Tekken Director Katsuhiro Harada's Colonel Sanders Dream Remains Unfulfilled

Despite years of yearning, Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada's ambition to feature Colonel Sanders in the fighting game franchise remains unachieved. This, despite his repeated attempts and a fully formed concept.

Harada's proposal, initially pitched to KFC Japan, was rejected. This rejection wasn't solely from KFC; Harada's own superiors also voiced disapproval. He even described receiving a disapproving look when his idea was dismissed.

According to game designer Michael Murray, KFC wasn't receptive to the idea, possibly due to concerns about player reception of a fighting Colonel Sanders. This highlights the complexities involved in securing such crossovers.

Harada himself has openly expressed his desire for the Colonel's inclusion, even detailing a well-developed concept created with director Ikeda. He believes the crossover would be a resounding success, contrasting with the marketing department's skepticism. He even issued a public plea to KFC in a recent interview: "If anyone from KFC reads this interview, please contact me!"

While Tekken has successfully integrated characters like Akuma (Street Fighter), Noctis (Final Fantasy), and Negan (The Walking Dead), the Colonel Sanders crossover remains elusive. Similar attempts to include Waffle House have also proven unsuccessful. Despite this setback, fans can anticipate the return of Heihachi Mishima as the game's third DLC character.