Former Tekken director joins Harada at VS Studio

Former Tekken 8 game director Kohei Ikeda has joined VS Studio, the new game development studio founded by legendary producer Katsuhiro Harada, reuniting two key figures from the Tekken franchise's recent history. Ikeda announced the move in a social media post on August 18, 2026, confirming he has left Bandai Namco to work alongside Harada and other former colleagues at the SNK-backed studio.

Ikeda, who served as game director on Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, departed Bandai Namco in June 2026 after twenty years with the company. His announcement follows Harada's own high-profile exit from Bandai Namco in December 2025, after more than three decades leading the Tekken series. Harada subsequently founded VS Studio in May 2026, with investment and support from SNK Corporation, the developer known for franchises like Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters.

In his statement, Ikeda described the reunion as both nostalgic and exciting. "Working on games again with two of my former bosses feels nostalgic in many ways, while at the same time, the excitement of creating something completely new makes every day incredibly fulfilling," he wrote. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can...