Yohei Shimbori has announced that he will be leaving Bandai Namco Studios at the end of August 2025. Arguably his most significant contribution to the company was serving as a producer and assistant director of Tekken 8. Shimbori had initially revealed his involvement in the title’s development back in December 2023.
“I will be leaving Bandai Namco Studio at the end of this month. During my time here, I was involved in various projects. I was particularly engaged in Tekken 8, mainly with non-core gameplay elements. I also received support from many people, including our players. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you so much! ,” Shimbori wrote on X on August 23.
Before joining Bandai Namco Studios, Shimbori worked at Koei Tecmo, where he first served as a tester for Dead or Alive: Ultimate before becoming the director for Dead or Alive: Dimensions, all versions of Dead or Alive 5, and the director and producer for Dead or Alive 6. Shimbori has also worked on other titles such as Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, but it’s safe to say his true passion lies in creating fighting games.
Following his departure from Bandai Namco Studios, Shimbori says he will be “moving more freely and taking on new challenges.” Whether this indicates that he will be going independent or joining a new company remains to be seen, but he has confirmed that he wants to continue making games for the foreseeable future. Given that several fighting game franchises haven’t had sequels in quite some time (Dead or Alive, Bloody Roar, Darkstalkers) and that the genre has been experiencing a resurgence as of late, Shimbori has many avenues that can make use of his talents.
