Tekken's Harada Seeking Jobs on LinkedIn

Rumors of Exit from Bandai

Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has sparked rumors of leaving Bandai Namco after 30 years by posting on LinkedIn that he is looking for new job opportunities. The news was first noticed by the Japanese video game news account Genki_JPN on X (formerly Twitter), which shared a screenshot of Harada's LinkedIn profile. In his recent post, Harada indicated that he is #OpenToWork and is seeking roles such as Executive Producer, Game Director, Business Development, Vice President, or a Marketing position, all based in Tokyo.

This announcement has caused concern among fans about Harada's future and the direction of the Tekken series, with many reaching out to him directly on social media for clarification.

Harada Responds: No Need to Worry

Quick to address the speculation, Harada, known for his active engagement on X (Twitter), clarified that he is not leaving Bandai Namco. Instead, he is looking to expand his professional network and collaborate with more people in the industry. In response to a fan's query on the news post, Harada stated, "I meet a lot of people on a regular basis (but I don't actually have that many friends in my private world LOL), I just want to meet more people and expand my horizons in the future." He explained that enabling the #OpenToWork option on LinkedIn is a way for him to connect with more professionals.

This reassurance from Harada should ease fans' concerns, and they can look forward to potential new collaborations and growth for the Tekken series. Recently, Tekken 8 featured a collaboration with Final Fantasy 16, introducing protagonist Clive Rosfield as a new fighter, along with skins and accessories for other FF16 characters like Jill, Joshua, and even Nektar the Moogle. Harada's efforts to broaden his network are likely to bring fresh ideas and exciting developments to the franchise.