Kat’s out of the bag
Two more veterans from Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan have taken their leave of the company, just one day before the developer/publisher beginsits restructure process– which will see the studio shrink its workforce and dial down production, shifting focus toAstro’s Playroomdeveloper Team ASOBI.
Shinsuke Saito announced his departure from SIE Japan in averysuccinct messageon Twitter earlier this morning. Saito is an artist, animator, and character designer, responsible for the creation of popular protagonists such as Kat from the world-bending 2012Gravity Rush. Saito was also art director for 2017 sequelGravity Rush 2.
Also leaving SIE Japan isKentaro Motomura, who has had the prestige and good fortune to be involved with the development of titles such asBloodborne,Wild Arms,Dark Cloud, andEverybody’s Golf. While Motomura did not note any specific plans, he intends on continuing in the field of game development.
The two former employees join a constantly growing list of long-time SIE Japan associates who have left for pastures new in the past year. The exile has seen the Sony Japan studio loseBloodbornealumniMasaaki YamagiwaandTeruyuki Toriyama, as well asGravity Rushproducer Keiichiro Toyama, who has since foundedBokeh Game Studio, whichitselfemploys two further ex-Sony Japan devs in Junya Okura and Kazunobu Sato.
The Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan restructure process begins tomorrow, April 1.
