Tekken with Colonel Sanders? No, But Not For a Lack of Trying

Tekken Director's Colonel Sanders Crossover Dream Remains Unfulfilled

Despite Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada's long-held desire to feature Colonel Sanders in the fighting game franchise, the crossover remains a pipe dream. Harada revealed in a recent interview with The Gamer that both KFC and his own superiors have rejected his proposal.

This isn't a new aspiration for Harada; he's previously expressed his enthusiasm for a Colonel Sanders guest fighter on his YouTube channel. His attempts to secure the collaboration, including direct contact with KFC Japan, proved unsuccessful. According to game designer Michael Murray, KFC wasn't receptive to the idea.

Harada's disappointment is palpable. He's stated that he and his team have a fully developed concept for the character, confident it would be a "brilliant" addition. However, KFC's marketing department apparently believes players wouldn't embrace the crossover. Harada even issued a public plea in the interview, urging KFC to reconsider.

The Tekken series has a history of successful guest character collaborations, including Akuma (Street Fighter), Noctis (Final Fantasy), and Negan (The Walking Dead). However, the Colonel Sanders and even a Waffle House crossover appear to be far-fetched, with Harada acknowledging the challenges involved in securing such partnerships. Despite this setback, fans can anticipate the return of Heihachi Mishima as the game's third DLC character.