Few stories in the gaming industry are as bittersweet as watching a once-revered figure struggle to maintain their legendary status. This is the case with Keiji Inafune, the man often credited as the mastermind behind some of Capcom’s most iconic franchises, including Mega Man, Onimusha, and Dead Rising. However, his career took a different turn following the release of Mighty No. 9, a game developed under the new studio Comcept. Now, it appears that Inafune has set sail for a new venture.
In a recent update from Level-5, it has been confirmed that Keiji Inafune is no longer working at or leading Comcept. The studio was acquired by Level-5 back in 2017, but as of mid-2024, Inafune had already officially parted ways with the company.
Reports suggest that his departure has left Level-5 with a considerable amount of unfinished business, particularly regarding Comcept’s latest game, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. The project has allegedly received extremely poor internal reviews, prompting a large-scale overhaul. As a result, Level-5 has had to reassess and restructure the game’s development to salvage it.
Despite the lack of an official announcement regarding his departure, industry insiders speculate that Inafune has since moved on to Rocket Studio, a Japanese game development company based in Sapporo. It remains to be seen what new projects the industry legend will be working on at whichever new studio he lands at.
With Mighty No. 9 failing to live up to expectations and Fantasy Life i now requiring major revisions, Inafune’s departure from Comcept raises questions about the immediate future of his career. Will his next move redeem his reputation in the industry, or will his legacy continue to be overshadowed by past missteps? Only time will tell. We will certainly be keeping a close eye on what is to come.
