Kohei Ikeda, the former director of Tekken 8, has joined VS Studio, a Tokyo-based developer founded in May 2026 by Katsuhiro Harada. Ikeda announced his move via social media, stating his excitement to work again with former colleagues and create new projects.
Ikeda departed Bandai Namco in June after a two-decade tenure that included directing roles on both Tekken 7 and Tekken 8. His departure followed Harada's own exit from Bandai Namco after more than 30 years, after which Harada established VS Studio. VS Studio is owned by SNK.
"I've joined VS Studio as the next step in my journey," Ikeda stated. "Working on games again with two of my former bosses feels nostalgic in many ways, while at the same time, the excitement of creating something completely new makes every day incredibly fulfilling."
While details about VS Studio's upcoming projects remain scarce, the assembly of experienced fighting game talent, including Ikeda and Harada, suggests a focus on the genre. Harada, a legendary figure in the fighting game community, previously teased Ikeda's final contribution to Tekken involved a humorous nod to a viral video, re-creating a clip of a man punching a kangaroo to save a dog, which featured Roger Jr.