Capcom Veteran Hideaki Itsuno Expands Lightspeed Japan, Hires Devil May Cry and Street Fighter Veterans

Hideaki Itsuno, best known as the director of Devil May Cry and Dragon’s Dogma, is pushing forward with his new venture at Lightspeed Studios Japan. The studio, owned by Tencent, has officially opened a new office in Osaka, further expanding Itsuno’s vision of creating high-quality Japanese action games on a global scale.

A New Osaka Studio for Lightspeed

The Osaka branch marks a major milestone for Lightspeed Studios, which aims to establish themselves as a powerhouse for original AAA IPs built from Japan. Itsuno, who left Capcom in August after more than 30 years, is leading the Japanese branch of Lightspeed (a Tencent-owned development team) . He aims to create ambitious action titles that rival his previous works. The studio currently has around 40 developers, with nearly a third of them being former Capcom colleagues of Itsuno. This close-knit team allows him to carry over trust and creative synergy built over decades of collaboration.

Devil May Cry and Street Fighter Legends Join the Team

Several big names from Capcom have already joined. Toshihiro Nakagawa, who previously served as the narrative designer on Devil May Cry 3-5 and Dragon’s Dogma, is on board. So is Daigo Ikeno, the artist responsible for the character designs of Devil May Cry and Street Fighter, as well as art director on Dragon’s Dogma. The studio also secured the talents of Bengus, the legendary illustrator who helped define the look of Street Fighter II, Darkstalkers and countless other Capcom classics.

Itsuno and his handpicked team now aim to establish Lightspeed Studios Japan as a powerhouse capable of delivering brand-new AAA action experiences. With a foundation of Capcom DNA and fresh ambition, Osaka is quickly shaping up to be the heart of this bold new project.

Fans eager to follow the studio’s progress can stay updated via Lightspeed Studios Japan’s official Facebook page, where future announcements are expected.

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