In a surprising move that’s sure to shake up the Japanese gaming world, Mega Man designer and Capcom icon Keiji Inafune has announced that after 23 years with the company, he will be leaving at the end of the month.

Inafune was the Head of R&D Management Group and Consumer Games R&D Division and Contents Management Division for Capcom, as well as CEO of Daletto, Capcom’s online games subsidiary, before making the unexpected decision.  Over recent months, Inafune has made several provocative statements about the state of the Japanese gaming industry, calling it “finished,” and even going so far as to call Capcom “complacent.”  While neither side has confirmed the details of the split, comments like these couldn’t have made the company happy, and may have led to either his decision to leave the company, or Capcom’s decision to part ways with the legendary creator.

Inafune spoke about the departure on his blog post (which was translated by Andriasang); "It would probably be good for me to sit gracefully in this seat and become a leading figure in the industry.  However, I cannot do this. Settling down means death for a creator. As long as you are a creator, you cannot settle down."  He added, "I'm leaving Capcom with the intention of starting my life over."

With a resume that includes such series as Street Fighter, Onimusha, Lost Planet, and Dead Rising, as well as pretty much every incarnation of Mega Man, Inafune will undoubtedly be one of the most sought after creators in the industry once he becomes a free agent.  With his recent statements that indicate he’s lost faith in the Japanese scene, and is more drawn to Western developers, it will be very interesting to see where he ends up.