Tekken 8 Director Slams Fan Over Anna Williams' New Look Critique

Veteran Tekken 8 fighter Anna Williams is making a comeback, sporting a new look that has stirred mixed reactions among fans. While many are embracing her redesign, a vocal minority has critiqued it, with some even drawing humorous comparisons to Santa Claus due to the outfit's red coat and white fur trims.

When a fan expressed a desire for Anna's classic look and asked Tekken's game director and chief producer, Katsuhiro Harada, to revert her design, Harada responded firmly. He defended the new design, stating, "If you prefer the old design, I am not taking those away from you." He pointed out that 98% of fans were welcoming the change, and criticized the vocal minority for being unconstructive and disrespectful to other Anna fans who were excited about the new look.

Harada also addressed another fan's comment about the lack of rereleases of older Tekken games with modern netcode, calling the feedback "pointless" and muting the user. Despite these criticisms, the overall reception to Anna's redesign has been largely positive, with fans appreciating various elements of her new outfit.

Redditor AngryBreadRevolution shared their approval, saying, "Before she was announced I was hoping for an edgier, angry, violent Anna out for revenge for her fiance's death and so I'm quit happy with this design!" They noted that while the hair and coat had mixed reactions, other aspects like the leotard, tights, boots, and gloves were well-received. Other fans, like troonpins and Cheap_Ad4756, expressed mixed feelings, with some appreciating the youthful and fresh look while others missed the more mature and dominatrix vibe of her previous designs. Spiralqq criticized the outfit for being overdesigned and lacking focus, particularly disliking the Santa-like appearance of the coat.

Despite the debates over Anna's new look, Tekken 8 has been a commercial success, selling 3 million copies within a year of its release—a faster pace than Tekken 7, which took a decade to reach 12 million copies. IGN's review of Tekken 8 praised the game, giving it a 9/10 score, highlighting its innovative tweaks to the classic fighting system, robust offline modes, new characters, advanced training tools, and improved online experience. The review concluded that by respecting its legacy while pushing forward, Tekken 8 distinguishes itself as a remarkable addition to the franchise.