The echoes of Yuka Kitamura’s breathtaking symphonies still reverberate through the hallowed halls of From Software, the company which she graced with her presence and creative genius for over a decade. Yet the heartstring-tugging notes of her soulful compositions are now tinged with a poignant bitterness as we come to terms with the maestro’s departure from the company.
Following a laudable 12-year tenure, Kitamura, renowned for her exemplary work on Elden Ring, Dark Souls III, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, announced her exit from the studio and the initiation of her journey as a freelance composer.
The industry is left shocked as Kitamura took to her social media platform, X, to break the news, “I have decided to leave FromSoftware, the company I worked for, and to start working new as a freelance composer this August.” Amid a surge of bittersweet reactions from her fanbase, her resolve remained unflappable: to continue crafting melodic masterpieces spanning diverse genres.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Today I have an announcement to make.
I have decided to leave FromSoftware, the company I worked for, and to start working new as a freelance composer in this August.— Yuka Kitamura / 北村友香 (@_Yuka_Kitamura_) August 1, 2023
A legion of admirers hold Kitamura’s music close to our hearts. Her compositions, like the stirring Abyss Watchers’ theme from Dark Souls 3, the awe-inspiring Divine Dragon from Sekiro, and the hauntingly beautiful theme of Malenia, Blade of Miquella in Elden Ring, attest to the richness of her musical aptitude. Each track becomes a pivotal character in the story, embodying the essence of the game and invigorating the player’s experience. Such is the depth of her compositions that one can’t but wonder at the enormity of the loss for FromSoftware.
Since joining FromSoftware in 2011, Kitamura contributed significantly to the aural landscape of the gaming industry and earned numerous accolades. Her most recent triumph was the Outstanding Original Dramatic Score award at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers in 2022 for Elden Ring – arguably the most critically acclaimed game of all time. The game, a phenomenal spectacle that redefines the open-world genre, is intricately layered with Kitamura’s powerful scores, with each boss fight punctuated by her haunting melodies.
Her contribution to the upcoming Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon remains cloaked in mystery, a lingering question left among fans.
While Kitamura’s departure leaves a palpable void in the FromSoftware composition team, the legacy she built endures. Tsukasa Saitoh and Shoi Miyazawa, two of FromSoftware’s brilliant composers, now face the formidable task of filling her shoes, and the gaming community watches in anticipation.
Despite the melancholy undertones of her departure, Kitamura’s decision isn’t entirely unprecedented. When a composer garners substantial clout, the transition to freelancing seems a natural progression, offering flexibility, freedom, and creative control. Precedents exist in the form of Shoji Meguro, Yoko Shimomura, and Ludvig Forssell, to name a few, who all took the same leap and have since continued to grace games with their remarkable compositions.
As a matter of fact, all three continue to work with the companies that they made their name with – they’re just now free to pursue other ventures.
As we bid adieu to Kitamura’s era at FromSoftware, we’re looking forward to her future endeavors. Her freelance journey is likely the start of a new chapter for her career. With her new website serving as a conduit to her upcoming projects, fans as well as game music enthusiasts can stay tuned to her next masterpiece. No matter where the winds of freelancing take her, Kitamura’s legacy continues to echo through the heart-pounding battles and the serene landscapes of FromSoftware’s creations, her music immortalized in the annals of gaming history.
Fingers crossed, we’ll hear more about Kitamura’s “final” projects with FromSoftware as an in-house composer as soon as Shadow of the Erdtree comes out sometime next year.
