Shutaro Iida, a longtime Castlevania legend and developer with a plethora of titles under his belt, has passed away at the age of 52 after a nearly two-year-long battle with cancer.
Iida, who was most recently working on Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night sequel The Scarlet Engagement, first announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer in 2024 in an online post, explaining that he would be stepping away from game development to focus on his health.
Earlier today, his family took to his account to share that he had died on February 10 due to the illness, expressing gratitude for the kindness he had been shown.
Since the news was made public, other devs have posted their own tributes for the talented man, with one especially heartfelt message (as translated by Automaton) coming from fellow Konami Veteran and Bloodstained lead Koji Igarashi, who had worked alongside Iida since Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow in 2003.
In his response, Igarashi looks back on his history together with Iida and toward the future of Bloodstained, with its sequel in mind.
【ご報告】SHUTARO 逝去のお知らせ去る2026年2月10日(火)早朝、弊社クリエイティブディレクターSHUTAROが、約1年半に及ぶ癌との闘病の末、永眠いたしました。彼とは『キャッスルヴァニア ―暁月の円舞曲―』以来、ともに仕事をしてまいりました。… https://t.co/HeFlDLxY7cFebruary 16, 2026
"In the early hours of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, our Creative Director, Shutaro, passed away peacefully after battling cancer for approximately one and a half years," writes the dev.
"Our first project together was Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. It is no exaggeration to say that numerous titles hailed as masterpieces would not have been possible without his contributions. His talent was truly exceptional."
Igarashi goes on to say that he's "profoundly grateful" Iida accepted his invitation to join him on the development of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, with the 2019 gem's success only "made possible by his tremendous support," as he puts it.
"Looking back, he supported me for over twenty years. He was someone who constantly thought about games, approaching development as if it were burning his life away."
The dev hopes that Iida is now at rest. "When it was discovered that he had a terminal cancer in September 2024, it came as a tremendous shock. The subsequent year and a half of battling the illness must have been unimaginably harsh. His passing is profoundly regrettable, yet knowing he is now free from suffering brings a sense of relief. Having run at full speed all this time, I hope he can now rest peacefully."
As for the Bloodstained sequel, Igarashi confirms it's still underway – and still carries Iida's influence.
"The game he was working on, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, is currently in development. It is a precious work imbued with his vision. We shall carry forward his aspirations and see the game through to completion, determined not to disappoint him. We ask for your continued support and encouragement, now more than ever."
The statement ends with Igarashi's "deepest condolences" to Iida's family, with various replies expressing love for both developers. May Shutaro Iida rest in peace.
