The Producer on the Castlevania series, Koji Igarashi, has left Konami. Igarashi, perhaps best known for his work on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, had his last day on March 15.

He already has plans on opening a new development studio.
"I've decided to break out on my own to have the freedom to make the kind of games I really want to make -- the same kind I think fans of my past games want as well," Igarashi told IGN. "Leaving Konami was a big decision, and not one I took lightly – I’ve spent my entire career there, made many friends, and had a lot of great opportunities – but I hope all the gamers and fans who have supported me in the past will join me in being excited about what comes next. Wish me luck!”

Igarashi still has a talk coming up this week at GDC on none other than Metroidvania type titles. To be a bit less generic, it's really on the "exploration of his experiences and methodology in creating some of the most popular and influential games in the genre over the last 15 years."