Tekken 8 Director Kohei Ikeda Leaves Bandai Namco 20 Years

Kohei Ikeda, the director of the fighting game Tekken 8, has announced his departure from Bandai Namco after a 20-year career with the company. His exit follows that of longtime series producer Katsuhiro Harada, who left the publisher late last year.

Ikeda confirmed his departure in a statement posted on social media. He expressed pride in his work and gratitude for his colleagues, stating that being entrusted with the role of game director for Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 allowed him to connect with a global community of fans. In his message, he sought to reassure the Tekken community about the series' future, saying the values of staying close to the fans and building the game together would not change. He stated he has passed that responsibility to the team that will continue shaping the franchise.

The developer began his career at Bandai Namco as a designer on SoulCalibur IV and later worked on titles including Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Ragnarok Odyssey, Ace Combat, and Digimon Story before ascending to direct Tekken 7 and Tekken 8. Following Harada's exit, Ikeda had taken on a leading role for the series.

His departure comes during a period of significant transition and challenge...