Former Tekken Leader Katsuhiro Harada Launches New Game Studio With SNK

Katsuhiro Harada, who served as a longtime creative leader on Bandai Namco's Tekken franchise, has launched a new game development studio in partnership with SNK. The new venture, named VS Studio SNK, was established on May 1 and is headquartered in Tokyo, according to a report from Variety.

The Details

Harada announced the formation of the new studio in conjunction with statements from SNK leadership. The entity, VS Studio SNK, was formally established on May 1. The studio is headquartered in Tokyo.

In a statement announcing the new studio and its philosophy, Harada said, "We are pleased to announce the launch of our new game development studio, VS Studio."

Yasuyuki Oda, an SNK developer, issued a statement welcoming Harada into the group. "I am extremely proud to welcome Mr. Katsuhiro Harada, who has been a long-time friend and a worthy rival to us, into our group," Oda said.

SNK said it expects VS Studio SNK to become a consolidated subsidiary. SNK also said it will support the studio's launch and collaborate on game software development.

The timeline of Harada's departure from Bandai Namco was addressed in Variety's report. According to Variety, Harada exited Bandai Namco in December 2025. This account is supported by Harada's Wikipedia biography, which states he left Bandai Namco on Dec. 31, 2025. The biography additionally notes that Harada later joined SNK as an executive and producer.

Context

Harada is best known as a longtime creative leader on the Tekken fighting game franchise at Bandai Namco.

SNK is a Japanese game company best known for fighting game franchises including Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters.

What's Next

SNK expects VS Studio SNK to become a consolidated subsidiary. SNK says it will support the studio's launch and collaborate on game software development.