Harada, Not Like This…

Katsuhiro Harada, the Tekken creator, has joined SNK as CEO and director of the new VS Studio after leaving Bandai Namco.

The move puts a major fighting game figure in a new leadership role that could influence the genre’s future.

But the announcement has also revived criticism of SNK’s Saudi-backed ownership and Saudi Arabia’s wider push into gaming.

Concerns focus on whether that influence could affect creative independence, especially around events and acquisitions tied to Saudi strategy.