Former Tekken director left Bandai Namco to create “real masterpieces” in his new studio

Katsuhiro Harada left Bandai Namco and opened a new studio at SNK

Fans of the *Tekken* series are shocked: after five months working at Bandai Namco, producer Katsuhiro Harada departed the company and immediately founded his own studio under the umbrella of a competitor – Japanese publisher and developer SNK Corporation.

SNK announced the creation of a new gaming laboratory in Tokyo called VS Studio (Versus Studio). The official statement accompanying the opening includes a video address from Harada himself.

What the producer says
Harada noted that after leaving Bandai Namco he was looking for a place where he could fully focus on creating “truly great” games with reliable partners. SNK provided him with that opportunity, and his vision became a reality.

He also explained the meaning of the studio’s name:

- V – *Video Game Soft* (the developers’ roots)

- S – *Visionary Standard* (visionary standard)

- V – *Volition Shift* (volitional shift)

- S – *Vanguard Spirit* (spirit of the vanguard)

> “The philosophy embedded in the name VS defines us as a studio. Beyond traditions. At the edge of possibility. That is what we strive for,” said Harada.

SNK’s reaction
Vice‑president of SNK Studios Yasuyuki Oda emphasized that Harada had been both an old friend and competitor to the company. Working with him became “a dream turned into reality.”

What next?
At present, the exact genre of games that VS Studio will work on has not been disclosed. However, given Harada’s extensive experience in fighting games, projects related to that genre can be expected. The studio’s creative director is the well‑known *Tekken Tag Tournament* director Yuichi Yonemori.

Thus, the new VS Studio promises to bring a fresh perspective and high professionalism to the gaming industry, and *Tekken* fans can expect exciting new releases from their favorite producer.