what are yout thoughts on so many high profile Developers going Independent?

Is anyone else worried about your favorite long running franchises?
Here's A list of just. A few developers who went and started up.

Hironobu Sakaguchi- the guy who can be considered the godfather of the JRPGleft square in 1999 and founded Mistwalker studios in 2001. Ended up making some of the best Jrpgs in a genre that has been stagnet and shrinking.

Blue Dragon
Lost Odyssey
ASH
The Last Story

Shinji Mikami- responsible for the resident evil saga and worked on such games as Dino Crisis, and viewtiful joe. He left capcom along with what was left of Clover the team behind Okami. After leaving he's worked on

Shadows of the Damned and Vanquish while Clover Became Platinum games and have made

Madworld
Infinite Space
Bayonetta
Vanquish
Anarchy Regins

Tomonobu Itagaki the leather clad rockstar behind the Dead or Alive series and responsible for revitalizing the Ninja Gaiden Franchise. The controversial Dev publicly descirbes his dislike for certian game mechanics and famously vowed to never work on a game for PSP (and Vita*) as it didnt fit what he believed a handheld should be. Itagaki had a very public falling out with tecmo about four years ago. When he left he took a few team Gaiden members with him and founded Valhalla Games. His newst game Devil's Third is due for release next year.

Yuji Naka- the creator of sonic the hedgehog, Nights, and Billy Hatcher left Sega in 2006 and formed Prope while keeping a close and friendly relationship with sega. **

Lets Tap
Lets Catch
Ivy the Kiwi
Rodea the Sky soldier

All of these games have been titles that would have had a harder time coming into frution at most high profile Japanesse developers. Also with the expection of a few some of these titles have a more western flair to them alongside the roots of eastern gameplay design. But what does this mean for the industry is the question i ask you. U prefer to see this as exciting but makes me fear what may happen to exisiting franchises and the looming threat of never seeing some of these games localized. But in a sea of Western developed games can these titles stand out with out being lumped in with the crowd.

Your thoughts??

*Itagaki once harped on the fact that PSP tries to emulate the console experience was a lack of innovation and foresight into the reason for portable systems.

**When Yuji Naka left to form Prope Sega gave him 10 members of Sonic Team and 10% of his 10 million yen startup capital with the understanding that Sega would have the first right to refusal when it came to publishing Prope's games.

Well, it makes the developers who left their companies "spread their wings" and can make games that they wanted to make that couldn't do them in their former company, and the majority of the games that said developers made are not that bad !

So I guess it's a normal thing to do if you still want to entertain people with your content !