Elden Ring Composer Yuka Kitamura Leaves FromSoftware

After a stunning repertoire spanning some of the most widely praised and critically acclaimed games under FromSoftware such as Sekiro, Elden Ring, and Dark Souls 3, composer Yuka Kitamura has announced her departure from the company. In her statement on Twitter, she stated that she would start composing as a freelance composer and further stated that she wants to express herself through various other genres of music in games. 

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 (@_Yuka_Kitamura_) August 1, 2023

It’s not hard to claim that Yuka Kitamura is one of the most talented and respected composers in the industry. Coming from a FromSoftware fan himself, majority of my favorite tracks from the aforementioned games are composed by Yuka Kitamura. It is certainly a little bittersweet to see that their future games won’t include her music, but we are eagerly anticipating what games she’s going to compose for in the future. 

I would like to continue to express myself in game music through various genres of music. I hope you will look forward to my music in the future!”

Yuka Kitamura’s notable claim to fame is her work for numerous FromSoftware titles. These include many compositions across games such as Armored Core Verdict Day, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring. Some of her most notable tracks from some of these games include the Abyss Watchers’ theme from Dark Souls 3, Divine Dragon from Sekiro, and the theme of Malenia, Blade of Miquella in Elden Ring. 

Also Read: 

• Elden Ring Ranks #20 In Most Played Games In Q1 2022 In United States
• Sekiro’s Lead Designer Is Helming Armored Core VI’s Direction

Elden Ring itself is a phenomenal title that raises the bar for the open-world genre as a whole. The game is also backed up by one of the most impressive original soundtracks of any open-world RPG, particularly for its many incredible boss fights. 

It is safe to say that Kitamura-san leaves behind an incredible, lasting legacy. While FromSoftware has plenty of very talented composers such as Tsukasa Saitoh and Shoi Miyazawa, whoever steps up in the future to replace her has some massive shoes to fill.