Katsuhiro Harada is entering a very interesting new chapter, and yes, fighting game fans should absolutely be paying attention.
After leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025, the longtime Tekken veteran has launched a new independent game development company called VS Studio SNK — or simply VS Studio. The studio is led by Harada and backed by SNK, the legendary name behind Fatal Fury.
At first glance, most fighting game fans will probably read “VS” as “versus.” Fair assumption lah. Harada is one of the most recognisable figures connected to Tekken, and SNK’s fighting game DNA is already strong enough to make any arcade kaki raise an eyebrow.
But according to Harada, that is not actually where the name comes from.
Speaking during a joint media interview attended by Automaton, Harada explained that “VS” goes back to his early days at Namco. He and longtime Tekken developer and director Yuichi Yonemori both came from Namco’s Video Game Soft Development Department, which was internally shortened to the VS Development Department.
That old division was not only about fighting games either. Before Namco merged with Bandai in 2005, the department worked as a broader software creative team responsible for multiple major titles across different genres. So for Harada and Yonemori, VS Studio is partly a tribute to where their game development careers began.
Harada also said the letters can carry several meanings depending on how the studio grows. He mentioned possibilities like “Vanguard Spirits” and “Visual Studio,” suggesting that the name is meant to feel flexible rather than locked to one genre.
Still, let’s be real: the competitive-game angle is impossible to ignore.
Harada has not revealed what VS Studio is building yet, but he did say he understands the expectations surrounding both himself and SNK. More importantly, he said he is keen to explore competitive games. For SEA players, that is the line that matters.
Malaysia and the wider region have always had a strong fighting game and arcade culture, even if it does not always get the same spotlight as Japan, Korea, or the US. From local Tekken sessions to SNK nostalgia among older arcade players, there is a built-in audience here that would be very interested if Harada and SNK cook up something tournament-friendly.
Harada also wants this new studio to be a place where different generations of creators work together. He hopes to attract younger developers with fresh ideas, but also believes the industry should value senior developers aged 45 and above more seriously. That is a pretty sharp take in an industry that often chases youth while quietly depending on veteran experience to actually ship good games.
Interestingly, Harada is not only looking at traditional game developers. He used the broader word “creators,” saying that people from media backgrounds could also be a good fit — especially those who have deep knowledge of games, arcade culture, and developer conversations.
His point is simple: if someone still has real curiosity and passion for games, regardless of age or job title, they may have something valuable to bring into development.
For fans, VS Studio is not a guaranteed “new Tekken-like game” announcement. Not yet. But the combination of Harada, Yonemori, SNK support, arcade-era roots, and competitive ambition makes this one of the more exciting new Japanese studios to watch.
If VS Studio does move into competitive games, SEA players should keep an eye out early. This could become something that speaks directly to the same crowd that grew up around cybercafes, arcades, PlayStation sessions, and weekend fighting game brackets.
Source: Automaton Media