Fans of IGA

Koji Igarashi is probably the most important gaming-related person of my life. He has created some of my favorite video games of all times and I've been enjoying them since my childhood.

I was very sad when I heard the news that he left Konami (seems like it was a lifetime ago) and I remember fondly how my heart raced before the Bloodstained campaign, with the "sword or whip" mystery and the teasers. I didn't know what to expect. I was really excited, and when Bloodstained was revealed I was blown away. I can still vividly recall the happiness I felt that day. It almost didn't seem real, all those years after Order of Ecclesia which was up to that point his perfect Castlevania swansong (it's actually my favorite 2D 'vania).

With these emotions in mind, I backed Bloodstained in a heartbeat, investing a really considerable amount of money (more than I had ever spent on any other videogame) for the income-less student I was. I then started working occasionally as a pizza delivery boy and I saved to upgrade my pledge even further. It's undoubtedly the biggest investment I have ever done in gaming (even though my tier is not a super-hyper high one), and I did so because I was still excited and fully confidant in that man's vision. I actually grew MORE excited during and after the campaign, enjoying the very transparent approach, very active interaction with the backers via multiple means (stretch goals, fan arts and social objectives) during the campaign itself, and then by taking part in this community.

My faith is still rock-solid. I know it may sound almost fanatical to say it like this, and I know I may get over defensive with the game and take some negativity way too personally (that's why I doubt I'll ever take part in a game's creative process this closely again), but I mean that in a really "pure" way, if that makes sense. Through updates and videos, I knew the man that once was a generic "game designer hero" to me before a bit better, and what I saw is a person that, despite his great talent, is always humble, a bit shy and reluctant to be in the spotlight, that cares for backers, for fans and wants to give them his all. My sincere admiration for Igarashi-san could just grow during this campaign and I now admire his ethics and work philosophy as well as his vision.

That is way I have given a lot of hard-earned money for this project and I never even remotely regretted it. And call me naive, but I'm sure I won't. Bloodstained probably won't be perfect (I already knew from the very beginning I wouldn't have LOVED the aesthetic direction compared to the bidimensional art of his past games, for example) but it won't matter. I already know it will be a fun experience that, in the Metroidvania genre (which to this day is filled with authentic masterpieces), only Igarashi-san could deliver. And most importantly, I didn't only pay for the game. I gave money to show my unending support to a man I'll always thank and admire, to allow him to get back on the gaming scene full throttle. And whatever bumps should occur during the road, I'll see it through the end and I'll always have the most positive vibes and words (and actions) I can for Igarashi-san.

Thank you for this thread. It allowed me to plainly express something very important to me and to wish once more for the best to IGA, his most trusted collaborators and all the people he's working with to make this project reality. When Bloodstained is finally released I'll be really happy.

I was not very much interesting in any developer until I read up on Koji Igarashi along with the first time I saw his Kickstarter. I am not very good at names see, and it was refreshing for me to read the translation about him thinking 2D adventures isn't dead. I was sold. And since then I rooted for him.

Logo is one of many projects I have made, and its spread across.

What a nice thread, @ghost . I discovered IGA's games when I was 27. When I did I became quite infatuated with his stuff. I went on a quest to play all of his 2D games. I would have played his 3D games too, but I couldn't get them on the systems I had at the time. The plot of Lament though, it changed my life. My best friend at the time who had got me to play SotN really liked Lament, and I studied up on the story without playing the game. I ran one of my very first pen and paper RPG games based on that story and what happened between it and CV1. Today for a new group I run something similar. So IGA has been a significant influence in my life since 2006.

I went through some major life changes in 2008 and missed out on Order of Ecclessia when it first came out. I feel the smallest bit of guilt for not buying it as it's low sales contributed to IGA's split from Konami. I eventually borrowed it from a friend once life had found a new normal. That completed my run of playing all of IGA's 2D games (and 2.5D). Oh, Castlevania Chronicles exists, but I don't have access to that. I think that is all I'm missing. I'd still love to play Lament and Curse of Darkness eventually.

