Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada is leaving Bandai Namco after 30 years

Tekken series producer Katsuhiro Harada has announced he will be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025, bringing an end to his 30-year tenure with the company.

The details:

• Harada announced his upcoming departure in a new statement posted on X, stating that the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Tekken series felt like the “most fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close.” The director has worked on the Tekken series since its inception, initially supporting small local tournaments in Japanese arcades and balancing the fighting series. By the time Tekken 3 launched in 1997, he had been promoted to a designer and director, overseeing the franchise ever since.

• Despite remaining the sometimes controversial public face of Tekken, Harada has gradually handed over all of his responsibilities, stories, and worldbuilding to the team over the past five years, leaving the team in a position to carry on with the series post-departure. He also acknowledged that aside from Tekken, the producer contributed to several major titles at Bandai Namco including Pokkén Tournament, the SoulCalibur series, and 2016 VR release Summer Lesson.
• Harada's final appearance as a Bandai Namco employee will be at the upcoming Tekken World Tour 2025 Global Finals Last Chance Qualifier and Top 20 Finals in Malmo, Sweden, held on January 31 and February 1, 2026. Closing out the statement, he thanked all those that have supported him over the years, stating that he will share more about his future plans, suggesting he may remain in the gaming industry.