Nintendo has sent the Donkey Kong Bananza team on an expansive press run for interviews and discussions about their upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game that finally puts Donkey Kong in the spotlight. Whilst these interviews are full of interesting questions, perhaps one of the most interesting reveals is the person who’s been answering them. Through these interviews, we now know that Donkey Kong Bananza is being directed by the incredibly talented artist Kazuya Takahashi – and he used to work for Square Enix.
If you aren’t familiar, Takahashi is legendary in the Final Fantasy franchise, with his work in gaming dating all the way back to Final Fantasy IX where he worked in the graphics department. He made some more major contributions on Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XVI, where he was a main character designer to both games and with pretty much all of XIV‘s expansions from A Realm Reborn to Endwalker. His artistic work is particularly loved by fans of the franchise, but now he’s found his way to Nintendo.
Making the journey from Final Fantasy artist to major Nintendo director with Donkey Kong Bananza is quite the leap, but Takahashi had an eventful few years that led him along this path. In 2018 he joined Luminous Productions as an independent studio away from Square Enix, but then it was merged back into Square Enix in 2023. Somewhere the way he joined Nintendo, which is known for being unique in the modern gaming industry as its staff continues to expand rather than be cut.
What do you think of Kazuya Takahashi’s reveal as being the director of the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza? Sound off in the comments below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more breaking gaming news and Donkey Kong coverage as we approach the launch next week!
