Here comes a new challenger: Fighting games legend Katsuhiro Harada, who directed and produced many games in the Tekken franchise, joined SNK Corporation to found a new development studio. VSStudioSNK was established on May 1, and it will be a consolidated subsidiary of SNK, with Harada acting as representative director and CEO.
Harada’s departure from Bandai Namco in December 2025, after more than three decades with the company, made waves in the industry. Harada explained that the decision was motivated by personal and professional losses, which many attributed to the death of his long-time rival Tomonobu Iganaki, creator of the Dead or Alive series and director of 2004’s Ninja Gaiden. Still, few expected Harada’s name to resurface so soon as he joins another long-time Namco competitor, SNK, famous for its King of Fighters and Samurai Showdown franchises. According to a news release, “the new studio and SNK will collaborate on game software development to further strengthen their combined creative capabilities.”
Harada stated that the new studio’s philosophy is: “Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection. We will combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise to pursue the ultimate.” The “VS” in the studio’s name is meant to encompass several meanings, including “the spirit of ‘Versus’ challenging tradition,” “Visionary Standard,” “Volition Shift,” and “Vanguard Spirit.” If these words sound a tad too bombastic, remember that Harada celebrated his departure from Namco with a one-hour-long Tekken-inspired techno music mix.
Yasuyuki Oda, SNK developer, commented that working with Harada, “who has been a long-time friend and a worthy rival to us,” is a dream come true. Nothing is in the works yet at the new studio, but judging from the enthusiasm surrounding the operation, it probably won’t be too long before a project gets announced.