arm around the employee and attempted to get involved in a s*xual activity.

    The lawsuit was seeking damages of around $100,000. The victim reportedly approached other employees about the incident, who advised her to resolve the issue as the alleged incident cannot be categorized as s*xual harassment.

    On the other hand, Itagaki claimed that the allegations were true and everything that happened between both sides was consensual.

    While he produced and directed multiple games, he was an adviser for some titles like Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, Super Swing Golf, and Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time.

    TOPICS: Tomonobu Itagaki, Dead or Alive, Tecmo , Valhalla Game Studios