Why Katsuhiro Harada Is Leaving Bandai Namco After 30 Years — And The Tekken Milestones That Defined His Legacy
After nearly 30 years at Bandai Namco, Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada is stepping down, thanking fans and saying it’s the right time to close the chapter.
Tekken's longtime frontman is getting ready to leave the building. After nearly three decades of shaping Bandai Namco's flagship fighter, Katsuhiro Harada says the timing feels right to wrap up his run and thank the community on his way out.
The exit plan
Harada says he plans to leave Bandai Namco at the end of 2025. One coda: the company asked him to show up at the Tekken World Tour Finals in January 2026. He says he would be there as a guest, not as the guy running the show. That tiny detail alone says a lot about how woven into the series he is.
Why now
According to Harada, this is not a sudden decision. Over the last four to five years, he has been quietly handing off his duties, including creative oversight on story and worldbuilding, to the team. With Tekken hitting its 30th anniversary, he sees this as a clean break point. He also mentions that the loss of close friends and the passing of senior colleagues pushed him to think about life after Tekken.
"Over the past four to five years, I've gradually handed over all of my responsibilities, as well as the stories and worldbuilding I oversaw, to the team, bringing me to the present day."
He did not say what he is doing next yet. He promised updates down the line. For now, he marked the moment by dropping a one-hour DJ mix for fans, which is very on-brand for him.
A quick look back: how he got here
- Started at Namco as a promoter. His parents were not thrilled about it, but he went on to break sales records at a Namco arcade two months in a row and earned a commendation from Namco's president.
- Became the key director and producer behind the Tekken series and, yes, the face of the franchise for a generation of fighting game fans.
- Also lent his voice to Tekken favorites Marshall Law and Forest Law.
- Worked with Project Soul, the team behind the Soulcalibur games.
- In 2019, stepped up to lead Bandai Namco's esports division and took on a general manager role at the company.
So, what does this mean?
Short version: the Tekken team has already been running with the baton for years; Harada has just made the handoff official. He is grateful to the fighting game community, he wants to enjoy life beyond Bandai Namco, and he will let everyone know what comes next when he is ready. Until then, expect one last wave to the crowd at the TWT Finals in January 2026 — as a guest, which is a strange sight in itself.