Tekken Boss Clarifies: I’m Not Leaving Bandai Namco Anytime Soon

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Summary

  • Harada clarified he’s not leaving Bandai Namco to explore new opportunities #opentowork
  • Tekken 8 development continues with Harada onboard, game still receiving fresh content
  • Harada might only have one more Tekken in him due to his age and future development plans

There has been a stir among Tekken enthusiasts due to rumors circulating about Katsuhiro Harada possibly departing from Bandai Namco, and the game producer has provided some clarity on the matter. This is following an update to Harada’s LinkedIn profile that led many to speculate he might be leaving the Tekken squad.

Harada has been an integral member of the team responsible for shaping the world of Tekken since its beginning, even if not always in the same position. To begin with, he lent his voice to several characters in the initial launch of Tekken, and later moved on to direct the game starting from Tekken 3. Occasionally, his responsibilities within the series shift, but the thought of him departing from the company or the development team raises concerns among many fans.

In a move that caught the attention of his followers, Harada recently modified his LinkedIn profile. Initially, it was speculated that he had added an “#opentowork” tag, suggesting a potential departure from Bandai. However, Harada has clarified the situation, stating that he’s not planning to leave and is simply interested in broadening his network by engaging with more individuals. Harada has also reassured Tekken fans, confirming that there’s no need for concern, and Genki has retracted its initial report.

Tekken 8 Development Continues With Harada Onboard

As a dedicated Tekken gamer, I can’t help but feel a pang of concern about Harada stepping away from the team at this juncture. With Tekken 8 freshly unveiling patch 1.11 just days ago and recently incorporating Final Fantasy 16’s Clive into its roster, it seems counterintuitive for him to depart. In fact, Tekken 8 is already hinting at and preparing for season 2, due in the spring of 2025. It’s hard to imagine that he would walk away when a Tekken game is still brimming with content updates.

It appears that Harada may eventually step down from his role in the Tekken series, although it might not happen immediately. He had mentioned before about his potential future with the series, hinting that he might only be able to work on one more Tekken game due to advancing age and development-related factors in Japan. Since there was almost a decade gap between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, if the development cycle of the next game is similar, we might see Harada leading Tekken 9 in the 2030s. Rest assured, fans don’t need to worry about him leaving at this stage.

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2025-01-21 05:13