"Alu, Alu"

Koji Igarashi, the legendary developer best known for his work on the Castlevania franchise, has parted ways with his long-term employer Konami. According to an IGN report, the luminary’s last day with the Japanese company was on 15th March. He now intends to start his own studio, with a Kickstarter campaign no doubt already in the preliminary stages of planning.

"I've decided to break out on my own to have the freedom to make the kind of games that I really want to make – the same kind that I think fans of my past games want as well," he told the website. “Leaving Konami was a big decision, and not one that I took lightly – but I hope that all of the gamers and fans that have supported me in the past will join me in being excited about what comes next.”

The developer – who goes by the nickname IGA – first joined Konami in 1990, where he worked as a writer and programmer for forgotten dating game Tokimeki Memorial. However, he is best known for acting as assistant director on famed PSone classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which led to him taking control of the entire franchise.

Sadly, his output has slowed to a crawl in recent years, with panned PlayStation Network release Castlevania: Harmony of Despair being his last noteworthy project. He had nothing to do with the recent Castlevania: Lords of Shadow titles, and it’s clear that his role has diminished within the company over the past three or so years.

Of course, the timing of his departure ties nicely with a presentation that he’s set to deliver at GDC this week, which will discuss the appeal of the Metroidvania genre – a format that he helped to define. Are you expecting an announcement during the developer’s talk? Moonlight with us in the comments section below.

[source uk.ign.com]