In 2014 I had discovered a new love of video game music. I had always liked game music, and had downloaded a few sound tracks in the past, but it wasn't until four years ago I just somehow realized I could really dive into the whole world of game music. This coincided with my discovery of podcasts, and I had discovered the recently concluded Pixeltunes Radio. One of the hosts loves Castlevania and it's music as much as I do. For this reason I began a huge deep dive on the music of Castlevania. I listened to EVERYTHING I could find related to the music. In 2015 on the Pixeltunes Radio group I saw a link to a "Devs play Castlevania, Symphony of the Night" DoubleFine video where IGA played SotN and provided commentary. It's awesome, so look it up if you haven't seen it. Before then I had never seen any video of IGA and he was playing and talking, laughing and drinking red wine. I had never felt like so much of a fan of a creator more than that moment. Then like... the next day I think it was that the Bloodstained KS was announced.

So I followed the comments, stretch goals, updates, made new social media accounts for backer achievements, and promoted the best I could. I joined the army. I somehow convinced my wife that spending $250 on a game was something to be happy about (and later upgraded even more, haha!). Yeah, I was in. The energy of the community made me feel the magic. Pulling together to make something we have loved into it's next iteration. I made these forums, and people came. Ben Judd saw it worked to keep the community together so it became official very quickly.

In spite of all common sense due to time, distance and money, when SXSW happened this year on IGA's 50th birthday I just had to go see him. Especially because some of you were there. Due to my involvement with the community team, I got to eat dinner with him. It's one of the greatest events of my life and I'll always cherish it. I'll always be an IGA fan. Nothing will stop me from loving what he's already done and enjoying whatever he does next as much as possible. Sure, something might not be perfect, but I don't care. It's more than just a series of games to me now.

IGA's games, the fans that love his games, the communities that share the passion with each other, the artists, musicians, game makers and story tellers that are inspired by his productions... it's all more than just games. It all falls under three letters: IGA. It's bigger than him and will live on long past him, but it's because of him.

IGA was absolutely passionate about Castlevania and it showed in every single game he worked on.
If there's one guy that really deserved his own IP, that's IGA, and I'm really glad he got it. I hope his aim of making ROTN a base point for his future work is successful, so he can stay independent and build his own team.

It took a lot of courage for him to walk away from Konami like that. Not sure people really consider this enough. IGA is a 50 year old married man with a family to feed. He worked for 24 years in Konami. 24 years. That's pretty much half his life. Let's see any of you leave the company you've been in for 24 years and which enabled you to have a stable household in the first place, all to bet everything on a complete gamble that the people who've followed your work will follow you somewhere else out of pure admiration and trust.

Can you imagine trying to pitch that to your wife? Not that a good partner wouldn't support your dreams, I'm willing to bet she did, but can you imagine even CONSIDERING pitching that? Part of him must've felt guilty that he was considering putting a dream with extremely uncertain odds of success above his own family's stability. Or maybe not, I don't speak for him, but I sure as hell know that I would feel exactly that way, and that the feeling might've been enough to make me disregard silly ideas like that. But it wasn't enough for him, and that commands some respect.

Godspeed, IGA.

Art Play
505 Games
Dico
Fangamer

They all have my full support. Without Koji Igarashi, there wouldn't be a Bloodstained. 2D world, with 3D elements is what I have been wanted since Symphony of the Night on a big system / console in a huge castle to explore. Not just on portable minor ones. Pixel or not, I am happy with what I have tried and seen, read and heard about with his upcoming IP.

I appreciate his courage to step up and take a lead. And hopefully this will inspire and give creators of the new generation a glimpse of what the term IGAvania is all about.

Thanks for the chance to support and take part in this journey.

Heh....Castlevania was one of my first games I played, back when I was around 4. A few years went by and got to play the first stage of what would become future IGAvania's. Going on 33 in a few weeks and never thought I'd be a part of a community that gets along very well, for the most part, let alone be one of said community that will be working on an IGAvania.....Such an odd feeling, though a dream come true. Now, if only Miyamoto needed some help on LoZ...

But, in all seriousness, this has been a fun ride, since the Kickstarter was announced and we broke a record, until Shenmue stole the limelight. The Q&A's, the polls, the discussions and even the arguments all managed to do one major thing. It brought all of us together, it doesn't matter if any of us agree with each other, plain don't like each other(rare on here, afaik) or what ages or whathaveyou, have happened or will happen. Iga's titles are so beloved by people, that everyone came together from the love we've had for his work, despite it all.

Basically, Iga and the gang deserve thanks. Not only for their hard work over the years, but for also bringing people together in an environment where we can actually discuss like (mostly) mature individuals. It's pretty rare to see a community that isn't just plain mired in trolls, flame wars and so on. That's one of the main things I will carry from the whole experience going forward, game success or not. Remember, it's not the destination.....