Former Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada opens VS Studio with SNK backing

Katsuhiro Harada is staying in fighting games, but not where many expected. After leaving Bandai Namco, the longtime Tekken figure has founded a new development outfit called VS Studio, with backing from SNK. That is a major twist for fighting-game fans. Harada spent decades closely associated with Tekken, while SNK is home to Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown and other fighting-game legacies. Push Square reports that SNK is investing in the studio, with plans to make it a subsidiary once things are up and running. The studio has not announced its first project yet, but the name VS Studio strongly suggests fighting games will be central. Harada’s quoted philosophy for the studio is “Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection,” which sounds like exactly the kind of grand mission statement fighting-game communities will dissect. For players, the key question is whether VS Studio will work on new SNK projects, original IP or something that blends Harada’s 3D fighter experience with SNK’s 2D heritage. Whatever it becomes, this is big talent movement.