Tekken 8 Game Director Kohei Ikeda Departs Bandai Namco After Two Decades
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Tekken 8 game director Kohei Ikeda has left Bandai Namco after 20 years, following other high-profile departures and ongoing community frustration with recent updates.
Kohei Ikeda, the game director behind Tekken 8 and a 20-year veteran at Bandai Namco, has announced his departure from the company. In a statement shared on social media, Ikeda expressed gratitude for his time on the franchise and the fighting game community, noting that he has passed the baton to the remaining development team. While Ikeda has confirmed he is not retiring from game development, he has not yet revealed his next career move. Originally reported by Connor Makar at Eurogamer, you can read the full story on Eurogamer.
Ikeda's exit follows a string of high-profile departures from the franchise leadership. Executive game director Katsuhiro Harada left in December 2025 to start a new studio backed by SNK, and producer Yohei Shimbori departed in August 2025. Harada recently stated his belief that the series can successfully continue under new leadership, but the timing is certainly precarious for the team left behind.
These leadership changes arrive during a turbulent period for Tekken 8. The game has faced severe community backlash following its recent third season update, which players criticized for pushing the meta into an overly aggressive state that ignored previous promises of a back to basics approach. Even with emergency patches on the way and upcoming character additions like Yujiro Hanma keeping social feeds active, the community remains on edge about the long-term direction of the franchise as a new generation of developers takes the wheel.
Tags: Tekken 8, Bandai Namco, Fighting Games, FGC, Industry News
Original article: Eurogamer