A veteran Zelda developer has reportedly left Nintendo to work on a new open-world adventure game.
According toDr Serkan Toto, CEO of Japanese games industry consultancy Kantan Games,Nintendo‘s Kentaro Tominaga has joined Chinese developer Papergames.
Tominaga will reportedly be working on an open-world take on mobile dress-up game Love Nikki.
The new game, titled Infinity Nikki, is described by its developer as a cross-platform open-world dress-up adventure game.
The game’s first trailer, which is viewable above, has some visual elements that appear similar to modern Zelda titles, most notablyThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Tominaga’s first role at Nintendo was as the assistant director onThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker in 2002.
Since then he’s been involved in every other main console Zelda title – as sub-director on Twilight Princess, planner on Skyward Sword and game designer on Breath of the Wild. He also directed the Breath of the Wild expansion pass.
As well as his Zelda work, Tominaga was assistant director on Mario Kart: Double Dash and was a planner on Mario Kart Wii.
The move is the latest example of notable Japanese developers turning to China for game development work and funding.
Yet another Japanese high-profile game industry figure poached by a Chinese studio.Trailer for his new game:https://t.co/ImKoYnZqoVRelease date TBA.
YakuzacreatorToshihiro NagoshileftSegalast year toform a new development studioowned by Chinese companyNetEaseGames.
No More Heroes studioGrasshopper Manufacture was also acquired by NetEaselast year, with Grasshopper CEOGoichi Suda(aka Suda51) saying the deal would lead to “even higher quality” games from the studio going forward.
