Hideaki Itsuno Recruits Former CAPCOM Developers for His New LightSpeed Studio

The Next Chapter for Hideaki Itsuno: A Transition to LightSpeed Studios

After a distinguished thirty-year tenure at CAPCOM, acclaimed game designer Hideaki Itsuno made headlines when he departed the company approximately one year ago. Shortly thereafter, news surfaced that he would take the helm of a newly established team at LightSpeed Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent, aimed at creating action games—a domain in which he has extensive experience.

LightSpeed Studios’ Growing Team

Recent reports from VideoGamesChronicle indicate significant developments at LightSpeed. The studio has recently bolstered its ranks by hiring several prominent former CAPCOM developers and has also inaugurated a new office in Osaka. Developers are offered the option to continue their work from the Tokyo office or transition to this new location, as shared on their official X account here.

Notable New Additions to the Team

The new hires include some of Itsuno’s trusted former colleagues:

Toshihiro Nakagawa, also known as Bingo Morihashi, who has contributed to the storylines of Devil May Cry 2 through 5 and both Dragon’s Dogma titles.
Daigo Ikeno, an accomplished artist with credits on Street Fighter, Devil May Cry, and Dragon’s Dogma.
Gouda Cheese/Bengus (a pseudonym), another skilled artist known for his work on Street Fighter and Power Stone.

The Vision Behind the New Studio

Currently, approximately one-third of LightSpeed Japan Studio’s workforce—around 40 employees—are former CAPCOM staff. In a statement shared with VGC, Itsuno underscored the advantages of this staffing strategy:

Although we’re a new studio working on a new game, it’s good to be able to work with people who I trust like Mr. Nakagawa. I have been working with him for decades, since Devil May Cry 2, and he’s one of those core members who understands me very well. Ikeno-san is also participating as an art director this time, and Bengus-san has a very high level of understanding and is a very unique man – he was a legendary designer at Capcom.

It’s all about a sense of trust… we know exactly what each of us want. And it’s not just these three people: I also hired some other people I worked with from before at Capcom, so even though this is a new studio, I’ve gathered those people who I trust to make sure that this is going to be a successful game.

Looking Ahead: New IP in Development

Itsuno and his team are currently focusing on developing an original intellectual property (IP).Recently, Itsuno-san announced via X that the studio is working on a prototype intended to “delight players around the world.”However, they are still on the lookout for creative directors, signaling that detailed information about the project is likely still some time away.

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