Hajime Tabata announces new studio, JP Games

Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata has announced today that he will be opening a new studio, JP Games, after departing Square Enix in October of this year.

In a Facebook post today, Tabata announced the studio's name and a planned start window of January 2019, though he did not offer further details.

"I started up my own company called 'JP GAMES, Inc,'" the post reads. "Right now, we are preparing for a target January 2019 launch. And to everyone who has assisted me until today--I kindly ask for your ongoing support."

Tabata resigned from Square Enix and its Luminous studio (where he was COO) following the release of Final Fantasy XV and a number of follow-up DLC packs. His departure was announced in a livestream event in which he also canceled all but one of the planned future Final Fantasy XV DLC episodes. At the time, Tabata said he would be pursuing a new project but did not give further details that would give a clue as to what this new studio will be working on.