One of PlatinumGames' most influential employees has confirmed that he's left the company — and has now formed his own studio.
Takahisa Taura was a designer on beloved action RPG NieR: Automata, and following that project's success, he stepped up as director on Nintendo Switch exclusive Astral Chain.
It's fair to say that Taura's a veteran in his field. Before Automata, he had worked on the likes of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and much more recently, he headed a PlatinumGames team that was brought on to help with Final Fantasy 16's development.
Not much has been revealed regarding his new outfit, Eel Game Studio, but we can probably assume that Taura's action game expertise will be put to use. We'll likely hear more about the company in the coming weeks and months as job listings and the like are published online.
Similar moves from experienced Japanese developers have made headlines this year, with broader reports suggesting that Japan's industry is in a fairly strong position right now — especially compared to their western counterparts.