Harada talks about Heihachi in TEKKEN 8, guest characters, and more

As a longtime fan of fighting games and a member of the dedicated Fighting Games Community (FGC), I’m always eager to learn more about the creative process behind my favorite titles. The opportunity to peek into the development of these games, gaining insights into character designs and mechanics, is an exciting prospect.

During the interview, key topics are brought up for discussion that matter to the gamers, such as Heihachi’s comeback in TEKKEN 8 and adjustments to the gameplay mechanics.

Interview with Harada about Heihachi in TEKKEN 8

Instead of “Below in our post, we highlight the best moments from it,” you could say “In this post, we’ve picked out the most noteworthy parts of the interview and shared them below.” Or, “We’ve selected the most intriguing parts of the interview and included them here for your convenience.”

TEKKEN 8: Heihachi returns!

As a dedicated gamer, I was taken aback when Heihachi Mishima was revealed as the upcoming DLC character for TEKKEN 8. I mean, we all saw him perish in the last installment, right? Or so we thought. Could Harada have kept that little detail hidden from us? The suspense is killing me!

In TEKKEN 7, against the story’s ending, fans strongly requested the return of a certain character by the players. To meet these fan expectations and honor the 30th anniversary of the TEKKEN series, developers chose to include this character in TEKKEN 8.

As a long-time fan of the TEKKEN series, I can understand the excitement and anticipation surrounding the story arc between Heihachi and Kazuya. The depth of their relationship and the potential for resolution has always been a captivating aspect of the game. I remember feeling shocked when Heihachi seemed to meet his end in TEKKEN 7, but the unexpected release of TEKKEN 8 brought new hope.

Owning TEKKEN 8’s Heihachi doesn’t guarantee the same character from past editions. Developers introduce significant modifications to his movesets, adding an exciting new twist when battling against characters like Eddy and Lidia.

Although we can’t discuss the specifics of Heihachi’s gameplay in TEKKEN 8 just yet, Kohei Ikeda has shared some intriguing tidbits. He emphasized Heihachi’s strong fighting style and dropped hints about the monks depicted in the trailer.

As someone who has been following the Tekken series since its early days, I can tell you that this new character in TEKKEN 8 is shaping up to be quite intriguing. From the footage we’ve seen so far, it’s clear that he brings a powerful and distinctive playstyle to the table. The developers have made it their priority to capture this essence of his character, which I find truly exciting.

Changes in the core system of TEKKEN 8

As a dedicated gamer of TEKKEN 8, I’ve noticed the game has been undergoing some exciting evolutions since its release. We’ve already witnessed significant shifts in fundamental mechanics, like the Heat system, with noteworthy updates in patches 1.04 and 1.05. Looking ahead, what can players anticipate next? The development team is continually refining the gameplay experience to keep us on our toes!

I’ve been part of the team working on this game, and after its release, we noticed some areas for improvement with the Heat system. While the offensive aspects were fun and effective, the defensive options, like side-stepping or utilizing the 3D environment strategically, seemed a bit lacking compared to previous installments. With the recent update, we’ve beefed up those features, making the game feel more balanced and enjoyable for both offense and defense. We don’t plan on drastically altering the core game system itself, but we’re always working to enhance the player experience.

Off-the-wall and guest characters

In the TEKKEN collection, the series is recognized for its unusual cast of characters. However, TEKKEN 8 features merely Kuma and Panda among its roster.

The developers express their desire for each fighter in the game to have distinct and original move sets, instead of mimicking the moves of other characters.

In simpler terms, the creators haven’t reconsidered their approach to the franchise. It’s not a deliberate decision to eliminate those specific characters. However, if you examine their roles in earlier versions closely, you’ll notice that some of their movesets were borrowed from other characters, while only their appearance differed. We strive for each character to have its own distinct identity. But we can’t rule out their return completely – it just depends on the current plans.

Inviting guest characters into TEKKEN may seem like a straightforward and enjoyable proposition, but it’s actually a more intricate process than one might imagine. It entails negotiating contracts with intellectual property (IP) holders and dealing with the intricacies of production, such as securing voiceovers from the talent involved.

As a gamer, I can tell you from my experience that there’s more to bringing new content into a game than meets the eye. In the background, there are negotiations between different parties to ensure everyone’s interests are met. For instance, does the IP owner agree to let their property be included in our game? If so, we need to align our timelines for the character’s appearance. But what if they have other plans and can’t accommodate us right away?

The wonderful interview by IGN has more details than our highlights, so check out the full video.