Tekken 8 Director Kohei Ikeda Joins Katsuhiro Harada's New SNK-Backed Studio
Kohei Ikeda, the game director behind Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, has joined VS Studio — the new SNK-owned developer led by his former Bandai Namco colleague Katsuhiro Harada. Ikeda announced the move on his X account on August 18, 2026, confirming what fighting-game fans had speculated since his departure from Bandai Namco was revealed in June (VGC).
VS Studio is the brainchild of Harada, the long-time Tekken series producer who left Bandai Namco at the end of 2025 after more than 31 years at the company. He announced the studio's formation in May, with SNK — the Japanese publisher best known for fighting franchises like King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown — as its parent company (VGC). Harada serves as president and CEO.
Ikeda's arrival reunites two key creative figures from Bandai Namco's flagship fighting series. A competitive Tekken player who transitioned into development, Ikeda spent 20 years at the publisher and rose to game director on both Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 (VGC). When his departure was announced in June, he did not reveal his next step, which fuelled fan speculation that he would reunite with Harada (IGN). That guess proved correct.
A third Tekken veteran is already at the studio. Yuichi Yonemori, a long-time Tekken designer and director, serves as VS Studio's chief creative officer (VGC). Between Harada, Ikeda and Yonemori, the studio's leadership covers the production, direction and design of Bandai Namco's most prominent fighting franchise across multiple entries.
Harada has shared some of the thinking behind the studio's name and ethos. The "VS" carries several meanings, he has said, including "Video game Soft (VS Development Division)" and the spirit of "Versus" — challenging tradition. The studio's stated philosophy: "Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection" (VGC).
Before leaving Bandai Namco, Ikeda — who also goes by the handle "Nakatsu" — led the direction of a Tekken patch update, which Harada noted on his official X account was their final work delivered before departing. Harada's post on June 19, 2026 clarified that the update was completed before the exit rather than left unfinished (Harada on X).
VS Studio has not yet officially revealed its first game (VGC). With three senior figures from one of fighting games' most successful franchises now assembled under one roof and backed by SNK, the question of what they are building will be one of the more closely watched in the genre — whenever they choose to answer it.
