Kaori Tanaka, better known by her professional pen name Soraya Saga, has officially announced her retirement from video game writing. Sharing the news through her personal blog in late December 2025, Saga cited family circumstances as the primary reason for her decision. For the past five years, she has been a primary caregiver for her grandmother, who passed away in late 2024, and she is now focusing her support on another family member who has faced ongoing health challenges for a decade. She explained that the deep level of immersion required for her writing is no longer compatible with her current responsibilities.

A Legacy of Narrative Excellence

Soraya Saga’s influence on the RPG genre is immense, particularly for her contributions to some of the most philosophically deep stories in gaming history. She is widely recognized for her work on Final Fantasy VI, Xenogears, and the first two episodes of Xenosaga. Fans often credit her with developing the grounded and mature character arcs that defined the early “Xeno” titles, including the intricate backstories for characters like Bart and Billy in Xenogears. While she has not held a professional writing credit since 2008, she has remained active in the community, even contributing guest character designs for Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Moving Forward and Reflecting

In her heartfelt announcement, Saga expressed a bittersweet sentiment regarding the current state of the industry. She noted that her husband, Tetsuya Takahashi, has seen great success with his solo writing on the Xenoblade Chronicles series and stated that she did not wish to interfere with that momentum. While she is stepping away from the professional writing stage, her impact on narrative design remains a touchstone for fans of story-driven RPGs. She thanked her supporters for their years of dedication, making it clear that while her professional journey in games has ended, she is at peace with her decision to prioritize her family.