Katsuhiro Harada leaves TEKKEN, then drops a fire mixtape

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Okay, so this is wild! Katsuhiro Harada, the guy who’s directed and produced all the TEKKEN games I love, is leaving Bandai Namco. But get this – he announced it by just dropping a mixtape on Soundcloud! Seriously, only Harada would do something like that. It’s so perfectly him.

Katsuhiro Harada, a well-known figure in the fighting game world, has left Bandai Namco and his role leading the TEKKEN project. He expressed gratitude to his fans and surprisingly released a mixtape, something he says he’s always dreamed of doing.

Harada leaves Bandai Namco, TEKKEN

He shared his news in a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on his journey in the fighting game community – from the beginning, through all his experiences, and the reasons behind his big decision.

I’ll be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025.

As the TEKKEN series celebrates its 30th anniversary – a huge milestone for something I’ve worked on for so long – I decided it was the right time to wrap up one part of the story.

Katsuhiro Harada via X

Over the last four or five years, Harada has been gradually transitioning his duties at Bandai Namco and on the TEKKEN project to the rest of the team. This included sharing the stories and overall world he helped create.

Harada explained that before leaving Bandai Namco, he consulted with Ken Kutaragi, the legendary former CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment and widely known as the “Father of PlayStation.”

Recently, I’ve lost several dear friends and seen many respected senior colleagues retire or pass away. These experiences have led me to think about how much time I have left to pursue my creative work.

I turned to Ken Kutaragi, a mentor I deeply admire like a second father, for advice during that time. His encouragement and guidance were incredibly helpful.

Katsuhiro Harada on his time as a creator and advice from Ken Kutaragi

TEKKEN Project also made an announcement, and Harada will still be present in some upcoming events.

Harada’s Soundcloud mixtape

In the most Harada way possible, he dropped an hour-long TEKKEN DJ-style mix on Soundcloud.

Katsuhiro Harada personally created this track, fulfilling a lifelong dream of DJing at a tournament after 30 years. You can find “TEKKEN: A 30-Year Journey – Harada’s Final Mix” here.

Fans thank Katsuhiro Harada

Lots of TEKKEN fans, fighting game players, and gamers in general expressed their gratitude to Harada for everything he’s done for the community.

They have also taken to the Soundcloud track itself and left some messages there.

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2025-12-08 18:41