“Street Fighter” series Executive Producer Yoshinori Ono has announced via his official Twitter account that he is leaving CAPCOM after nearly 30 years with the company. The gaming icon is not just renowned for his involvement in the top fighting game series, he is also a much-beloved fixture on the esports and gaming event circuit — accompanied by his ubiquitous Blanka figure.

Ono first joined Capcom in 1994 as a sound producer and worked on various titles such as “Mega Man”, “Breath of Fire”, and “Devil May Cry”. He took on a more senior role in “Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams”, “Dead Rising, Shadow of Rome”, and “Capcom Fighting Jam”. He is credited with reviving the “Street Fighter” series starting with “Street Fighter 4”, as well as spearheading the CAPCOM Pro Tour.