Former Tekken 8 Director Kohei Ikeda Joins Harada's VS Studio

Kohei Ikeda, the director behind Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, has joined VS Studio — the Tokyo-based developer founded in May 2026 by Tekken legend Katsuhiro Harada and owned by SNK. Ikeda confirmed the move via social media, saying working with former bosses again feels nostalgic while the prospect of building something new makes every day fulfilling.

Ikeda spent 20 years at Namco Bandai before leaving in June 2026. His final act there, according to Harada, was directing a recreation of a decade-old viral clip of an Australian man punching a kangaroo to save a dog — a teaser for the return of Roger Jr. that Harada had specifically requested before his own exit. Harada himself departed Namco Bandai after more than 30 years and moved quickly to establish VS Studio.

The reunion stacks serious fighting game pedigree at VS Studio. Harada shaped the Tekken series across its entire modern history, and Ikeda directed its two most recent mainline entries. With SNK — the company behind The King of Fighters and Fatal Fury — backing the studio, the new outfit has both the talent and the publisher muscle to be a serious player in the genre.

What VS Studio is actually building remains unknown, and Ikeda's own post suggests a reveal is still some way off. Still, the fighting game community is watching closely — two of Tekken's most prominent creative figures working together again under SNK's roof is hard to ignore.