- Primary Subject: Katsuhiro Harada and SNK
- Key Update: Katsuhiro Harada founded VS Studio with SNK investment.
- Status: Published
- Last Verified: May 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: Legendary Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has founded a new gaming studio, VS Studio, with investment from SNK.
SNK has just announced that they are investing in a brand-new gaming studio called VS Studio, which will have iconic Tekken game director Katsuhiro Harada as CEO and founder.
Harada put an end to a legendary 31-year stint at Bandai Namco in 2025. Overseeing the development of the Tekken franchise, he directed several of the most beloved games in the series, including Tekken 3, 4, 5, and 7. He was also a voice actor during his early years at the company, bringing to life Yoshimitsu and Marshall Law in Tekken 3, 4, and 5. Harada also served as co-director in Soulcalibur IV and executive producer on a few more projects, including Tekken 8.
VS Studio was founded on May 1, with SNK investing in the company, which will become a subsidiary working on games that will aim to push the boundaries of tradition.
As you might have deduced, the VS in the studio's name is a direct reference to Harada's expertise as a fighting game developer. The name can be read as Versus Studio, but it can also be interpreted as "Visionary Standard," "Volition Shift," and "Vanguard Spirit," which reflect the spirit of the studio according to Harada.
"Having been involved in game development for many years, I've constantly considered how I want to spend my time as a developer and what kind of environment allows developers to perform at their best. VS Studio is one answer to that question," he stated.
Of course, it might be some time before we see the first project VS Studio is working on, but all signs point to a brand-new fighting game, possibly a 3D one to compete with the likes of Tekken and the returns of Virtua Fighter and Dead or Alive.
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