Teruyuki Toriyama, Producer of Bloodborne and Demon’s Souls Remake, Is Leaving Sony Japan Studio

Earlier today Teruyuki Toriyama announced via his Twitter that he will be leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios Japan at the end of the month. Toriyama has worked as producer on several high profile Playstation games including Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls Remake, and Soul Sacrifice.

【ご報告】
私事ですが、12月末でSIE WWS JAPANスタジオを退職することになりました。これまでJAPANスタジオを応援してくださったユーザーの皆様、本当にありがとうございました！ 今後は新天地にて新規ゲームIPの創出にチャレンジするつもりですので、引き続きよろしくお願い致します。#JAPANStudio

- 鳥山晃之 (Teruyuki Toriyama) | SIE JAPAN Studio (@TORIYAMA_SIE) December 24, 2020

[Notice]
I will be leaving SIE WWS JAPAN Studio at the end of Dec. To all the users who have supported JAPAN Studio so far,thank you so much! I will continue to take on the challenge of creating new game IPs in my new company, and I ask for your continued support. #JAPANStudio

- 鳥山晃之 (Teruyuki Toriyama) | SIE JAPAN Studio (@TORIYAMA_SIE) December 24, 2020

Toriyama is not leaving the games industry however, in his announcement he states that he will continue to create new game IPs at his yet-unannounced new company.

This news comes as part of a loss of several high-profile employees at SIE WWS Japan following reports that Sony is shutting down their Japanese studios and shifting all game development focus to the western branch of SIE. Sony has denied these reports however, Teruyuki Toriyama is the latest in a trend of developers leaving the company this month. At the beginning of December Silent Hill and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama, and his teammates Kazunobu Sato, Junya Okura, left SIE WWS Japan recently founded Bokeh Game Studio.

Originally published at http://gametama.wordpress.com on December 24, 2020.