Shimbori Has Departed from Bandai Namco on Good Terms - Now What?

Yohei Shimbori, legendary 3D fighting game developer, has announced that he is departing from Bandai Namco after several years of working on Tekken 8 making him one of the few wild cards within the 3D side of the FGC. You never know where he might go next, and T8 definitely proved that, but speculation within reason can break it down. Let’s look at what he could do.

There were definitely some missteps with Dead or Alive 6, but maybe this could be viewed as an opportunity of redemption between Koei Tecmo, Team NINJA, Shimbori and the players. Things have cooled off.

Here is the direct quote from Shimbori:

I will be leaving Bandai Namco Studio at the end of this month. During my time here, I was involved in various projects, but I was particularly deeply engaged in Tekken 8, mainly without-game elements, and received support from many people, including our customers. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you so much! - Yohei Shimbori

I'm not saying that this is a slam dunk and it's going to happen. Though I do think that with his experience, pedigree, and a nearly two-decade long resume with Koei Tecmo it would be hard to imagine a world where they couldn't come to some type of agreement. We already know that through leaking (that is public knowledge now) more DOA was originally planned.

It's been over half a decade since Dead or Alive 6 and since then the popularity of the DOA name has spiked higher than it ever has before with people being interested in the fighter while wondering what happened to it and also with major number increases with the popular Dead or Alive Xtreme: Venus Vacation and impressive import sales with Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme.

Dead or Alive 6 is actually still hanging on by a strong thread as I mentioned before with the interest being shown at the EVO 2025 & EVO Japan 2025 side tournaments and being presented at monthly tournaments such as XFS, Hold That, Hoodless Monthly, Z-Axis and many more. Team NINJA still promotes sales for the game, statues and merchandise for the games, assist with tournaments for the game and also posts the character birthdays on social accounts. They don't want the game to be completely forgotten, and Dead or Alive 6 was a Shimbori creation.

I’ll refrain from sharing details for now, but I’ll be moving more freely and taking on new challenges that make the most of my strengths. It will surely take time, but I’ll strive harder to deliver an exciting game, so I’d be delighted if you continue to keep an eye on my progress. - Yohei Shimbori

Yes, there are arguments being made that he could work at Sega with Virtua Fighter 6 which would make him even more robust within the industry, but I don't really see that happening or him getting to work more freely when it's another big corporation. I've also heard Arc System Works, but even if he is interested that is quite a shift but would definitely bring some new challenges.

This second direct quote from Shimbori doesn't exactly imply DOA, but it doesn't exclude it either. I think with some demand, while looking past how you might feel about him and some encouragement (everyone deserves a second chance) could result in something better than "another burnt bridge" from Koei Tecmo & Team NINJA. It would be extremely refreshing to see a fixed relationship instead of a situation that is impossible to repair like the chaos between Koei Tecmo & Tomonobu Itagaki.

Coming back to a relationship with Koei Tecmo would be a new challenge, wouldn't it? Making most of his strengths would be working on DOA as he did for many years. Moving freely could mean going back to the job position he was used to and was more comfortable with rather than doing media and press work. I think this quotation is up for interpretation until he flat out tells us he will not be coming back to Dead or Alive.

 

Theres a lot of layers to unpack here. The tweets are vague atm. What I am afraid of is that he may repeat the stuff he did in the past during development of DOA 6 and Tekken 8.

 

Theres a lot of layers to unpack here. The tweets are vague atm. What I am afraid of is that he may repeat the stuff he did in the past during development of DOA 6 and Tekken 8.

I agree. This is simple a look at the big picture, a mere discussion of events. Not a "OH he's coming back for sure!" I know some readers will come in pointing the finger saying I'm raising hope, and that's not what this is; but I also think attempting to take better control of the narrative doesn't hurt either.

 

I honestly don't know what to think of Shimbori working on T8 (what did he even do on it, exactly? no one has more than assumptions) and now leaving Bamco and where he might go next.

But looking at history and precedent, I can only think of one developer who had worked for years for a big publisher, left, and then eventually returned, and I think that's Yoshinori Ono, who afaik returned to Capcom in just a consulting capacity. (EDIT: turns out this was just speculation, not confirmed, so... I know of zero cases of a Japanese dev returning to his old legacy publisher, if Shimbori did it I guess it would be unprecedented in the Japanese industry.)

As much as I doubt it would happen, if he returned to KT it would at least probably make a new DOA return more likely to come sooner, that's as far as I can consider.

But it'll be interesting to see where ever he goes next. GL to him.

