Castlevania and Bloodstained Developer Shutaro Ida Dies at 52

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The gaming world is saddened by the death of Shutaro Ida, a key figure in the Metroidvania genre, at the age of 52. Known for his work on the Castlevania series and as the director of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Ida passed away on February 10th after an 18-month fight with pancreatic cancer. His family shared the news on his social media. He was a central creative force behind the beloved Castlevania games and its spiritual successor.

Ida worked closely with Koji Igarashi throughout his career, playing a key role in shaping today’s action-adventure games that emphasize exploration. Sadly, he passed away as his last project, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, was nearing completion. Koji Igarashi has promised to finish the game to the level of quality Ida expected, as a tribute to his friend and colleague.

Ida Heralded a Decades-Long Legacy in the Metroidvania Genre

Ida, also known as Shutaro Iida, started his career at Konami in 1996. Though he worked on big games like Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain as a lead programmer, he was passionate about gothic platformers. He played a key role in the development of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, and later directed Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.

When Igarashi left Konami to start ArtPlay, Ida immediately joined him. Together, they launched a successful crowdfunding campaign for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, demonstrating that there was still strong interest in the classic “Igavania” style of game. Igarashi fondly remembered a colleague, saying, “His talent was incredible, and many celebrated games wouldn’t have been possible without him.”

Ida wasn’t just a programmer who worked on individual games; his technical skills were key to evolving game design from older 2D styles to modern 3D graphics. While at Konami, he played a major role in updating the Castlevania series for newer consoles. He had a talent for perfecting complicated gameplay, making him a highly regarded programmer who went on to work on popular games like Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes.

Ida was known for her passionate and all-consuming dedication to game development. Igarashi remembered her constantly thinking about games and relentlessly pursuing solutions to tough programming problems, which motivated the whole team. This unwavering commitment was a major factor in the success of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which many critics praised as a worthy successor to the classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

These projects weren’t popular just because they reminded people of older games. Ida was dedicated to updating the Metroidvania style, and his focus on precise controls, satisfying exploration, and deep RPG elements kept this type of action-platformer appealing to a new audience. His work still inspires both independent and large game studios looking to create that same feeling of immersive discovery.

Even as his health failed in his last weeks, Ida remained deeply committed to his work. Those close to him said he approached game design with intense focus, as if it consumed his life, always prioritizing what players would experience. On January 30th, he shared a final message with his fans, recognizing his failing health and simply asking them to enjoy Bloodstained 2 and all of his creations.

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So, ArtPlay just let us know that they’re still working on Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement and they’re really committed to making it awesome. They want to honor the original creator, Ida, and finish the game in a way that reflects his ideas. It’s sad to hear he’s passed away, but his family wants us to keep enjoying the worlds he built, and honestly, I plan to! They’re determined to make this sequel a proper tribute to everything he imagined.

The funeral was a small, private event, held according to the family’s wishes. ArtPlay has asked that, instead of sending flowers or gifts, fans support the team by offering encouragement as they complete Ida’s last project. This support will be the most meaningful tribute during this difficult time.

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2026-02-17 00:08