Key Highlights:
- Katsuhiro Harada has left Bandai Namco and Tekken after 30 years of service.
- He mentioned this decision was brought forward after much debate and the loss of his loved ones.
- Harada will also be announcing his future plans at a later date.
In a rather unfortunate turn of events, Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada has announced his departure from Bandai Namco Entertainment, today (that is, December 8, 2025). Harada leaves behind a legacy of over 30 years at Bandai Namco.
This decision isn’t sudden though, as Harada revealed he had been quietly contemplating his retirement for a while now. That being said, here’s what we know so far.
Katsuhiro Harada Announces his Retirement From Bandai Namco and Tekken
I’d like to share that I’ll be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025.
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) December 8, 2025
With the TEKKEN series reaching its 30th anniversary—an important milestone for a project I’ve devoted much of my life to—I felt this was the most fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close.
My roots lie…
Katsuhiro Harada recently announced his departure from Bandai Namco Entertainment, and has passed on the torch for his flagship title, Tekken as well. He announced this in a heartfelt farewell post on X (and other official social media handles).
Harada mentioned that the loss of his loved ones as well as mentors made him gradually come to this decision, though it is not going to be an easy one. After much consultation with Ken Kutaragi, his mentor and father figure, Harada finally decided to step down from his role, and gain some well earned rest from the tumultuous genre and industry.
Born in June, 1970, Harada is perhaps one of the most well regarded (if not often controversial) Japanese game directors and producers. Harada is perhaps best known for his work on the Tekken series of video games.
The popularity of Tekken is still undisputed, and it remains as one of the best fighting games on the market at present, on home consoles, arcades and PCs.
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Since 1994, Harada has maintained his place as the director of Tekken, which has also grown to become one of Bandai Namco’s best selling video game franchises. He was also involved in multiple Soul Calibur projects, and is well regarded in the video game industry for his creativity and no nonsense approach.
Prior to this announcement, the producer has since been handing out his responsibilities over the past few years, and as such the transition is expected to occur smoothly. That being said, while Harada is leaving by the end of 2025, he will still be making a guest appearance at the TWT Finals (end of January 2026).
Interestingly enough, he also ends the post with a postscript that says he will be sharing his future steps at a later date, hinting at more potential projects on the horizon.
Harada also released an hour long DJ mix using Tekken OSTs, with funky beats on his Soundcloud, after years of shying away from it.
What Will Happen To Tekken?
All things considered, not a whole lot. Tekken will still thrive and continue to exist, with or without Katsuhiro Harada.
While his absence will be felt in future titles, Harada has spent a great deal of time and effort spreading his responsibilities and vision amongst the newer generation, so we should (hopefully) see the same level of quality and cohesiveness as one would expect (at least in terms of gameplay and presentation) in a Tekken title.
This could also be an opportunity for the team to get experimental, and release wacky new ideas that defy the established order. That being said, this must be done in a tasteful manner, and one that does not trample upon the legacy left by Katsuhiro Harada.
