The departure of key industry veterans from the studios that made them famous is always a shocking event, especially when those individuals are considered the driving force behind beloved franchises. This is precisely the bitter pill that Capcom fans had to swallow in 2024 when Hideaki Itsuno announced his departure from the company.
As many gamers know, Itsuno played a crucial role in shaping some of Capcom’s most critically acclaimed recent projects, including Devil May Cry 5 and Dragon’s Dogma 2. With his exit, the future of these franchises now hangs in uncertainty. However, fans can take comfort in the fact that Itsuno will still be showcasing his talents in the gaming industry.
During a panel at the ongoing Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025, Itsuno shared some details regarding his next project under his new studio — LightSpeed Japan Studio. This studio operates under Lightspeed Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent, and will see Itusno join up with general manager and ex-Rockstar Games veteran Steve Martin.
Itsuno confirmed that his first game after leaving Capcom will remain in the AAA action genre, carrying a distinctly Japanese spirit. He emphasised his ambition to deliver a unique experience, much like his previous titles, and hopes to create something that will make gamers say they have never seen anything like it before.
“We’re building a creative environment that combines diverse cultural perspectives with cutting-edge technology,” said Itsuno. “Our focus is on developing gameplay elements that offer players entirely new experiences—the kind of innovations that make players say I’ve never seen that in a game before.”
Unfortunately, he did not elaborate on whether the new game will target consoles and PCs or whether it might enter the mobile gaming space. Obviously, that leaves room for plenty of speculation for fans eager to see what he does, which is only a good thing when driving anticipation.
For now, all eyes are on Itsuno and LightSpeed Japan Studio, as many await what could be the next big action game from one of the industry’s most respected game directors.
