Summary
Veteran game director Tatsuya Kando revealed that he has officially leftSquare Enixafter 29 years, working on beloved franchises likeThe World Ends With YouandKingdom Hearts. The JRPG juggernaut’s lineup has brought some of the most beloved franchises in gaming throughout its storied history, including games likeFinal FantasyandKingdom Hearts.Square Enixhas also played host to a plethora of legendary names within the industry, with icons like Nobuo Uematsu, Yuji Horii, and Tetsuya Nomura among the studio’s star-studded roster. Now, a longtime Square Enix director is saying goodbye to the studio.
Tatsuya Kando’s first credit with Square Enix came all the way back in 1997, with the future director working as a character animator onFinal Fantasy 7. Kando was a staple of Square Enix’s biggest franchises moving forward, acting as an animation director and supervisor for severalFinal FantasyandKingdom Heartsgames. Kando even saw his opportunity to break out in a directorial role with Square Enix, serving as director forThe World Ends With Youand later asseries director forNEO: The World Ends With You. Now, Kando has revealed that his time with Square Enix is coming to an end.
As reported by Gematsu, longtime Square Enix director Tatsuya Kando revealed he has left the studio after nearly three decades. Kando took time to reflect on his history with the company within the departure post, cherishing the “experiences” of working on some ofSquare Enix’s most storied franchises. The director also expressed his gratitude for the support fans have shown him over the years, sharing that he will “do his best to create enjoyable content” in the future. Kando did not share any details about his future plans after leaving Square Enix.
Tatsuya Kando’s announcement saw an outpouring of support from fans, thanking him for his work at Square Enix and, particularly, his contribution to two major series. Many fans in the replies thanked Kando forhis work onThe World Ends With You, serving as director on both the original game and its remakes on iOS and Switch. Kando was also heavily involved withKingdom Hearts, acting as an animation director or supervisor for nearly every game, including both main-series games likeKingdom Hearts 3and spinoffs likeMelody of Memory.
Veteran Director Tatsuya Kando Leaving Square Enix
Square Enix will say farewell to Tatsuya Kando as the developer has several high-profile game releases on the way. TheDragon Questfranchise will welcome a notable new remake later this year, withDragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remakescheduled to release in October andDragon Quest 12currently in development.Kingdom Heartshas also been teasing fans about its next major release, recently showing offseveral new screenshots forKingdom Hearts 4. Tatsuya Kando’s contribution to Square Enix will leave behind a lasting legacy with the Japanese gaming juggernaut.
