The return of veteran character Anna Williams to the roster of Tekken 8 has sparked a range of reactions from fans, particularly regarding her new design. While the majority of the community has embraced the changes, a vocal minority has drawn comparisons between Anna's new look and Santa Claus, expressing dissatisfaction.

In response to criticism about Anna's redesign, Tekken game director and chief producer Katsuhiro Harada was direct and unapologetic. When a fan requested the return of Anna's "old design," Harada responded, "If you prefer the old design, I am not taking those away from you." He further emphasized that while 98% of fans were welcoming the new design, critics should recognize their opinions as personal rather than representative of all Anna fans. Harada criticized the unconstructive nature of the feedback, suggesting that such demands and threats to quit the game were disrespectful to the broader community eagerly anticipating Anna's return.

Harada's frustration was evident in another interaction where he sharply rebuked a commenter who criticized the lack of rereleases of older Tekken games with modern netcode, calling the reply "POINTLESS" and muting the user.

Despite the negative feedback, the majority of reactions to Anna's new design have been positive. On platforms like Reddit, users such as AngryBreadRevolution expressed satisfaction with the new look, appreciating the edgier and more vengeful persona. They noted that while the new hair style might not suit all outfits, the original bob would still be available, and praised elements like the leotard, tights, boots, and gloves, though the coat's resemblance to Christmas attire was less favored.

Other users, like troonpins, enjoyed most of the new design but felt the white feathers were reminiscent of Santa Claus. Cheap_Ad4756 observed that Anna appeared younger and less like a mature woman, missing the dominatrix vibe from previous iterations. Spiralqq was more critical, describing the design as overdone and lacking focus, suggesting the removal of the coat to alleviate the Santa-like appearance.

Amidst the discussion around Anna's design, Tekken 8 has achieved significant commercial success, selling 3 million copies within a year of its release, a pace faster than Tekken 7, which took a decade to reach 12 million copies. IGN's Tekken 8 review lauded the game, awarding it a 9/10 and praising its innovative updates to the fighting system, diverse offline modes, new characters, robust training tools, and enhanced online experience. The review highlighted how Tekken 8 honors its legacy while pushing the series forward, making it a standout title in the franchise.