Summary
- Veteran Square Enix director Tatsuya Kando has left after 29 years, known for his work on several fan-favorite Square Enix franchises.
- Kando served in animation roles for multiple Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts games, later acting as director for The World Ends With You.
- Tatsuya Kando's departure saw an outpouring of support from fans, thanking him for his many contributions to beloved Square Enix properties.
Veteran game director Tatsuya Kando revealed that he has officially left Square Enix after 29 years, working on beloved franchises like The World Ends With You and Kingdom Hearts. The JRPG juggernaut's lineup has brought some of the most beloved franchises in gaming throughout its storied history, including games like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix has 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 on Final Fantasy 7. Kando was a staple of Square Enix's biggest franchises moving forward, acting as an animation director and supervisor for several Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts games. Kando even saw his opportunity to break out in a directorial role with Square Enix, serving as director for The World Ends With You and later as series director for NEO: The World Ends With You. Now, Kando has revealed that his time with Square Enix is coming to an end.
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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 of Square 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 for his work on The World Ends With You, serving as director on both the original game and its remakes on iOS and Switch. Kando was also heavily involved with Kingdom Hearts, acting as an animation director or supervisor for nearly every game, including both main-series games like Kingdom Hearts 3 and spinoffs like Melody 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. The Dragon Quest franchise will welcome a notable new remake later this year, with Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake scheduled to release in October and Dragon Quest 12 currently in development. Kingdom Hearts has also been teasing fans about its next major release, recently showing off several new screenshots for Kingdom Hearts 4. Tatsuya Kando's contribution to Square Enix will leave behind a lasting legacy with the Japanese gaming juggernaut.
- Date Founded
- April 1, 2003
- Headquarters
- Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
- Parent Company
- Square Enix
- Subsidiaries
- Eidos Interactive, Crystal Dynamics, Luminous Productions
- Known For
- Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, Tomb Raider