The gaming industry mourns the passing of gaming legend Shutaro Iida, who left us aged 52 on February 10, 2026, after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. His family revealed the distressing news following a brief period of private grief, in a joint declaration with Koji “IGA” Igarashi.
Iida’s career in the gaming industry was iconic, with his stint at Konami highlighting his trajectory. His inaugural game, Sexy Parodius for PlayStation and Saturn, was released in 1996 and his most recent contributions were the 2015 renditions of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain.
Iida’s contribution to the gaming industry shone particularly in his decade-laden work on several Castlevania titles. His contributions include the PS2 title Lament of Innocence, Xbox 360’s Harmony of Despair, GBA’s Aria of Sorrow – incorporated in the Castlevania Advance Collection, along with the DS games Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclesia. These games stand as a testament to Iida’s creativity and vision and can be found today in the Castlevania Dominus Collection.
Upon parting ways with Konami, Iida joined forces with IGA at ArtPlay, where he served as the director for the crowdfunded project Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. At present, ArtPlay is in the development phase of its sequel, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, earmarked for an eventual 2026 debut. However, as 2025 concluded, Iida and IGA’s inspirational messages hinted at Iida’s daunting health battle. Iida’s deteriorating health state was painfully obvious in his final January 30th personal tweet.
In the wake of Iida’s passing, IGA affirmed that The Scarlet Engagement’s progression will be completed as a tribute to him. Additionally, an official statement was published on ArtPlay’s website.
“On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, our Creative Director Shutaro Iida sadly passed away aged 52 following a year and a half long battle with cancer,” read the announcement. “Iida played a significant part in the development of the gaming world through countless masterpieces. His untimely demise is a significant loss, particularly given his future prospects.”
“His final project, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, which he was spearheading, is now nearing completion. We aim to honor his memory and make every effort to conclude this project according to his vision,” the announcement concluded.
The company respectfully urged fans to refrain from making condolence visits, monetary contributions, floral tributes, or sympathy visits to the company or Iida’s family.
Announcement of the passing of SHUTARO, Creative Director at ArtPlay
Early morning on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, our Creative Director SHUTARO passed away at the age of 52 after battling against cancer for approximately one and a half years.
SHUTARO has contributed significantly to the development of the gaming industry through the creation of numerous works. His passing is deeply regrettable, especially given the great promise of his future endeavors.
I express my deepest gratitude for the kindness of all of his fans during his lifetime and respectfully announce his passing.
The funeral was conducted only with close family members in accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family.
The development of Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, which SHUTARO was leading, is now at its final stages. We will carry forward his legacy and strive with all our strength to complete this work worthy of his vision and name.
We must respectfully decline any condolence visits, monetary gifts, floral tributes, or sympathy visiting to our company or his family. We deeply appreciate your understanding in this matter.
February 16, 2026
Koji IgarashiCo-founder / ArtPlay Inc
Leave a Reply