Katsuhiro Harada, who has directed the Tekken fighting game series for thirty years, has announced his departure with a short and surprising message, marking the end of an era for fans.
Katsuhiro Harada has been the driving force behind the Tekken franchise for over three decades. Starting at Namco in the early 1990s, he transitioned from a sales role to game development and ultimately led Tekken from its beginnings in arcades to its current status as a major worldwide fighting game and a key part of Bandai Namco’s success. He oversaw the series’ 30th anniversary and its growth into the world of esports.
Tekken creator Katsuhiro Harada declares his era “dead”
On December 31st, Katsuhiro Harada announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he was stepping down from his role as a developer and creator on the TEKKEN series, stating his associated online persona, ‘Harada_TEKKEN,’ was no longer active.
I’m no longer a developer / creator of the TEKKEN series.
Harada_TEKKEN is completely dead.
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) December 31, 2025
This post came after a December 7th announcement that Katsuhiro Harada would be leaving Bandai Namco by the end of 2025. The company shared his message, reposting it on the official Tekken account and assuring fans that Tekken 8, its downloadable content, and future plans for the series will not be affected. Harada has even been asked to return as a guest at the Tekken World Tour Finals in January 2026.
Regarding the timing of his departure, both Bandai Namco and Harada presented it as a personal decision, not a disagreement. Bandai Namco specifically stated it was Harada’s choice and expressed gratitude for his over thirty years of contributions.
Harada recently explained the timing of this decision. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) earlier this month that with the TEKKEN series celebrating its 30th anniversary, it felt like the right time to end a particular phase.
For the last four or five years, he’d been gradually giving more responsibility—like developing the story and creating the world it takes place in—to a new group of people.
It’s weird thinking about Tekken moving forward without Katsuhiro Harada at the helm. He’s been such a face for the series, but he’s built a team that’s ready to take over. Honestly, when I saw him say his online handle was ‘completely dead,’ that’s when it really hit me – he’s actually stepping back. It felt…final, you know?
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2025-12-31 22:48