Former 'Tekken' Director Katsuhiro Harada Is Back With a New Game Development Company

Summary

• Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has launched VS Studio, a new Tokyo-based game developer established as a consolidated subsidiary of SNK
• The legendary creator departed Bandai Namco in late 2025 after a 31-year tenure and will now serve as the fledgling studio’s Representative Director and CEO
• Operating under the philosophy “Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection,” the team is actively recruiting to build next-generation gaming experiences

Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada is officially back in the arena. Following his departure from Bandai Namco at the end of 2025, the veteran creator behind the blockbuster fighting franchise has returned to launch VS Studio. Headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, the newly minted developer operates as a consolidated subsidiary of SNK, the powerhouse publisher known for historic arcade franchises. This unprecedented alliance unites former arcade rivals under one roof, permanently shifting the competitive fighting game landscape. During his historic 31-year run at his former employer, Harada shaped the modern 3D fighting genre, making his sudden jump to a historic competitor a seismic industry event.

Specific projects remain firmly under wraps, but the studio’s foundation is already coming into sharp focus. Harada revealed that the “VS” in the company moniker represents multiple core concepts, drawing from their roots in “Video game Soft” while embracing terms like Visionary Standard, Volition Shift, and Vanguard Spirit. SNK producer Yasuyuki Oda—the driving force behind recent heavy hitters like City of the Wolves—expressed immense excitement about the collaboration. Oda noted that the two industry icons had long discussed the hypothetical scenario of working together, declaring that things will undoubtedly become more exciting than ever before. Guided by the overarching philosophy “Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection,” the team is currently hunting for top-tier talent to build out its initial roster.

Financial backing for Harada’s ambitious vision stems from a revitalized SNK. The Osaka-based corporation has experienced massive structural shifts in recent years, heavily supported by its 2022 majority acquisition by the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation. This massive influx of capital has allowed the publisher to take aggressive creative swings, including highly publicized crossovers and now the acquisition of fighting game royalty. Securing an executive of this caliber signals that the publisher is not merely resting on its retro laurels but actively positioning itself to dominate the next generation of competitive gaming. As SNK Corporation aggressively expands its development capabilities, all eyes are on Tokyo to see what this legendary crossover will ultimately produce. The broader fighting game community is already buzzing with speculation about what genre-defining mechanics this new venture will introduce to the market.