Tekken Director's Colonel Sanders Crossover Dream Remains Unfulfilled
Despite years of yearning, Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada's ambition to include Colonel Sanders in the fighting game franchise remains thwarted, as revealed in a recent interview. Harada's proposal, pitched to KFC's Japanese headquarters, was rejected, a setback he described as receiving a "bad look."
This isn't a new desire; Harada previously expressed his enthusiasm for a Colonel Sanders guest fighter on his YouTube channel. He even detailed a fully formed concept, developed with Director Ikeda, confident in its potential brilliance. However, KFC's marketing department deemed it unlikely to resonate with players, effectively quashing the idea. Harada publicly appealed for KFC to reconsider, extending an open invitation for contact.
Game designer Michael Murray elaborated on the failed collaboration attempt, stating that KFC was "not very open to the idea," highlighting the inherent challenges in securing such crossovers. This rejection is particularly intriguing considering the success of other unexpected guest characters in the Tekken franchise, including Akuma (Street Fighter), Noctis (Final Fantasy), and Negan (The Walking Dead).
Harada's culinary crossover aspirations extend beyond KFC; he also considered a Waffle House inclusion, but acknowledged the limitations in realizing such collaborations independently. Despite this setback, fans can anticipate the return of Heihachi Mishima as the game's third DLC character.
The Colonel Sanders saga serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in securing high-profile character crossovers, even for a franchise as successful as Tekken. For now, the dream remains just that – a dream.
