Katsuhiro Harada is stepping down from Bandai Namco at the end of 2025. The announcement marks the end of a three-decade run as the chief producer and public face of the Tekken franchise.
Harada joined Namco in the early 1990s and worked on every mainline Tekken game since the original 1994 arcade release. He rose from voice actor to director and general producer, becoming the series’ primary spokesperson at events and on social media.
The decision came after personal losses and watching colleagues retire or pass away. In his statement, Harada explained these experiences made him reflect on his remaining time as a creator. He wanted to decide how to spend those years rather than simply continue on autopilot.
He consulted Ken Kutaragi, often called the father of PlayStation, before making the choice. Harada described Kutaragi as a second father figure and said his guidance was critical to the decision.
This isn’t a sudden exit. Harada has been preparing for departure for several years. That timeline suggests leadership on Tekken 8 has already shifted to other staff, with Harada acting more as a protector of the brand and buffer between developers and corporate pressure.
Michael Murray remains as producer on the Tekken team. The transition appears friendly based on the tone of Harada’s announcement, with no signs of forced resignation or corporate conflict.
What happens to 3D fighters now
The timing is rough for the genre. Soulcalibur is dormant. Dead or Alive 6 struggled with heavy DLC criticism. Tekken is losing its longtime leader during a contentious period.
Virtua Fighter 6 is the main hope on the horizon. Sega announced a new entry in the series after years of silence. That project may need to carry the 3D fighter scene while Tekken figures out its post-Harada identity.
