Yasuaki Iwata, a composer who worked on several major Nintendo titles including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, has indeed left Nintendo. Iwata made this announcement on November 5, 2024, revealing that he had actually departed from the company in July 2023.
You'll find Yasuaki Iwata's full message and original tweet below:
I have a bit of a belated announcement to share.
In July of last year, I took a step in a new direction by leaving my position at Nintendo.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported me over the years, to those who enjoyed my work, and to everyone who listened to the music through the projects I was a part of.
I've been working on new projects since my departure, and I hope to have the opportunity to share some of these with you in the near future. If there are those who would like to continue following my journey, I'd be truly grateful, and I hope you look forward to what's to come.
Thank you very much for your continued support!
During his time at Nintendo, Iwata contributed to the soundtracks of various popular games. For Breath of the Wild, he primarily composed music for towns and dungeons, as well as themes for characters like Kass and the Champions. He also created the main theme for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and worked on other titles such as Mario Kart 8 and Arms.
In his announcement, Iwata expressed gratitude to his supporters and those who enjoyed his work. He mentioned that he has been working on new projects since leaving Nintendo and hopes to share these in the near future.
This news represents a significant change in Nintendo's music department, given Iwata's contributions to some of the company's most beloved recent titles.
Zelda: BOTW And Animal Crossing: New Horizons Composer Yasuaki Iwata Has Left Nintendo
"Thank you very much for your continued support!"
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