Today, SNK announced the establishment of VS Studio SNK, a newly founded game development studio led by industry veteran Katsuhiro Harada.
SNK has invested in the studio, bringing it into the group as a consolidated subsidiary, with both companies set to collaborate on game software development. The new studio and SNK will collaborate on game software development to further strengthen their combined creative capabilities.
VS Studio SNK was officially established on May 1, 2026, and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. You can see an official message regarding the mission statement (“Beyond tradition, crafted to perfection”) and goals below:
Katsuhiro Harada is best known for his work at Bandai Namco Entertainment, where he departed back in December 2025, citing a desire to find an environment where developers can perform at their absolute best. For 31-years, he served as the face and primary creative force behind the Tekken fighting game series, as well as providing oversight for titles like Pokkén Tournament, Tales of Arise, Ace Combat 7, and Code Vein.
“I launched this studio to give shape to that feeling. And the “VS” in VS Studio has many meanings. It contains many meanings that symbolize innovation and challenge, such as our roots in “Video game Soft (VS Development Department)”, the spirit of “Versus” that challenges tradition, and “Visionary Standard”, “Volition Shift”, and “Vanguard Spirit”.
SNK seems like the perfect fit for Harada, as the company is well-known for revolutionizing the arcade and fighting game genres with games and franchises like The King of Fighters (KOF), Metal Slug, Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown, and Art of Fighting, most of which are still around in some shape or form today. There is no word yet on what the first project for VS Studio SNK will be or when it will be released, so be sure to check back to Simulation Daily for updates.
