"Tekken 8" Director Kohei Ikeda Joins SNK-Affiliated "VS Studio"! Reunites with "Tekken" Creator Katsuhiro Harada and Others!

Game creator Kohei Ikeda, who was formerly with Bandai Namco Studios and most recently served as game director for "Tekken 8."
Ikeda announced on his X account that he has joined " VS Studio SNK," a game studio under the SNK umbrella, and shared his aspirations for the future.

Kohei Ikeda Joins SNK-Affiliated Game Studio "VS Studio SNK"! Former Game Director for "Tekken 7" and "Tekken 8"

Game creator Kohei Ikeda announced on his X account that he has joined the SNK-affiliated game studio “ VS Studio SNK.”

Known as “Nakatsu,” Mr. Ikeda previously worked at Bandai Namco Studios and, in recent years, served as game director for “Tekken 7” and “Tekken 8.”
However, in June 2026, he announced his departure from Bandai Namco Studios.
With all eyes on his future moves, this announcement came as an update on his current status.

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The X post also included a group photo featuring Mr. Katsuhiro Harada ( @Harada_TEKKEN ) and Mr. Yuichi Yonemori, both of whom previously worked at Bandai Namco Studios and were involved in the Tekken series.

In particular, seeing him standing alongside Mr. Harada—the creator of Tekken—is especially poignant, as they were often seen together in interviews and other public appearances.

What kind of games will the people who once created Tekken produce in this new environment?
How will this impact the gaming industry—and, by extension, esports?
Let’s look forward to future updates.

Comment from Kohei Ikeda

I joined VS STUDIO as a new challenge.

Working on game development again with my two former bosses every day feels somewhat nostalgic, yet at the same time, it’s filled with the excitement of creating new games—it’s incredibly fulfilling!

I’m really looking forward to seeing what we’ll be able to create here going forward!

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