SNK setup “VS Studio” headed by Katsuhiro Harada

[Taiso]

It has nothing to do with Tekken.

If you were a part of the fighting game community, you'd know that Harada is a borderline troll and legitimately funny on social media. His response for years to people begging him for specific characters in Tekken games or just generally being annoying online? "Don't ask me for shit". He's even gone to tournaments wearing a shirt with that on it. He's participated in events where he's played the game against other developers and popular streamers. He's been known to get drunk at fighting game tournaments with randos.

The point is that the people they put forward at SNK are a bunch of faceless, nameless corporate drones with zero personality that make bland, passionless games. Sure Tekken's never been my thing but Tekken's always been kind of weird and SNK needs more weird these days. All they do is churn out sequels to games from the 90s with little visual appeal that sell to no one beyond diehard fighting game people and the handful of Neo nerds that aren't whining about "why no 2D?!". They need to shake it up and bringing on one of the most respected fighting game creators of the last 30 years (even if you don't give a shit about Tekken) and someone with a personality that can show up at industry events, Nintendo Directs and whatever else and sell your game/company is a very good thing.

Edit: The trailer where they announced Geese was coming to Tekken 7 was legitimately the most hype thing involving an SNK character of the last decade.

This is a great post.

Harada will bring eyes to the product and he is sure to be a recognizable presence at related events. He will generate hype in the FGC, the press and the fan base as a whole.

I think SNK has a nice get with Harada. I really hope that this doesn't go the way of Clover.

 

[sirlynxalot]

I wonder if he will make a new game for the aes+ with hand drawn pixel art.

 

[Diggerman]

I wonder if he will make a new game for the aes+ with hand drawn pixel art.

Doubtful, but Plaion Spain loves to troll the fans: https://x.com/PLAION_ES/status/2054522367183933744

 

[Radikus]

Doubtful, but Plaion Spain loves to troll the fans: https://x.com/PLAION_ES/status/2054522367183933744

View attachment 95795

Plaion Spain is wild. If they ever post anything legit, will anyone believe it after these.

 

[Neo Alec]

Oops widescreen.

 

[kernow]

I have a feeling like others that this is for AOF4
I'm usually right on absolutely everything so just wait a bit

 

[Neo Alec]

AOF4 seemed to already be in the works for the past couple years, so they either brought him in mid project or it's for something new. The studio is supposedly new.

 

[kernow]

Maybe a completely new fighting game franchise omg

Which will still look like absolute ass because they have limited 3d skills

 

[Taiso]

The last thing SNK needs is another new fighting game franchise lol

 

[Takumaji]

SNK will give Harada a free environment to do what he wants to do. No more investors with milking the IP, no more executive with Asuka in the Brock Lesnar body patch, no more localization team adding culture wars on the game.

...and then *WOOSH* he will awake from the dream and go back to work.

 

[Taiso]

Did Harada actually WANT Negan in Tekken?

Because that....was gay.

 

[kernow]

The last thing SNK needs is another new fighting game franchise lol

I think it would be great, they need something new and refreshing not the same stale old characters

 

[Taiso]

I think it would be great, they need something new and refreshing not the same stale old characters

I was suggesting they make an entirely different kind of game. I don't know what that would be or if it would be any good, but I feel like the industry is bloated with too many niche fighters as it is.

I also can't know what Harada has in mind. Probably a fighter, sure. But what if it's something else entirely?

 

[madpossum]

I was suggesting they make an entirely different kind of game. I don't know what that would be or if it would be any good, but I feel like the industry is bloated with too many niche fighters as it is.

I also can't know what Harada has in mind. Probably a fighter, sure. But what if it's something else entirely?

Agreed, I think there are like 3 licensed fighting games releasing now or in the next few months. Fighting games had their resurgence but now it's getting like it was in the mid to late 90's with an over saturation of them. Im hoping they give us something new.

 

[Taiso]

Itagaki made the 3D Ninja Gaiden and created an enduring franchise with a legacy and an identity. He also created Dead or Alive.

Regardless of what anyone thinks of those series, the man proved that he could do more than one kind of thing.

Again, I can't know what is in Harada's head or what SNK has in mind for VS Studio. It's very likely going to be a fighting game since he has so much cache in that subgenre and SNK would be stupid not to utilize that. I say that now but we know the track record of this company's marketing failures lol...

Anyway I think it's a fair speculation to assume that Itagaki's death affected Harada on a number of personal levels. I would not at all be surprised to discover that he envied Itagaki's recklessness and willingness to throw the dice. Itagaki was the outsider, not the model corporate employee, and he suffered the consequences of his unbending nature in that industry.

Still, I have to think that Harada didn't just want to be the Tekken guy anymore. There is no indication he was, to my knowledge, ousted from Bandai (although, again, I would not be surprised to learn there were creative tensions between the two sides of that. Probably always have been.)

 

[snk_is_now]

Personally, I think Harada needed to go somewhere where he could have complete creative freedom and escape the pressure of investors and middle management. He needed to recreate a work environment he was passionate about; in some episodes of his video podcast, I noticed he was really burned out.

But he smiled at the idea of making the ultimate 3D crossover of V.Fighter vs. Tekken, or every time he talked about the mechanics of Street Fighter 2.

I think that with VS SNK, he's going to dedicate himself to creating a completely new IP from scratch.

I know that's not going to happen, but seeing him develop for Neo Geo would be very interesting. What would he be capable of doing with the hardware limitations?

 

[HellioN]

So the new AoF is going to be 3D... I hope not.

 

[NeoSeeD]

Yes, SNK will surely rise again by doubling down on one of the most mediocre and forgettable fighting series ever released.

 

[NeoSeeD]

Is that Hitler with a leg-arm cosplaying as Yuri? WTF.

 

[Taiso]

Yes, SNK will surely rise again by doubling down on one of the most mediocre and forgettable fighting series ever released.

He is a hype machine and the value of that being a marketing presence is not to be undersold.

Tekken is whatever (I care so little about the franchise that faglovesjapangirls corrected me on projectiles and spirit bars) but there is no denying that people know who he is and the industry will talk about what he's doing, especially if Saudi money is backing the promotion.

 

[Neo Alec]

So the new AoF is going to be 3D... I hope not.

Of course it's going to be 3D. KOF XII and XIII was the end of that.

 

[Blue Steel]

Of course it's going to be 3D. KOF XII and XIII was the end of that.

Think they meant 3D movement like Tekken.

 

[NeoSeeD]

He is a hype machine and the value of that being a marketing presence is not to be undersold.

Tekken is whatever (I care so little about the franchise that faglovesjapangirls corrected me on projectiles and spirit bars) but there is no denying that people know who he is and the industry will talk about what he's doing, especially if Saudi money is backing the promotion.

Maybe. Time will tell. It could could go the way of James Gunn's DC. Hopefully, he creates his own IP brand instead of trying to reinvent a failed one.

 

[kernow]

So the new AoF is going to be 3D... I hope not.

Of course

 

[HAKAMI]

Harada and Itagaki traded barbs.

DOA knockoff confirm.