Tekken Director's Colonel Sanders Dream Remains Unfulfilled

Despite Katsuhiro Harada's long-held desire to include Colonel Sanders in the Tekken fighting game franchise, the iconic KFC mascot remains absent. Harada revealed in a recent interview with The Gamer that his proposal was rejected, not only by KFC, but also by his own superiors.

This isn't a new aspiration for Harada. He previously expressed his enthusiasm for a Tekken x Colonel Sanders crossover on his YouTube channel, even detailing a fully formed concept with director Ikeda. However, KFC's marketing department deemed the idea unpopular with players, effectively quashing the collaboration. Harada even publicly appealed to KFC in the interview, urging them to reconsider.

Game designer Michael Murray elaborated on the failed attempt, stating that KFC was unreceptive to Harada's proposal. He speculated that the potential conflict of having Colonel Sanders fight might have been a contributing factor. The experience highlights the challenges involved in securing such crossovers.

While the Colonel Sanders dream remains unfulfilled, Tekken has successfully integrated other guest characters, including Akuma (Street Fighter), Noctis (Final Fantasy), and Negan (The Walking Dead). However, Harada's ambitions extend beyond KFC, as he previously mentioned considering a Waffle House crossover—another endeavor that seems unlikely.

Despite these setbacks, fans can anticipate the return of Heihachi Mishima as the game's third DLC character.