PUBG Mobile co-developer Lightspeed Studios has tapped Dragon’s Dogma director Hideaki Itsuno to lead a new studio in Japan.
The Capcom veteran will take charge of Lightspeed Japan Studio to oversee the development of triple-A action titles. Itsuno spent over 30 years at Capcom working on major franchises like Devil May Cry, Bionic Commando, and Street Fighter. He departed earlier this year to “start developing a new game in a new environment.”
Now, a press release has confirmed he’ll be leading Lightspeed’s nascent Osaka and Tokyo-based studio.
“It is our great honor to have Hideaki Itsuno join Lightspeed Studios,” said company president Jerry Chen. “The establishment of LightSpeed Japan Studio is a significant step in Lightspeed Studios’ expansion and demonstrates our commitment to bringing the best possible games to our players.”
Lightspeed Japan Studio is aiming to cultivate a “flexible and inclusive” working environment, and will foster innovation by leveraging “multi-platform, cross-device technologies.”
“I look forward to creating original AAA action game titles together with the amazing team and building aesthetic and innovative experiences for the global player community,” said Itsuno.
Tencent’s major plays
Lightspeed is owned by Chinese conglomerate Tencent and currently has teams across Singapore, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Tencent has made a number of significant moves this year. In September, the company entered into a €15 million loan agreement with Alan Wake 2 developer Remedy Entertainment after upping its stake in the studio earlier this year.
Prior to that, it became the majority shareholder of Dying Light developer Techland and purchased a controlling stake in Swords of Legends developer Wangyuan Shengtang.