Kohei Ikeda, game director of Tekken 8, has left Bandai Namco to join Vs Studio, the new venture led by former Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada. Ikeda announced the move on X, saying it felt "nostalgic" to work with former colleagues again while also being excited about building something new. The move extends a run of high-profile exits from the Tekken 8 team, raising questions about the franchise's future leadership at Bandai Namco.

Ikeda joins Harada and fellow Tekken veteran Yuichi Yonemori, who left Bandai Namco in May, reuniting three senior figures from the series under one roof. Harada himself departed Bandai Namco in December after months of hinting at a move, saying he was not worried about Tekken's prospects without him. Vs Studio, announced in May and backed financially by SNK (of King of Fighters and Metal Slug fame), aims to "combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise," though its first project remains unannounced, with speculation it could be a new fighting game.