Yoshitaka Murayama, head of Rabbit & Bear Studios and creator of Suikoden, has died

It’s been confirmed that Yoshitaka Murayama, the creator of the Suikoden series and head of the Japanese developer Rabbit & Bear Studios, has died “due to complications with an ongoing illness.”

In a statement shared on the Rabbit & Bear Studios website today (February 14), the studio stated that Murayama passed away on February 6, less than three months before the release of the role-playing game Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes of which he was a scenario writer for.

“It’s with a heavy heart and deep sadness we must inform you that the scenario writer and head of Rabbit & Bear Studios, Yoshitaka Murayama, has passed away on February 6 due to complications with an ongoing illness,” the statement reads. 

Rabbit & Bear Studios said that “it was always the passion from his fans that continued to drive his creative vision and motivate him to put his all into the project.”

The statement continues: “His hard work on Eiyuden Chronicle as scenario writer was finished but as his co-workers and friends, it saddens us to know that he won’t get to see the reactions from his fans.

“However, even with those feelings we need to accept the reality that he is no longer with us and continue to push his dream forward by releasing Eiyuden Chronicle to the world. We want to maintain his legacy and vision with this game and know that he would have wanted the rich world he has created with Eiyuden Chronicle to live on.”

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be released on April 23, 2024, and is said to be a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, which began in 1995. The upcoming role-playing game was funded on Kickstarter back in 2020 and reached its minimum funding goal of ¥53,808,516 (roughly $357,000 or £285,000) in three hours. By the end of its funding period, it raised ¥481,621,841 (around $3.2 million or £2.5 million).