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

Despite Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada's long-held dream, a Colonel Sanders cameo in the Tekken series remains elusive. Even after years of hoping, Harada's proposal has been rejected, not just by KFC, but by his own superiors as well.

Harada's Colonel Sanders x Tekken Request Shot Down By KFC

Harada's Dreams Denied by KFC and His Own Team

In a recent interview with The Gamer, Harada revealed his past attempts to secure Colonel Sanders as a playable character. He personally contacted KFC's Japanese headquarters, only to be met with refusal. This isn't a new desire; Harada previously expressed his enthusiasm for a Tekken x KFC crossover on his YouTube channel. His efforts, however, were met with disapproval, leaving him with a less-than-positive experience. As a result, fans shouldn't expect a KFC crossover in Tekken 8 anytime soon.

Game designer Michael Murray elaborated on the situation, stating that KFC was "not very open to the idea," despite other games featuring Colonel Sanders. He highlighted the inherent difficulties in negotiating such crossovers.

Harada previously admitted to dreaming of incorporating Colonel Sanders into Tekken, even detailing collaborative ideas with Director Ikeda. He believed a Colonel Sanders character could be brilliantly implemented. However, KFC's marketing department deemed the crossover unlikely to resonate with players, leading to consistent rejection from all sides. Harada concluded his comments with a direct plea to KFC: "So if anyone from KFC reads this interview, please contact me!"

The Tekken franchise has successfully integrated various guest characters, including Akuma from Street Fighter, Final Fantasy's Noctis, and Negan from The Walking Dead. However, Harada's ambition extends beyond KFC; he also considered a Waffle House crossover, though that also seems improbable. He acknowledged the limitations in pursuing such collaborations independently. Despite the Colonel Sanders setback, fans can anticipate the return of Heihachi Mishima as the game's third DLC character.