‘Tekken’ Boss Katsuhiro Harada Launches New Gaming Studio at SNK

Video recreation business legend Katsuhiro Harada, greatest identified for his work on Bandai Namco‘s “Tekken” franchise, is launching a brand new recreation improvement studio with rival firm SNK.

Established May 1, VS Studio SNK is headquartered in Tokyo and is predicted to develop into a consolidated subsidiary of SNK. SNK says it’ll help the launch of the brand new studio and “collaborate on game software development to further strengthen their combined creative capabilities.”

“We are pleased to announce the launch of our new game development studio, VS Studio,” Harada, who exited Bandai Namco in December 2025, mentioned in a press release Tuesday. “VS Studio’s philosophy is ‘Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection.’ We will combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise to pursue the ultimate. From a free, open, and spacious environment, we will generate new ideas and create memorable games. We established this studio to bring this vision to life. The ‘VS’ in VS Studio holds various meanings. It represents our roots in ‘Video game Soft (VS Development Division),’ the spirit of ‘Versus’ challenging tradition, and many other meanings symbolizing innovation and challenge, such as ‘Visionary Standard,’ ‘Volition Shift,’ and ‘Vanguard Spirit.’”

Harada continued: “Having been involved in game development for many years, I’ve constantly considered how I want to spend my time as a developer and what kind of environment allows developers to perform at their best. VS Studio is one answer to that question. By bringing together technology and knowledge, and working with passionate colleagues, we aim to deliver the best gaming experiences to users worldwide. VS Studio aspires to be a studio that continues to take on such challenges, and we are looking for new team members who share our vision. Please look forward to the future of VS Studio.”

“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,” SNK developer Yasuyuki Oda mentioned. “We’ve long discussed the hypothetical scenario of working together, and now that dream has become a reality. To be honest, nothing has been decided yet, but I have no doubt that things will become even more exciting than ever before. We look forward to your continued support for SNK and VS Studio.”