‘Harada TEKKEN is Completely Dead’: Veteran Bandai Dev Shares Final Message with Fans

Katsuhiro Harada has bid farewell to more than thirty years of working under the Bandai Namco banner, moving on from Tekken after decades of developing the series. In a new social media post, Harada ushered in 2026 by stressing that he’s ‘no longer a developer/creator of the TEKKEN series’.

At the start of December 2025, Harada and the Bandai Namco team shared the news that the legendary developer would be parting ways with the firm after 31 years.

Katsuhiro Harada Has Moved On

In a new post on social media, Katsuhiro Harada shared the following message:

The iconic developer was quick to update his bio, writing, ‘Former Game Director and Chief Producer of action and fighting games.’

On December 8, Harada shared the revelation with fans worldwide that he would be stepping down from his tenured spot at Bandai Namco:

I’d like to share that I’ll be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 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.

Fans shared their sentiments in the comments under Harada’s post. One drew comparisons to the series that Harada was pivotal in creating, saying, ‘Heihachi ‘died’ like 4 times. Kazuya came back from a volcano. We know how this works in the Tekken universe. See you in the next patch notes, boss.’

Others offered more simple, heartfelt messages: ‘We will always think of you, Harada-san, thank you for everything.’

Harada worked in production and direction roles on the Tekken series since Tekken 3 debuted in 1997, and was a driving force in the space ever since. He’s set to appear one last time in the Tekken space at some upcoming esports events, but then the world afterwards is his oyster.

Are you sad to see the back of Katsuhiro Harada? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.

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