Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada is working on a Bandai Namco Entertainment game with one of the highest development costs in its history.
GamesTalk reports (translation: DeepL, adjusted) reports that during CyberConnect2’s “Pilo Live! New Year’s Eve Live Broadcast Special 2021” livestream, Harada was asked “Did anything good happen in 2020?”
As part of his anwser, Harada reportedly explained how the idea he had in his youth of making 50 video games was becoming unlikely. He also admitted that he was “probably involved in more things than people think” on new games, and that there was “only a limited number of completely original games that I can be involved in.”
“To be honest, I don’t think I can do three. Considering how much time I have left. If I include Tekken, I might be able to make three games, but if I’m working on a new game, I think I’ll only be able to make two more serious games.”
Harada also explained how he wanted to avoid a management position due to what it would involve and losing some of his salary. As such he had asked to be “selfish” to keep a job that was more focused on game development. It is at this moment he revealed he was working on “one of the biggest development cost in the history” of Bandai Namco.
I’m sorry to say that if I do that, I’m going to have to manage the attendance of a huge number of people, stamp, reimbursement, and so on… I’m sorry, but I don’t want to lose my salary if I lose my position as a manager.
That’s why I asked for a lot of selfishness, and while keeping my various statuses, I was allowed to have a job that was more like development, or a development project, and I was able to pass my own plans, and to be honest, I’m talking about one of the biggest development costs in the history of Bannam [Bandai Namco].
I think it was great that the current president and managing director gave the OK for such a project. I think it was great that the current president and the managing director were okay with it. I do a lot more than just gaming.
I probably won’t play any more gaming because “Tekken” is good enough for me (laughs). I’m definitely not going to say what it is.
In July 2020, Harada asked if he should start streaming information about upcoming games. This was likely in response to the cancellation of EVO Online after multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse were made against co-founder and CEO Joey “MrWizard” Cuellar and other prominent members of the fighting game community.
Harada’s involvement almost guarantees the game will be a fighting game, but what exactly makes it such an expensive project will be unknown until it is revealed. We will keep informed as we learn more.
Image: Wikipedia
