Sony confirmed last month that PlayStation Studios Japan Studio will be re-organised into a new organisation, which should be in place on April 1. This and rumoured unhappiness with how things have been running lately, has made several really big names leave PlayStation Japan.
This includes Masaaki Yamagiwa (Bloodborne producer), Keiichiro Toyama (Silent Hill, Siren), Junya Okura (Siren, Gravity Rush), Kazunobu Sato (Puppeteer, The Last Guardian), Teruyuki Toriyama (Bloodborne, Demon's Souls remake) and Ryo Sogabe (Video Manager on Sony Japan Studio).
Now we can add yet another one to that list, as Masami Yamamoto (Tenchu series producer who also worked on Bloodborne) now tweets:
"A little late perhaps. I retired from SIE Japan Studio on February 28th. Tehe. Including my last position at Sony Music Entertainment, I have been with the Sony Group for 25 years. Working at first party was full of happiness as a game creator. This is also thanks to your support. Oh, from now on I can make video games for any platform... A very strange feeling!"
What this downsizing means for PlayStation Japan in the future remains to be seen, but all Japanese Sony development is re-centring to Team Asobi (Astro's Playroom).