Visions of Mana Director, Ryosuke Yoshida, Makes the Move to Square Enix
This surprising industry shift sees Ryosuke Yoshida, director of Visions of Mana and former Capcom game designer, departing NetEase to join Square Enix, as revealed via his December 2nd Twitter (X) announcement. Details surrounding his departure from Ouka Studios remain scarce.
Yoshida's prominent role in the development of Visions of Mana, a successful title boasting upgraded graphics and a collaboration between Capcom, Bandai Namco, and Ouka Studios, is well-documented. His announcement of leaving the studio followed the game's August 30, 2024 release.
While Yoshida confirmed his December arrival at Square Enix, his future projects remain undisclosed.
NetEase's Shifting Focus: A Retrenchment in Japan?
Yoshida's move isn't entirely unexpected, given NetEase's reported scaling back of investments in Japanese studios. A Bloomberg article (August 30th) highlighted NetEase and Tencent's decision to curtail losses after several successful collaborations with Japanese developers. Ouka Studios, Yoshida's former employer, is directly impacted, with NetEase significantly reducing its Tokyo workforce.
Both NetEase and Tencent are strategically reallocating resources – funding and personnel – to capitalize on the resurgence of the Chinese gaming market, evidenced by the success of Black Myth: Wukong, a recipient of prestigious awards, including Best Visual Design and Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards.
The year 2020 saw significant investment from NetEase and Tencent in Japan's gaming sector, a response to China's then-stagnant market. However, tensions between these large companies and smaller Japanese developers have apparently emerged, stemming from differing priorities: global market expansion versus IP control.
While NetEase and Tencent aren't abandoning Japan entirely, their strong relationships with Capcom and Bandai Namco notwithstanding, their current strategy involves cautious resource management to minimize losses and prepare for the revitalized Chinese market.
