Harada leads new SNK-funded studio

Katsuhiro Harada said on May 13 that he is leading a new game development company backed by SNK, marking his first announced role since leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025. SNK said in a press release that the company has decided to invest in the new studio and bring it into the group as a subsidiary. The studio is called VS Studio SNK Co., Ltd., and SNK said it was established on May 1 in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Harada said the company will make game software and is recruiting staff, but neither he nor SNK gave a launch date for a first title. ### What exactly did SNK announce? SNK said on May 13 that it had decided to invest in a newly established studio founded by Harada and planned to make it a consolidated subsidiary. The company listed the studio’s address as the fourth floor of the Shin-Meguro Tokyu Building in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, and named Harada representative director and chief executive. (snk-corp.co.jp) The YouTube video posted through SNK’s official channel gave the same outline and described VS Studio SNK as a company for the planning, development and operation of game software. The video also listed an official website and an official social media account for the studio. ### What did Harada say he wants the studio to do? (snk-corp.co.jp) Harada said in SNK’s release that VS Studio’s philosophy is “Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection.” He said the studio would combine “technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise” and work in “a free, open, and spacious environment” to generate new ideas and create memorable games. (youtube.com) The same statement did not name a first project, platform or release window. Harada said he created the studio after thinking about “what kind of environment allows developers to perform at their best,” and said the company was looking for team members who shared that vision. (snk-corp.co.jp) ### How closely is SNK tied to the new company? SNK said it will support the launch of VS Studio and plans to make it a consolidated subsidiary. The company also said the new studio and SNK will collaborate on game software development to strengthen development capabilities. (snk-corp.co.jp) Yasuyuki Oda, an SNK producer, said in the release that Harada had been “a long-time friend and a worthy rival” and that the two sides had discussed the possibility of working together. Oda added that “nothing has been decided yet,” while saying he expected the partnership to become “even more exciting than ever before.” (snk-corp.co.jp) ### What is Harada’s background before this move? SNK’s release said Harada joined Namco after graduating from Waseda University and spent 31 years involved in the development and production of arcade, home-console and virtual-reality titles. The company did not list every game in the release excerpt available online, but Harada is best known publicly for his long association with the Tekken fighting-game series. (snk-corp.co.jp) Gematsu reported in December 2025 that Harada had announced he would leave Bandai Namco at the end of 2025 after more than 31 years. That departure left open what his next role would be until SNK’s announcement this week. ### Is there any sign yet of what VS Studio will build? (snk-corp.co.jp) The materials released on May 13 point to staffing and setup rather than a game reveal. SNK’s statement said the studio is recruiting, and the video description linked to the company’s official website and social account. (gematsu.com) The recruitment angle fits SNK’s broader hiring push in Japan. SNK’s recruitment site says the company has been building out development functions in the Tokyo area for new projects, while its corporate site highlights fighting-game franchises including Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters and Samurai Spirits. (snk-corp.co.jp) VS Studio’s next public milestones are likely to come through its official website, listed by SNK as vs-studio.com, and its official social account, which SNK linked in the May 13 announcement video. SNK has not announced a first game, a release date or named development staff beyond Harada. (youtube.com) (snk-corp.co.jp)