Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has founded VS Studio, a new game development studio backed by SNK and based in Tokyo. The studio was established on May 1, 2026, and will operate as a consolidated subsidiary under SNK's umbrella. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Harada is leading the studio as representative director and CEO. The company says its philosophy is "beyond tradition, crafted to perfection," and Harada said, "We will combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise to pursue the ultimate." [2, 3, 5]
SNK developer Yasuyuki Oda welcomed Harada and said the two sides had long talked about working together. "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," Oda said. He added that the long-discussed collaboration had now become reality. [1, 5]
Harada left Bandai Namco in December 2025 after decades tied to Tekken. Sources differ on the length of his tenure, with one saying more than 20 years, another citing 31 years, and another saying he spent 30 years directing and serving as the face of the franchise. [2, 3, 4, 5]
The studio is still at an early stage and has not announced a game project. Harada said he had long thought about how developers should spend their time and what kind of environment lets them perform best, and described VS Studio as one answer to that question. [2, 3, 4, 5]
