Katsuhiro Harada announced that he is leaving Bandai Namco after 30 years.
In a bombshell announcement, Katsuhiro Harada, producer and director of the long-standing Tekken series, declared plans to leave Bandai Namco at the end of 2025. Harada, currently Executive Game Director and General Manager, intends to close this chapter of his career on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the series.
Why Harada is Leaving Now
On the basis of personal reflections on "the time left as a creator," Harada stated that this decision is one of his big reasons for leaving. With the loss of many friends who were very close and respected colleagues, he turned to Ken Kutaragi, the creator of PlayStation, who Harada identifies as a sort of father. His advice confirmed his resolve.
The transition has been happening over the past few years. He mentioned having passed more of his responsibilities to the team, including story and worldbuilding oversight, to ensure smooth continuance of the franchise over the past four to five years.
A Legacy Rooted in Arcades
Looking back at his career, Harada mentioned being rooted in the arcade scene. He recalls lugging arcade cabinets from place to place to an event and then going around encouraging people to play his game. These grassroots interactions and friendships he formed with players who would often challenge him at venues or invite him for drinks remain central to his identity as a developer.
Besides Tekken, Harada managed development on numerous projects including SoulCalibur, Pokkén Tournament, and VR titles such as Summer Lesson.
Future Plans and Final Appearances
In December 2025, he will leave for good, but he clarified that in January 2026, he would be attending the Tekken World Tour (TWT) Finals as a guest at the request of Bandai Namco. Asked about what he'll do next, he said he would later have it known because he wishes to "broaden his horizons and meet new people."
He also released for the occasion a personally edited, 60-minute "Tekken DJ-style nonstop mix," fulfilling a personal promise he made long ago to do a DJ set for the community.
