After two decades with Bandai Namco, Kohei “Nakatsu” Ikeda has stepped away from the company where he served as game director on both Tekken 7 and Tekken 8.
The timing is notable. Ikeda’s departure follows closely behind that of Tekken legend Katsuhiro Harada, who recently left to launch his own video game studio.
Ikeda shared his reflections in a farewell message posted on social media.
There were joyful moments, and many difficult ones as well. 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 stopped short of revealing his next move. Most fans, however, are already guessing he will link back up with Harada at VS Studio, the new venture that has already struck a partnership with SNK Corporation.
The Tekken community now faces real uncertainty about where the fighting franchise heads from here. Bandai Namco gave fans something to cheer about just last week, unveiling Yujiro Hanma from the Baki manga and anime as the guest character for Tekken 8 Season 3 Pass. That content run wraps up in early 2027 with his release. But with both Harada and now Ikeda gone from Bandai Namco, the question of a Tekken 9 looms larger. And if it does happen, what form would it take?
Fans have not had an easy ride with Bandai Namco lately. They have called out game mechanics, balance tweaks, and other elements they found frustrating. Harada himself has been open about the strain of his relationship with both the Tekken brand and the company, repeatedly jumping onto social media to calm fan worries. One flashpoint came when he stepped in to address the controversy around selling premium stage DLC.
Reactions to Ikeda’s exit have been swift. “Makes me worried about the fate of Tekken 9,” one fan wrote. Another predicted the series might need to “take a bit of a break after this game.” Someone else put it bluntly: “This game has definitely been a nightmare for developers AND players.”
Bandai Namco has stayed quiet on what lies ahead for Tekken once Season 3 concludes.
