"I realised I might only have time to make one more game, so I wanted to try something new" – Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada on starting VS Studio

When Katsuhiro Harada announced his departure from Bandai Namco last December after more than three decades, fighting game fans were left dejected. Many feared the retirement of the driving force behind Tekken would deprive the genre of one its remaining greats, particularly so soon after the passing of Dead or Alive creator (and Harada's sparring partner) Tomonobu Itagaki two months before. Those fears proved unfounded when the combative creator announced the creation of VS Studio, bankrolled by SNK.