Tekken’s Katsuhiro Harada Announces Departure with an Hour-Long Techno Mix Celebration

Katsuhiro Harada, the iconic developer behind the Tekken fighting game series, has announced his departure from Bandai Namco and the franchise at the end of 2025. Harada has been a key figure in Tekken since its launch in 1994.

“With the Tekken series celebrating its 30th anniversary — a significant milestone for a project that has consumed much of my life — I believe this is the right time to close this chapter,” Harada, 55, shared on X.

He fondly recalled his early days promoting Tekken in arcades and local tournaments. “I still remember hauling arcade cabinets by myself, urging people to ‘Please try Tekken,’ and engaging directly with players,” he reflected. “The conversations and atmosphere we created in those spaces shaped who I am as a developer and game creator.”

Harada’s decision comes after experiencing personal and professional losses in recent years, including the passing of his long-time rival Tomonobu Itagaki. “In recent years, I lost several close friends in my personal life, and in my professional life, I witnessed the retirement or passing of many respected colleagues,” he noted. “These events prompted me to reflect on the ‘time I have left as a creator.'”

He mentioned that he consulted with Ken Kutaragi, the legendary PlayStation executive, regarding his decision and hinted at revealing his future plans later.

Harada began his journey with Namco right after university, initially working as a salesman in the arcade division. After requesting a move to game development, he contributed to the very first Tekken, voicing characters and promoting the game before becoming a director with 1997’s Tekken 3. He eventually took on the role of project lead for the Tekken series and became a senior producer and marketer at Bandai Namco, known for his vibrant personality, humor, candid remarks, and playful rivalries with other fighting game developers.

In his farewell, Harada invited fans to check out his Soundcloud, where he shared an hour-long mix of techno tracks inspired by Tekken’s energetic soundtracks, stating it was “personally edited by myself” and marking it as “for the first and last time.”