Experienced developer and longtime Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono has announced that he is resigning from his position at Capcom and leaving the company this summer, after almost 30 years at the studio. The Japanese publisher is one of the biggest names in the gaming industry but will now have to find a replacement for a key figure in the company.
The Street Fighter developer is perhaps best known for his work on the fighting series. As a brand manager and producer for the franchise, he has appeared in public many times at conventions and press events. He also played a big role at tournaments where he would regularly appear on stage. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment was reviving the franchise with the 2008 game Street Fighter IV and its 2016 sequel Street Fighter V.
Yoshinori Ono, the veteran developer who has worked at Capcom for almost 30 years, has quit the company. The former sound producer has played a pivotal role at the Japanese publisher throughout much of its history, where he has been strongly associated with the Street Fighter series since 1998. Announcing his departure on Twitter, Ono didn't say what has prompted his departure later this summer, but he did address the fan criticism of Capcom's decision to switch the Pro Tour tournament to an online format. He also thanks fans, saying, "My heart is filled with appreciation to those players who’ve been giving warm and kind support."
Ono joined Capcom near the start of the 1990s, working on the sound design for various products. By 1998, he had begun to work on the Street Fighter series, acting as a producer for arcade games Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Street Fighter III 3rd Strike. During his career at Capcom, the developer has also worked on other high-profile franchises. These include Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, Dead Rising, and Monster Hunter. In recent years, he transitioned from working exclusively on sound to more expansive roles as a director and executive producer.
Although not all fans will be familiar with the name Yoshinori Ono, they will no doubt have seen him promoting the Street Fighter franchise or experienced his influence on the famed series. Players also owe him a significant debt of gratitude as Ono was largely responsible for reviving the series. Before the release of Street Fighter IV, Capcom had not released a new entry for almost a decade. The publisher will have a difficult time replacing his energy and enthusiasm when he leaves the company with the next few weeks.
Source: Yoshinori Ono