Bloodstained Sequel Won’t be Directed by Shutaro Iida Due to Cancer Diagnosis

For those deep in the gaming scene, there’s a sentiment you may have seen crop up on occasion: If there’s a game you like, follow its creators, not its studio.

For Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, one of its biggest draws was the mind behind the game. As a spiritual successor to Castlevania, having Koji Iragashi’s name attached was a massive boon.

Shutaro Iida is one of the great minds behind Castlevania, and a major player in Bloodstained’s development, acting as director and “essentially” the game’s producer. It has now been revealed that Shutaro recently received a cancer diagnosis, and will be stepping down from the game’s development.

This information comes to us from Iida’s own X page, with a follow-up from Koji Iragashi’s. Below, you can find their statements, along with a translation for each.

We don’t know at this time what kind of cancer Shutaro Iida is dealing with, nor what stage his cancer had reached before it was discovered, information that may remain private throughout his battle with the disease.

It’s never easy to have a creative mind step away from a project, no matter the role. When that role is Director, it’s an even bigger blow. If Shutaro Iida’s influence runs as deep as Iragashi claims, then the remaining developers have some big shoes to fill. The saving grace for the game may be that the rest of the dev team, including Iragashi, are experienced and clearly passionate.

Bloodstained Will Continue

Bloodstained Ritual of the Night New Mystery Character Approaching

The idea of following creators instead of studios is a concept familiar to Castlevania fans. It’s no secret that opinions on Konami, the company behind Castlevania, have soured over the years, with fans following the game’s creators, rather than the studio that delivered their often favorite Metroidvania game.

As Shutaro Iida steps away, the company’s “all hands on deck” response gives us hope that his work will carry on and Iida’s vision will come to fruition.

Based on the team’s statements, Iragashi and the rest of the Bloodstained crew are more than familiar with Iida’s hopes for the sequel, and will do their best to make his vision a reality.