TEKKEN 8 had a bunch of latest reveals at this yr’s Evo, together with the primary gameplay trailer for Armor King, and the reveal of the ultimate season two DLC Character, Miary Zo, who brings a definite look, a stage, and a milestone for the TEKKEN sequence.
Earlier than Miary Zo’s official reveal, although, we at Destructoid received a sneak peek of the trailer at Evo 2025 and received to speak to a number of members of the TEKKEN 8 improvement crew. This included Kohei Ikeda (Nakatsu), the chief producer and sport director, and Katsuhiro Harada, producer and govt sport Director on the TEKKEN Undertaking. Producer Michael Murray translated for each Nakatsu and Harada throughout our interview.
The character’s reveal over the weekend has been making headlines in Africa for serving to to maintain a centuries-old materials artwork from Madagascar alive. Harada and the crew instructed us at Destructoid that the crew needed to maintain the authenticity of the area in TEKKEN 8.
“So we truly went to Madagascar, and Madagascar as a complete truly has a really vibrant TEKKEN neighborhood who’re actively doing like tournaments. And so we, forward of time, received in touch with a few of the folks locally.” Harada instructed Destructoid. “As soon as we went there, we received to speak to folks on the bottom, after which additionally even go to a college, to satisfy the scholars and college and ask questions in regards to the native tradition. On the time, nobody knew that they had been doing analysis for a brand new character.”
Murray then went on to additional clarify Harada and Nakatsu’s journey to the area (one which he mentioned he couldn’t sadly attend however wished he had), saying that Madagascar is a singular nation due to its influences.
“They tried to make it genuine by working with some advisors locally there to be sure that they’re creating one thing that appears like it could be from that space,” Murray instructed Destructoid. Harada then joined in, saying that “It was fairly difficult, however we had been capable of create one thing fairly distinctive, as a result of we truly had somebody from the nation do the voiceover for it, which was difficult, as a result of it appears that evidently in Madagascar, they don’t have an enormous trade for voice appearing. It’s primarily a couple of individuals who do voice dubs.”
After Harada and the crew mentioned their course of for creating the character and their journey, I needed to know the origin of the concept and why they selected Madagascar as the premise for a brand new unique character. Harada and the crew had been fast in explaining their choices, in addition to how they went about creating characters as a complete.
“Generally it’s a selected preventing type that we select, or perhaps a sure idea sketch from an artist that begins it off,” Harada mentioned. “However for this time, it was extra locking in on that area first and deciding that we’ve by no means achieved somebody from Africa, so we want to attempt it. However then, even inside that African space, Madagascar is itself fairly distinctive. So though it’s someplace the place most individuals have heard of earlier than, nobody is aware of a complete lot about it. So we thought that might be a very distinctive start line, and that in the event that they go there, they’d get some form of inspiration on an idea to flesh out.”
Harada additionally continued to precise his concepts on including new characters to the sport every season and what the crew appears to do to make as many individuals as comfortable.
“We begin off with a roster initially. And though there are lots of characters that we needed to place in—we simply couldn’t, due to the period of time and sources.” Harada instructed us. “For Season One, the theme was story-based with [things like] the return of Heihachi, however then additionally, form of the assist characters, story-wise… However for season two, it was extra making an attempt to get these fan favorites that also weren’t within the sport but, plus doing a brand new unique character nobody had seen earlier than. As a result of we needed to make one thing new for a change, however whereas additionally making an attempt to please followers who’re ready for his or her favourite.”
Harada additionally touched on the broader Tekken story when deciding DLC and new characters, contemplating the sport is the longest-running story in video video games. And whereas the story is kind of essential, it’s not the “be-all end-all” when deciding which characters to make.
“The character has to really feel distinctive and stand out, after which we discover a technique to make it work.” Harada instructed us, however once I requested him additional if we will belief his work transferring ahead contemplating for the longest time he mentioned Heihachi was lifeless and would by no means come again to the sport, just for him to look as a season one DLC character, Harada solely mentioned he was “sorry that he did it on goal” that it was “deliberate for a bit” to make it a shock, and for a way far we will belief him transferring ahead?
“It’s arduous to inform.”
