Lots of time Tekken Series producer Katsuhiro Harada leaves Bandai Namco at the end of 2025 after 31 years of service with the company.
Harada, who has worked on the series since the beginning and directed Tekken 3, Tag Tournament, 4, 5 and 7, as well as producing a number of Bandai Namco titles – announced his departure on Twitter, saying: “As the Tekken series reaches its 30th anniversary – a major milestone for a project I've dedicated most of my life to – I felt this was the perfect time to close one chapter.”
I would like to announce that I will be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025. As the TEKKEN series reaches its 30th anniversary, a major milestone for a project I've dedicated most of my life to, I felt it was the perfect time to conclude one chapter. My roots lie…December 8, 2025
Harada explains, “In recent years, I have experienced the loss of several close friends in my personal life, and in my professional life, I have witnessed the retirement or passing of many senior colleagues whom I deeply respect. These accumulated events got me thinking about “the time I have left as a creator.” He adds that he sought advice from original PlayStation chief Ken Kutaragi, whose words “quietly encouraged me to make this decision.”
Tekken team too shares a statement on Twittersaying: “Rest assured that we are fully committed to the future development and content plan for Tekken 8. We will continue to be attentive to the community's feedback on the game and its content to ensure that we uphold the vision and spirit set forth by Harada-san, while working hard to ensure that the legacy of the Tekken series continues as a fighting game franchise beloved around the world.”
Harada doesn't say what the future holds for him, but adds, “For 30 years I kept saying, 'Someday I'll do it,' and never DJed at a tournament. So instead I will release – for the first and last time – 60-minute non-stop mix in the style of Tekken DJ (DJ mix)personally edited by me along with this announcement.” So maybe a DJ career will be next.
That being said, major changes aren't always the worst news for a series. Harada's influence may have helped shape Tekken's identity over the years, but he explains, “Over the last four to five years, I've gradually handed over all my responsibilities, as well as the stories and world-building I oversaw, to the team, which has led me to where I am today.”
First-time director Takayuki Nakayama simply blew away Street Fighter 6and with Tekken 8 going through turbulent times like Street Fighter 5, perhaps the next generation could usher in a similar renaissance. It just means we won't be able to ask Harada “about shit” more.
