Tekken Director Harada Not Seeking New Job

Tekken's Harada Seeks New Opportunities on LinkedIn

Rumors of Departure from Bandai Namco

Katsuhiro Harada, the acclaimed director behind the Tekken series, has sparked rumors of leaving Bandai Namco after 30 years with the company. This speculation arose when Japanese video game news account Genki_JPN shared a screenshot of Harada's LinkedIn profile, indicating he is #OpenToWork. In his recent LinkedIn post, Harada expressed his interest in exploring new roles such as Executive Producer, Game Director, Business Development, Vice President, or Marketing positions, all based in Tokyo. This announcement has caused concern among fans about the future of the Tekken franchise.

Harada Clarifies His Intentions

Quick to address the swirling rumors, Harada, who is known for his active engagement on social platforms like X (formerly Twitter), clarified that he has no plans to leave Bandai Namco. Instead, his goal is to expand his professional network and explore new opportunities within the industry. Responding directly to a fan on the platform, Harada explained, "I meet a lot of people on a regular basis (but I don't actually have that many friends in my private world LOL), I just want to meet more people and expand my horizons in the future." By activating the #OpenToWork feature on LinkedIn, Harada aims to connect with more professionals and potentially bring fresh ideas and collaborations to the Tekken series.

With Harada's commitment to staying with Bandai Namco, fans can look forward to continued growth and exciting developments for Tekken. Recent collaborations, such as the integration of Final Fantasy 16's Clive Rosfield as a fighter in Tekken 8, along with skins and accessories featuring other FF16 characters like Jill, Joshua, and even Nektar the Moogle, showcase the potential for further innovative partnerships under Harada's guidance.