The chief producer and game director on Bandai Namco fighter Tekken 8 has announced he has joined up with VS Studio, the SNK-owned developer fronted by former Tekken series overlord, Katsuhiro Harada.
“I‘ve joined VS Studio as the next step in my journey,” Kohei Ikeda wrote on X. “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’m really looking forward to seeing what we can create together!”
The news comes only a few months after Ikeda-san revealed at the start of June that he was leaving Bandai Namco after a career spanning 20 years.
Harada announced that he was leaving Bandai Namco late last year, and made his final appearance to the Tekken community as a guest at the Tekken World Tour Finals in early 2026. In May, he revealed that he was now heading up the SNK Vs Studio, which is based in Shinagawa, Tokyo. At the time, he stated that “by bringing together technology and knowledge, and working with passionate colleagues, we aim to deliver the best gaming experiences to suers worldwide.”