Katsuhiro Harada, former chief of the Tekken franchise, is lastly revealing some particulars about his subsequent recreation presently within the works at his unbiased growth home, VS Studio.
Harada famously exited Bandai Namco earlier this 12 months, leaving his decades-long publish on the firm as Tekken’s guiding pressure to make his personal studio. A subsidiary of SNK, VS Studio has been slowly constructing its ranks over the previous couple of months, snagging several former members of Tekken’s key growth employees.
And whereas he’s been fairly quiet about what precisely VS Studio is cooking up, he shed some gentle on its present initiatives in a September 2026 interview with VideoGamesChronicle, and it’s tentatively wanting like excellent news for followers of his earlier video games.
When requested if VS Studio’s subsequent recreation could be a combating recreation, or if the event home goals to be a “genre-agnostic” firm, Harada had this to say: “What I can say is that there are some members who I’ve labored with prior to now who’ve joined the corporate, however that is purely voluntary.
“…the title that we’re creating has not been disclosed, however as I mentioned earlier, I don’t need to betray our followers’ expectations. The sport that we’re creating will probably be some sort of shock, however relaxation assured, it isn’t one thing that’s exterior of expectations,” he answered.
Whereas this assertion doesn’t affirm something, it does level to the truth that Harada is making one thing that’s at the very least considerably within the realm of what followers expect — and that, to us, sounds so much like a combating recreation. (It is also price noting that Harada himself mentioned he wanted to develop a new fighting game in an interview with Den-fami Nico Gamer after the information of VS Studio was first introduced.) Whether or not it’s a very new IP or a brand new installment of an current franchise stays to be seen, however SNK’s chief publishing officer, Ozan Kocoglu, says VS Studio isn’t against each making authentic titles and increasing on their earlier works.
“I feel it may be each. I don’t assume we ought to be restricted to at least one highway or the opposite. I feel Harada-san can carry a wealth of expertise into supporting our current IPs in rising another way, or going to the subsequent stage alongside individuals like Oda-san. However on the similar time, as SNK is rising to develop into a lot greater and a brand new firm, we additionally want contemporary concepts,” he mentioned.
“We additionally must construct new IP pillars that, you realize, he may very well be engaged on, in order that they will truly enrich the SNK portfolio past what we have now. I positively see Harada-san having the ability to do each, and it’ll rely on what he desires to do and the way, and particularly on which IP he might collaborate on with a few of our growth leads sooner or later.”
Kocoglu revealed that SNK is in a interval of “aggressive progress,” saying the corporate wants a “contemporary perspective” with a view to preserve shifting ahead. He additionally sees “no motive” why VS Studio ought to be a “one-off” for SNK, calling Harada a “welcome boost when it comes to DNA with what we’ve been constructing thus far.”
“However can we need to cease at solely VS Studio? I don’t assume that’s the thought. I feel it’s going to be, okay, what are the brand new alternatives we are able to discover out there? How can we need to develop as an organization? Personally, I feel SNK has a powerful DNA in action-related video games. So anybody who makes an action-related undertaking might doubtlessly be a part of us sooner or later on a case-by-case foundation,” he added.
Harada went on to say that VS Studio has a “very excessive degree of freedom,” and that whereas the crew can “create something we wish,” they’re nonetheless beholden to what followers and gamers anticipate of them.
“What I need to shield is what I’m good at, in addition to meet the expectations that my followers have. On high of that, I additionally need to collaborate with SNK. We will share the online game experience that we have now and improve our strengths for each of us when it comes to the methods to create video video games. So, specializing in what I’m good at, retaining in thoughts participant expectations as nicely, and having shut collaboration with SNK,” he mentioned.
Harada additionally opened up about his ideas on the way forward for the Tekken franchise now that he’s left Bandai Namco, revealing that he’s been mentoring current members of its employees whereas he works to develop VS Studio.
“I’ve no information of what Tekken has in retailer after my departure, so I feel it might be nice in the event you might all attain out to Bandai Namco. For now, I can solely speculate, like how followers are speculating as nicely. However one factor I can say is that I’ve been working laborious to mentor the crew members of Tekken, and I can assure that the members who’re nonetheless engaged on it have advanced and grown. So I’m wanting ahead to the way forward for Tekken as a fan.”
Tekken 8, it appears, is becoming a member of the ranks of different mainline combating video games who’re including wildcard visitor characters to their rosters, with Baki’s Yujiro Hanma set to hitch the struggle in early 2027. We bought the possibility to interview Tekken series chief producer Naoya Yasuda about why the crew selected this character and the way on the planet they plan on balancing the sport across the ‘strongest man on earth’ when he lastly drops subsequent 12 months.
Picture Credit: SIA KAMBOU/AFP by way of Getty Photos
Virginia Glaze
Information Editor
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s Information Editor. With ten years of expertise reporting on video games and leisure, she’s bought a storied background within the combating recreation neighborhood, influencer information, and viral on-line traits. Discover her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.