{"id":2100660,"date":"2026-08-19T09:06:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T06:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2100660"},"modified":"2026-08-19T09:06:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T06:06:29","slug":"tekken-8-director-jumps-ship-to-join-haradas-new-vs-studio-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2100660","title":{"rendered":"Tekken 8 director jumps ship to join Harada&#8217;s new Vs Studio team"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/tekken-8\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Tekken 8<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Tekken 8 director jumps ship to join Harada&#8217;s new Vs Studio team<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Tag tournament.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/TEKKEN-8---Heihachi-Mishima-Trailer-2-29-screenshot-(1).png?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Extreme close up of moustachioed Heihachi from Tekken 8 trailer\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"TEKKEN-8---Heihachi-Mishima-Trailer-2-29-screenshot-(1).png\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Bandai Namco<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/connor-makar\">Connor Makar<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Staff Writer<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\n<p>Published on   <time datetime=\"2026-08-19T09:06:29+00:00\" data-auto-time-zone=\"true\" data-year=\"numeric\" data-month=\"short\" data-day=\"numeric\" data-hour=\"numeric\" data-minute=\"numeric\">Aug. 19, 2026, 9:06 a.m.<\/time>\n              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tekken-8-director-joins-harada-vs-studio?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          2 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"b8d2fdfe-08ed-4524-b044-8fccd8f782b8\" data-name=\"Tekken 8\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Tekken 8\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Tekken 8\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Tekken 8\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Tekken 8\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Tekken 8\" title=\"Follow Tekken 8\"><br \/>\n  Follow Tekken 8<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Kohei Ikeda, the game director of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/tekken-8\">Tekken 8<\/a>, has joined Katsuhiro Harada at recently formed and rival SNK developer Vs Studio.<\/p>\n<p>Ikeda announced the move on Twitter, where he revealed he had also left Bandai Namco&#8217;s Tekken 8 team to join his former boss at the new studio. While the first game developed by Vs Studio is still a mystery, the pair will presumably work on it together.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Tekken 8 - Official PS5 Features Trailer\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bsbBogrvIgc?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bsbBogrvIgc\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Tekken 8 &#8211; Official PS5 Features Trailer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s a PS5 features trailer for Tekken 8.<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bsbBogrvIgc\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They&#8217;ll be joined by Yuichi Yonemori, another Tekken veteran, who also left Bandai Namco earlier this year. These three super-senior Tekken developers &#8211; Ikeda, Harada, and Yonemori &#8211; have reunited under a new roof.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve joined Vs Studio as the next step in my journey,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/nkt_dreamer\/status\/2089637245762597198?F\">wrote Ikeda on X<\/a>. &#8220;Working on games again with two of my former bosses feels nostalgic in many ways, while at the same time, the excitement of creating something completely new makes every day incredibly fulfilling. I&#8217;m really looking forward to seeing what we can create together!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s the latest in a string of high profile departures from the Tekken 8 team. As mentioned, Yuichi Yonemori left Bandai Namco in May, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tekken-boss-katsuhiro-harada-is-out-at-bandai-namco-after-30-years\">while Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada left in December<\/a>. He had been hinting at a departure for many months, saying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tekkens-harada-isnt-worried-about-his-future-absence-damaging-the-series-wont-be-hard-to-continue-with-someone-else\">he wouldn&#8217;t be worried about the series in his absence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Vs Studios, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/harada-vs-studio-snk-tekken\">announced in May<\/a>, is a new studio financially supported by SNK,known for the King of Fighters and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/metal-slug\">Metal Slug<\/a> series, with a goal to &#8220;combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise&#8221; according to Harada.<\/p>\n<p>What these three Tekken developers will lead development of is anyone&#8217;s guess. Many naturally assume it&#8217;ll be some sort of one-on-one fighting game, but that&#8217;s not been confirmed as of yet. Maybe we&#8217;ll find out soon?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Kohei Ikeda, the game director of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/tekken-8\">Tekken 8<\/a>, has joined Katsuhiro Harada at recently formed and rival SNK developer Vs Studio.<\/p>\n<p>Ikeda announced the move on Twitter, where he revealed he had also left Bandai Namco&#8217;s Tekken 8 team to join his former boss at the new studio. While the first game developed by Vs Studio is still a mystery, the pair will presumably work on it together.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Tekken 8 - Official PS5 Features Trailer\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bsbBogrvIgc?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/bsbBogrvIgc\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Tekken 8 &#8211; Official PS5 Features Trailer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s a PS5 features trailer for Tekken 8.<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bsbBogrvIgc\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They&#8217;ll be joined by Yuichi Yonemori, another Tekken veteran, who also left Bandai Namco earlier this year. These three super-senior Tekken developers &#8211; Ikeda, Harada, and Yonemori &#8211; have reunited under a new roof.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve joined Vs Studio as the next step in my journey,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/nkt_dreamer\/status\/2089637245762597198?F\">wrote Ikeda on X<\/a>. &#8220;Working on games again with two of my former bosses feels nostalgic in many ways, while at the same time, the excitement of creating something completely new makes every day incredibly fulfilling. I&#8217;m really looking forward to seeing what we can create together!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s the latest in a string of high profile departures from the Tekken 8 team. As mentioned, Yuichi Yonemori left Bandai Namco in May, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tekken-boss-katsuhiro-harada-is-out-at-bandai-namco-after-30-years\">while Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada left in December<\/a>. He had been hinting at a departure for many months, saying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/tekkens-harada-isnt-worried-about-his-future-absence-damaging-the-series-wont-be-hard-to-continue-with-someone-else\">he wouldn&#8217;t be worried about the series in his absence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Vs Studios, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/harada-vs-studio-snk-tekken\">announced in May<\/a>, is a new studio financially supported by SNK,known for the King of Fighters and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/metal-slug\">Metal Slug<\/a> series, with a goal to &#8220;combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise&#8221; according to Harada.<\/p>\n<p>What these three Tekken developers will lead development of is anyone&#8217;s guess. Many naturally assume it&#8217;ll be some sort of one-on-one fighting game, but that&#8217;s not been confirmed as of yet. Maybe we&#8217;ll find out soon?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Tekken 8 Tekken 8 director jumps ship to join Harada&#8217;s new Vs Studio team Tag tournament. Image credit: Bandai Namco News by Connor Makar Staff Writer Published on Aug. 19, 2026, 9:06 a.m. 2 comments Follow Tekken 8 Kohei Ikeda, the game director of Tekken 8, has joined Katsuhiro Harada at recently formed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2100660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2100660"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100660\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2100660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2100660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2100660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}