Director of Astral Chain leaves PlatinumGames and founds new studio

PlatinumGames has lost another one of its key creatives. Takahisa Taura, known for his work as a designer on NieR: Automata and as director of Astral Chain, is no longer part of the studio. The information was reported by VGC, which revealed that Taura has removed the name of PlatinumGames from his social media profiles, including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, replacing it with Eel Game Studio.

Takahisa Taura's Career
 

• NieR: Automata (2017): Taura led the collaboration between PlatinumGames and Square Enix, resulting in one of the most acclaimed games of the generation.
• Astral Chain (2019): His first major project as director was released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch and received praise for its innovative gameplay and futuristic aesthetic.
   

Now, Taura seems to be leading a new creative effort at Eel Game Studio, based in Tokyo, while PlatinumGames is headquartered in Osaka. Although the studio has not announced any official projects yet, the change indicates that Taura may be pursuing an independent path or preparing to work on contracted projects.

Taura's departure follows the announcement of Hideki Kamiya, co-founder and one of the most influential figures at the studio, who also recently left PlatinumGames. Kamiya stated that his decision was motivated by dissatisfaction with the company's direction and creative differences with current leadership.

With key figures leaving PlatinumGames, the future of the studio and the creatives who have departed promises significant changes. Will we see new successes like Astral Chain emerging from independent studios?