Tekken’s Harada Sets Record Straight About His Future at Bandai Namco

Long-time Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada has addressed recent speculation about his potential departure from Bandai Namco. The rumors began circulating after fans noticed changes to his LinkedIn profile, sparking concerns throughout the gaming community.

Harada’s history with the fighting game franchise runs deep. Starting as a voice actor for characters in the original Tekken, he later took the helm as director beginning with Tekken 3. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the series’ evolution over the decades, making him synonymous with the franchise.

The speculation started when his LinkedIn profile displayed an “#opentowork” tag, leading some to believe he was seeking employment elsewhere. Harada quickly stepped in to dispel these rumors, explaining that he simply aims to expand his professional network and engage with more people in the industry. Following his clarification, the initial report by Genki was retracted.

The timing of these rumors coincides with Tekken 8’s active development cycle. The game recently launched patch 1.11 and welcomed Final Fantasy 16’s protagonist Clive to its roster. Plans are already in motion for Season 2, scheduled for spring 2025, indicating Harada’s ongoing involvement with the franchise.

While Harada remains committed to Tekken for now, he has previously discussed his long-term future with the series. In past statements, he mentioned potentially having one more Tekken title left in his career, citing age considerations and Japanese development culture. Given that Tekken 7 and 8 were released nearly a decade apart, his potential involvement could extend well into the 2030s if similar development timeframes continue.