Former Tekken 8 Director Kohei Ikeda Joins VS Studio, Re-Teams With Tekken Veteran Katsuhiro Harada
Kohei Ikeda, the director of Tekken 8, has joined VS Studio, a newly established Tokyo-based game developer owned by SNK. The move reunites Ikeda with Katsuhiro Harada, a veteran Tekken producer and director who founded VS Studio in May 2026. Ikeda departed from Namco Bandai in June before announcing his new position at the independent studio.
In his announcement, Ikeda expressed enthusiasm about the move, noting that working again with his former supervisors brings nostalgia while the opportunity to create entirely new projects provides fresh creative fulfillment. The reunion suggests potential significant developments in fighting game development, as established industry veterans seek new creative opportunities outside traditional publisher structures.
This personnel shift follows broader industry trends of veteran game directors founding or joining new independent studios. While VS Studio’s specific upcoming projects remain unannounced, the combination of Harada’s production expertise and Ikeda’s directorial experience with the Tekken franchise positions the newly formed studio as a notable player in the fighting game space.