Castlevania and Bloodstained veteran Shutaro Iida has died at 52

Shutao Iida, the veteran game developer best known for his work on the Castlevania and Bloodstained series, has passed away at the age of 52.

Iida was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2024, and died on February 10 as a result of the illness.

A statement from Iida’s family was posted on his official X account, confirming his death.

“Shutaro, known as the Curry Sage, who had been battling illness for some time, passed away on February 10 due to pancreatic cancer,” the statement read.

“We deeply appreciate the kindness shown to him during his lifetime and respectfully announce his passing. Shutaro’s adventure in this world has ended, but his work lives on. We sincerely hope you will continue to enjoy the games he created.”

In his final personal message, posted on his X account 11 days before his passing, Iida wrote: “It seems that the limit is near. I can feel myself growing weaker day by day. Please love Bloodstained 2, which will be released in the future, and the games that I made.”

Iida worked at Konami from 1996 to 2015, mainly as a programmer at first. In the early 2000s he moved to the Castlevania series, working as enemy programmer and system & player programmer on Game Boy Advance title Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow.

He went on work as a programmer on numerous other Castlevania games, as well as Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, where he was a lead game programmer and lead enemy programmer.

When Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi left Konami in 2014 to co-found new studio ArtPlay, Iida joined him to work on Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, where he served as designer and director while Igarashi produced.

The game was released in 2019 to favourable reviews, and a prequel Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement was previously announced for a 2026 release window.

In a statement on X, Igarashi paid tribute to his long-time colleague and friend, saying: “In the early morning of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, our Creative Director Shutaro passed away after a year and a half-long battle with cancer.

“We had worked together since Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. It is no exaggeration to say that many titles hailed as masterpieces would not have been possible without his contributions. His talent was truly exceptional.

“After I left the Castlevania series, our opportunities to work together became fewer, but I am deeply grateful that he accepted my invitation to join our current company without hesitation. I feel the success of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was also made possible thanks to his tremendous support.

“Looking back, he supported me for over 20 years. He was someone who constantly thought about games, approaching development with a passion that burned like a flame.

“In September 2024, we learned he had terminal cancer. The news was a tremendous shock. The nearly year-and-a-half battle that followed must have been unimaginably gruelling. His passing is profoundly saddening, though knowing he is now free from suffering brings a sense of relief. Having run at full speed for so long, I hope he can finally rest peacefully now.

“The game he was working on, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, is currently in development. It is a precious work imbued with his spirit. We will carry on his vision and see it through to completion, so he won’t be disappinted. We ask for your continued support and encouragement, now more than ever.

“Our thoughts are with his family, and we pray for his eternal rest.”