In a shocking reveal, Koji Igarashi has confirmed that he has left Tokyo-based Konami after working at the company for more than two decades. Igarashi is known by millions for his work on the Castlevania series, as he was an influential producer on many of the biggest and most loved games within the series

Igarashi confirmed that in leaving Konami he is going to start his own small indie development studio, where he can make the games of his dreams, and the games that appeal to his fans the most. In a statement to Polygon, Iga talked about his departure:

“I’ve decided to break out on my own to have the freedom to make the kind of games I really want to make — the same kind I think fans of my past games want as well. Leaving Konami was a big decision, and not one I took lightly — I’ve spent my entire career there, made many friends, and had a lot of great opportunities — but I hope all the gamers and fans who have supported me in the past will join me in being excited about what comes next. Wish me luck!”

Igarashi’s last day at Konami was March 15th, and he worked as a producer on over a dozen titles within the series. The first game he worked on was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and he is credited for transforming the series into the more adventure driven “metroidvania” style that defined the series, before it was handed off in 2010 to Western developers Mercury Steam.

Koji Igarashi has a talk at the annual Game Developers Conference this year, “There and Back Again: Koji Igarashi’s Metroidvania Tale.” The panel is being touted as an exploration of his work and experiences in creating some of the most influential games within the series.