Kohei 'Nakatsu' Ikeda, who steered development on Tekken 7 and 8, has departed Bandai Namco after 20 years with the company. His exit follows the recent departure of legendary Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada, who left to launch VS Studio, a new venture in partnership with SNK Corporation.
In a farewell message on social media, Ikeda reflected on his time at the studio, saying the experience included both celebration and hardship. "There were times when we celebrated together, and times when I received passionate criticism and encouragement. Yet every one of those moments helped push both myself and the Tekken Project forward," he wrote.
Ikeda did not disclose his next move. Speculation among fighting game fans points toward a potential reunion with Harada at VS Studio, though nothing has been confirmed.
The departures have left the Tekken community anxious about what comes next for the franchise. Bandai Namco announced last week that Yujiro Hanma from the Baki manga series will join Tekken 8 as a guest character early next year, capping off Season 3. Beyond that, the publisher has offered no guidance on whether Tekken 9 is in development or what the long-term strategy for the series might be.
The franchise has weathered considerable fan discontent in recent years over balance patches, character design choices, and monetization practices. Harada became a visible advocate for fan concerns, repeatedly taking to social media to address criticism, most notably when he intervened in a controversy over premium stage DLC pricing. His willingness to engage with complaints made his eventual exit all the more consequential for a community already skeptical of corporate direction.
Fan reactions to Ikeda's departure ranged from worried to resigned. "Makes me worried about the fate of Tekken 9," one community member posted. Another suggested the franchise might need to pause after the current entry concludes its content roadmap. Long-standing complaints about both developer burnout and player frustration underscore the pressure weighing on the series heading into an uncertain future.
Author Emily Chen: "With both Harada and Ikeda gone, the Tekken franchise is about to learn whether it's a character-driven property or actually built on something deeper, and that answer will determine if anyone cares about Tekken 9."
Comments