 

If he does return to DOA, I'll give him the benefit of a doubt since im sure he's learned from the way DOA6 was handled and unsupported 5 years ago that he will not repeat any mistakes he made, and maybe any input he gave Namco that didn't really translate well in T8 im sure he's noting. Although i cant even really see specifically what he did in T8 since his suggestions and inputs he mentioned he did for the game are kinda vague tbh, besides the wall blasts and other things that are definitely DOA influenced

I have hope but ill need a bit more visual since I cant go off what his tweets say, its as if hes saying something without saying too much but again we don't know since NG2 Black dropped in January and I was excited since I thought we'd see something for DOA too, but its going on 7 months and still nothing. We still have a bit more time till the year is over at least but I really need to see to believe. Im willing to wait tho because we don't want a repeat of any hindrances DOA6 had.

 

I honestly don't know what to think of Shimbori working on T8 (what did he even do on it, exactly? no one has more than assumptions) and now leaving Bamco and where he might go next.

But looking at history and precedent, I can only think of one developer who had worked for years for a big publisher, left, and then eventually returned, and I think that's Yoshinori Ono, who afaik returned to Capcom in just a consulting capacity. (EDIT: turns out this was just speculation, not confirmed, so... I know of zero cases of a Japanese dev returning to his old legacy publisher, if Shimbori did it I guess it would be unprecedented in the Japanese industry.)

As much as I doubt it would happen, if he returned to KT it would at least probably make a new DOA return more likely to come sooner, that's as far as I can consider.

But it'll be interesting to see where ever he goes next. GL to him.

I think your thinking of Hideki Kamiya with Okami 2. He left platinum and for a year kept quiet that he had returned to Capcom.

 

@limitbreakfull yeah, thanks for the reminder, that's probably the closest case we have... he's still not technically employed by Capcom again but his new studio Clovers is collaborating with Capcom.

(welcome to forums, btw)

 

This is a little too convenient... but I'll refrain from making ludicrous conspiracy theories that may or may not put me in hot water.

 

This is a little too convenient... but I'll refrain from making ludicrous conspiracy theories that may or may not put me in hot water.

I understand that! I've changed the topic title to refrain from any backlash on my own personal opinion.

Though I don't think it's not within reason to assume that DOA players are going to be curious about his status and would probably hope that he returns to the team now that things have cooled down since he was last there.

 

I don't think there's really anything to gauge from there. Shimbori made a 2nd tweet about it that he wanted to do his own thing that's non Tekken/DOA related:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1958913377998446752

From older posts even before that, someone asked him on Twitter/X if he would be willing to return to KT and he mentioned he would rather not go back. Even Matt mentioned about it on Discord:

There's simply no reason for him to go back to Koei Tecmo. He mentioned he would like to do things to be more involved, and with the state of these fighting game companies right now he'd be better off finding opportunities that allow him to do what he wants. KT nor Bandai Namco really gave him the opportunity to do so. A reminder that he had to "beg" to even greenlight DOA6. At that point, the guy just might as well do his own thing.

Honestly with the lack of 3D fighters in the genre that isn't the usual 4 (or 3 or 2), I'd be more interested to see him make his own entirely new 3D fighter so that he doesn't have big wigs have control over it or maybe better publishers. It's probably not happening because it's such an insane risk with no potential backing and I doubt he'd join SEGA out of a whim, but it does sound like he wants to do his own thing.

 

I don't think there's really anything to gauge from there. Shimbori made a 2nd tweet about it that he wanted to do his own thing that's non Tekken/DOA related:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1958913377998446752

From older posts even before that, someone asked him on Twitter/X if he would be willing to return to KT and he mentioned he would rather not go back. Even Matt mentioned about it on Discord:

There's simply no reason for him to go back to Koei Tecmo. He mentioned he would like to do things to be more involved, and with the state of these fighting game companies right now he'd be better off finding opportunities that allow him to do what he wants. KT nor Bandai Namco really gave him the opportunity to do so. A reminder that he had to "beg" to even greenlight DOA6. At that point, the guy just might as well do his own thing.

Honestly with the lack of 3D fighters in the genre that isn't the usual 4 (or 3 or 2), I'd be more interested to see him make his own entirely new 3D fighter so that he doesn't have big wigs have control over it or maybe better publishers. It's probably not happening because it's such an insane risk with no potential backing and I doubt he'd join SEGA out of a whim, but it does sound like he wants to do his own thing.

Because you want him to go to Sega? That's not going to happen I'm afraid.

Neither of the Shimbori tweets rule out DOA specifically and the second one definitely states he will continue working on a game. That would mean he's not "leaving the industry."

It’s funny how the narrative frequently flips depending on what’s going on. First people will say:

- No Shimbori means no DOA

now it’s:

- Why would you want him to go back now that he no longer works on T8?

