Castlevania and Bloodstained developer Shutaro Īda has died aged 52
in newsletterGamesIndustry.biz · 2026-02-17 · 3 min read · culture
Shutaro Īda, veteran programmer and director on Castlevania and Bloodstained, has died at 52 from pancreatic cancer. Īda spent nearly two decades at Konami before joining ArtPlay with series producer Koji Igarashi, where he served as designer and director on Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Igarashi credited him as essential to multiple acclaimed titles, noting his 20+ year collaboration. Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, Īda's final project, remains in development.
Appeared in 2026-02-17.