Shinji Mikami Is Leaving Tango Gameworks

Tango Gameworks’ founder Shinji Mikami is departing the studio in the coming months after 12 years at the studio. First reported the news by TrueAchievementsThe departure of Bethesda was confirmed by a ZeniMax employee who verified and received an email from the company to ZeniMax employees. Twitter.

Bethesda’s statement, posted below, doesn’t cite a reason or a departure date but thanks Mikami for his tenure at the studio: 

We are happy to confirm that Shinji Miami has left Tango Gameworks. He has been a great mentor and creative leader to the young developers of Ghostwire Tokyo and The Evil Within. We also thank him for being a supportive mentor and creative leader. 

We send Mikami-san our best wishes for the future.

-Bethesda

Mikami is known as the inventor of Resident Evil. He directed many entries over his time at Capcom. Mikami co-founded Capcom’s Clover Studio in 2004, the team behind Okami, Viewtiful Joe, and God Hand (which he directed), but he departed the publisher after Clover’s closure in 2007. In 2004, Mikami and other Clover leaders would start Platinum Games, which he managed Vanquish. Mikami, who had left Platium to create Tango Gameworks was later acquired by ZeniMax in 2010. He directed the studio’s first title, The Evil Within, and served as executive producer on its sequel and Tango’s subsequent games, Ghostwire: Tokyo and this year’s Hi-Fi Rush.

While it’s not yet clear what Mikami’s next steps will be, Tango is in good hands. Hi-Fi Rush, the colorful musical action game that surprised launched in late January, was spearheaded by John Johanas, director of The Evil Within 2, and a team of younger designers. It had perhaps the strongest critical reception of Tango’s portofolio thus far, with some calling it an early Game of the Year contender (here’s our positive review). Mikami seems to have done a great job in fostering talent and innovative ideas at Tango prior to his departure.