I could give plenty of reasons why he’d go back (and I kind of already do) in conjunction with tweets he provided.

Part of the reason he would not have wanted to go back several years ago would have been fan backlash, but that has cooled off quite a bit. Especially since the people that hate DOA6 have mostly moved on with their lives and the people that do like it are still playing and want Shimbori to come back.

 

The reason for why Shimbori left Bamco does seem to imply that he'd like to be more hands on with development since he would likely entered BN during mid-development for Tekken 8. On one hand he'd like to do his own thing, but it would be nice if he could under a relatively big Japanese publisher such as KT or SEGA. Obviously my selfish wish would be for him to return to KT and develop a DOA7 that rights the many wrongs with DOA6 (and maybe utilise any knowledge learned from T8, but please, no Heat meter!)

If Shimbori does opt to do his own thing without a big publisher behind it, it might be a bit more difficult to gain promotional traction as an indie. Whatever he chooses to do, I wish him the best however!

On a different note, it's been over 5 years since DOA6's support ceased. I think at this point that DOA fans would probably be happy to see him back.

 

The reason for why Shimbori left Bamco does seem to imply that he'd like to be more hands on with development since he would likely entered BN during mid-development for Tekken 8. On one hand he'd like to do his own thing, but it would be nice if he could under a relatively big Japanese publisher such as KT or SEGA. Obviously my selfish wish would be for him to return to KT and develop a DOA7 that rights the many wrongs with DOA6 (and maybe utilise any knowledge learned from T8, but please, no Heat meter!)

If Shimbori does opt to do his own thing without a big publisher behind it, it might be a bit more difficult to gain promotional traction as an indie. Whatever he chooses to do, I wish him the best however!

On a different note, it's been over 5 years since DOA6's support ceased. I think at this point that DOA fans would probably be happy to see him back.

He doesn't have the capital to do his own thing. The best thing for him to do would be to go back to DOA, fix DOA6 on a more limited budget or UE5 DOA5 to garner interest for the sequel.

 

Because you want him to go to Sega? :/

Well yeah because he literally would not go back to Koei Tecmo? So what other option for a 3D fighter genre would he be in? considering that he "left" Koei Tecmo & Bandai Namco.

Him going to SEGA wasn't going to happen anyway. In my previous posts before this thread, I said it would be "interesting" because it'd be fun for his resume that he worked on two other 3D fighters including VF for the sake of lols, but even I doubt it so it's not a big deal in my opinion.

Neither of these tweets rule out DOA specifically and the second one definitely states he will continue working on a game.

Yeah, but i'm not sure why an answer has to automatically come to the conclusion that it means DOA. The moment someone walks past a DOA door at KT, do people just automatically go to the white board to come up with theories that a new DOA is suddenly in development when it's probably the janitor passing by and cleaning the floors?

If a purple bird was somehow by KT's window, is this one of those situations where now the purple bird is clearly related to Ayane and that it's a random hint for an upcoming game? it's just a silly thing to go by is all. Shimbori doesn't seem like the guy to just wake up in the morning and go "alright time to go back to KT and make a DOA". He left for a reason previously, and him going back a 2nd time is just out of place and weird.

It’s funny how the narrative frequently flips depending on what’s going on. First people will say:

- No Shimbori means no DOA

now it’s:

- Why would you want him to go back now that he no longer works on T8?

Where is this narrative that it's derived from? People in the past said No Itagaki means no DOA, and DOA survived just fine without him.

Shimbori on the other hand is an entirely different case when he was the only one pushing for DOA after Itagaki's departure, but if he himself does not want to go back then just let the guy do his thing? like what's next? are people going to try and force the guy and enable him to jump back on the ship?

If he goes back, then he goes back. If KT wants him back (which I doubt), and he says no...then the answer is no? and that people should find someone else and probably leave him alone? I just don't see the big deal personally lol. If anything, I think him leaving Bandai Namco is not this grand thing that it's made out to be the more I think about it.

 

That Itagaki line was good. I’ll give you that for sure.

Well if he doesn’t publicly acknowledge that he doesn’t have any interest of going back IMO that is a sign that he would be open to coming back.

He seems pretty transparent to me on his social accounts as well. What kind of DOA player would I be if I didn’t acknowledge the possibility.

 

You know that Master in his vlog literally said there’s another project in development except Ninja Gaiden and Nioh and we have to wait. I don’t think that reveal of a project from Bloodborne guy would be suitable for Year of Ninja. With Nioh 3 on the way it’s kinda risky, maybe next year. Also I don’t think that’s another Nioh project , because it will be better to reveal it closer to Nioh anniversary in 2027 (maybe in the end of 2026 with release in 2027). So if they plan to reveal anything else this year it’s probably DOA-related