Former Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada Launches VS Studio SNK
The move brings one of fighting games' most influential producers into SNK's orbit, potentially reshaping the studio's approach to its flagship franchises like The King of Fighters.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime News Network.
SNK announced the launch of VS Studio SNK, a new game studio led by former Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada. SNK has invested in the studio as a consolidated subsidiary, and the two companies will collaborate on game software development. Harada left Bandai Namco at the end of 2025.
Katsuhiro Harada, the longtime face of the Tekken series, is now building games under SNK's umbrella. SNK announced Tuesday that it has launched VS Studio SNK as a consolidated subsidiary, with Harada at the helm. The studio's name, Harada explained in a video, plays on multiple meanings: Versus, Visual Studio, and a set of aspirational acronyms including Visionary Standard and Vanguard Spirit.
Harada left Bandai Namco at the end of 2025 after decades with the company, where he directed Tekken 3 and later oversaw the fighting game esports division. SNK, now wholly owned by a Saudi Arabian foundation, has been restructuring its leadership and recently established KOF Studio to carry its legacy fighting game IPs forward. VS Studio SNK marks the first concrete project under Harada since his departure from Bandai Namco.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network Former Tekken Game Producer Katsuhiro Harada Launches VS Studio SNK