Pioneering beat-’em-up developer Yoshihisa Kishimoto, who notably created the Double Dragon franchise, has passed away at the age of 64.
Kishimoto-san’s passing was confirmed in an X post by his son, Ryubo, who confirmed that the legendary game developer passed away on April 2.
I am Yoshihisa Kishimoto’s son. This may come as a sudden announcement, but my father passed away on April 2, 2026. We are deeply grateful for all the kindness you showed him during his lifetime. Please accept our apologies for holding a private family funeral. We hope you will continue to enjoy my father’s works, including those featuring Kunio-kun. Thank you for your continued support.
Kishimoto’s career can be traced back to the early 1980s, when he worked on Pro Soccer for the arcade as a sub-director before progressing to Cobra Commando, Road Blaster, and Renegade. He then directed Double Dragon in 1987 and also helmed its sequels Double Dragon II: The Revenge and Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones. Kishimoto also worked on the likes of Cowboy Bebop for the PlayStation in 1996, PS2’s Rogue Hearts Dungeon, and 2017’s Double Dragon IV.
Prior to this death, the legendary game developer was the President and Representative Director of Plophet, a studio he founded in April 2010.
[Source – Ryubo on X via GamerBraves]
