We’ve learned Bandai Namco producer Motohiro Okubo is leaving the company, ending his twenty plus year career at the game developer and publisher.

“It’s been a while, but I will leave Bandai Namco Entertainment on August 31,” Okubo said. “From tomorrow, I will be working at a game company located in Shibuya.”

He added, “25 years ago, I joined the former Namco and met various people. I am grateful to all the people I met. Especially through SOULCALIBUR VI, I received enormous power from players all over the world. Thank you very much. I’d like to show various goods I received from everyone, but there are too many! Allow me to show 9 million units cushion, received last week from the development team of TEKKEN and SOULCALIBUR!”

“Once again thank you, thank you, and thank you!,” Okubo said in closing.

While Bandai Namco producer Motohiro Okubo is leaving, it remains unclear what developer Okubo will end up. Okubo is known for being producer on a number of Bandai Namco games, including: SoulCalibur VI, Pac-Man 99, Tekken 7, and other credits on previously released titles.

However, it seems like an ongoing phenomenon with veteran Japanese developers leaving the companies they’ve built a career within, only to go pursue passion projects like the former Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan developers and even indie games with former Ghostwire: Tokyo director Ikumi Nakamura.

Editor’s Note: Photo via 4gamer.net