Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada is back, but this time at his own studio backed by old fighting game rival SNK

Climbing from the Volcano.

Katsuhiro Harada, having only last year announced his departure from Bandai Namco and the Tekken team he'd been a part of for over 20 years, has founded a new studio.

VS Studio, officially established on the 1st May, will be supported by SNK as it starts game development. SNK has decided to invest in Harada's new studio and to bring Vs Studio under the company umbrella as a consolidated subsidiary.

In a press release put out alongside this announcement, Harada shared the studio philosophy of "beyond tradition, crafted to perfection", with a goal to "combine technology, sensibility, and world-class expertise to pursue the ultimate."

"Having been involved in game development for many years, I've constantly considered how I want to

spend my time as a developer and what kind of environment allows developers to perform at their best," Harada said. "VS Studio is one answer to that question.

"By bringing together technology and knowledge, and working with passionate colleagues, we aim to

deliver the best gaming experiences to users worldwide. VS Studio aspires to be a studio that continues to take on such challenges, and we are looking for new team members who share our vision."

SNK also shared a comment through director Yasuyuki Oda, who said: "I am extremely proud to welcome Mr. Katsuhiro Harada, who has been a long-time friend and a worthy rival to us, into our group. We've long discussed the hypothetical scenario of working together, and now that dream has become a reality. To be honest, nothing has been decided yet, but I have no doubt that things will become even more exciting than ever before. We look forward to your continued support for SNK and VS Studio."

It's a wild crossover, certainly for fans of the fighting game genre. The idea that Harada would be working with SNK in some capacity is something you may not have believed possible 10 or 15 years ago. However, it is nice to see Harada rolling up his sleeves for a new challenge, especially given his bombshell departure from Bandai Namco.

What sort of game Harada and his new team will be working on remains a mystery for now. While the VS in the studio's name indicates a return to competitive gaming, though the press release states otherwise, claiming it's more about the spirit of "challenging tradition".

SNK too, being the financial partner for VS Studio, is interesting. In recent years the company has been owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through state investment and charity funds, providing the historically broke developer with a surplus of cash. This, of course, came with ethical concerns from many, given Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

For now, we'll have to sit back and wait patiently to see what Harada comes out with.