Katsuhiro Harada, the iconic producer who has been involved with the Tekken series from its very first installment to the latest Tekken 8, dropped a bombshell today (Dec. 8). On his personal X account, he announced that he will be leaving Bandai Namco Entertainment at the end of 2025 and stepping down from his role overseeing the Tekken series, sending shockwaves through the gaming community.
In his post, he mentioned that he has been contemplating this decision for a long time. Now 55, Harada has recently seen friends and senior colleagues retire or pass away, which led him to reflect on "how much time I have left as a creator." During this period of soul-searching, he even sought advice from PlayStation's founding father, Ken Kutaragi, who offered encouragement and guidance that helped him make his final decision.
Harada also revealed that this move has been in the works for the past four to five years. He has been gradually transitioning his responsibilities, including story development, world-building, and character direction, to the team, only now making the long-prepared announcement public.
A translation of Katsuhiro Harada's post is as follows:
I have something to share with you all—I will be officially leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025.
The Tekken series is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. For me, this is a major milestone that I've dedicated more than half my life to. Because of that, I feel now is the perfect time to close this chapter and move on to the next step.
My roots are in the Japanese arcades and the small lecture halls and community centers overseas, supporting local tournaments from the ground up. I still remember lugging around those massive arcade cabinets, begging people, "Come on, just try Tekken!" and then competing and chatting with players face-to-face. The atmosphere, the interactions, the conversations in those places—that's the foundation of who I am as a developer and game creator.
Even as times changed and the tournaments grew larger, players around the world still greet me like an old friend, challenge me to a match at events, or invite me for a drink at a bar... these memories are incredibly precious to me.
—But in recent years, I've said goodbye to several close friends in my personal life, and at work, I've watched respected mentors retire or pass away. All of this made me start thinking, "How much time do I have left as a creator?" During that time, I sought advice from Ken Kutaragi, the "Father of PlayStation," whom I respect immensely, almost like a second father. He gave me a lot of advice and encouragement. His words quietly gave me the push I needed to make this decision. Over the past 4–5 years, I've been progressively handing over all my duties, from story and world-building to various other responsibilities, to the team.
Looking back, I've been incredibly fortunate to be involved in so many projects—like the VR title Summer Lesson, Pokkén Tournament, the Soulcalibur series, and a ton of other projects both inside and outside the company. Every project brought new discoveries and learning experiences, giving me irreplaceable life experience. I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me, the global community, and my colleagues who have fought alongside me for so many years.
As for what's next, I'll share more when the time is right. Thank you all so much.
Harada stated that while he will leave the company at the end of 2025, Bandai Namco has asked him to make an appearance at the TWT (Tekken World Tour) Finals in late January 2026, so he expects to attend as a guest.
Additionally, Harada mentioned that he's been joking for 30 years about "becoming a DJ at a tournament one day" but never actually did it. As a substitute, he created and released a special 60-minute non-stop Tekken DJ-style mix (his first time editing a DJ mix), which he also shared.
Of course, Harada's departure from Bandai Namco Entertainment doesn't mean he's leaving the gaming industry. As for his next move, we'll have to wait for his future announcements.