Fighting games are known for having diverse character rosters. TEKKEN is no exception, presenting fighters from different cultures and ethnicities throughout its releases. However, a player accused the franchise's creators of being racist, prompting Katsuhiro Harada to address the issue.
TEKKEN 8, the latest installment in the popular fighting game franchise, will hit stores at the end of January. As its release is imminent, the identities of all the characters in the base roster are already known. A fan pointed out the absence of a specific fighter, Eddy Gordo.
Specifically, the user took to social media to claim that the creators of the intellectual property are racist for not including the Brazilian fighter. Additionally, they accused Katsuhiro Harada and his team of "not caring about black characters or people with dark skin."
Katsuhiro Harada responds to fans claiming TEKKEN 8 is racist
The producer and supervisor of the Bandai Namco franchise did not stand idly by. In a post, he responded to the fan in a straightforward manner. He pointed out that the fighting game features 2 black characters: Leroy Smith and Raven. Furthermore, he stated that he does not feel offended or discriminated against because there are no Japanese characters in productions from the United States.
"If you think you can claim anything in that way and it will pass, you're wrong. Leroy and Raven will kick your ass (…) You're not logical, and you're just a delusional person who doesn't even realize that, even if it were an emotional discussion, it makes no sense," the Japanese creator affirmed.
This comment triggered a flood of posts from users defending and attacking Katsuhiro Harada, who was very active on social media during the week to respond to the accusations against him. Additionally, the developer shed light on the design process behind the characters in the saga.
"When I had the idea for this character, I knew he would be the best in the world of TEKKEN in terms of design, fighting style, and personality. That was the first thing that mattered to me. That's the most important point, don't you think?" the creative spoke about Leroy Smith.
After responding to all kinds of messages, the prestigious supervisor and director of the IP set aside the topic to avoid wasting more time and focus on the game that will debut in a few weeks. However, he took the opportunity to acknowledge that the franchise is not perfect, but they strive to improve.
"Of course, we don't consider our IP to be perfect. We may have made mistakes, but at least we learned a lot and try to make as many people love it as possible," Katsuhiro Harada stated.
But tell us, what do you think of this discussion? Do you agree with Katsuhiro Harada's statements? Let us know in the comments.
TEKKEN 8 will be available for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC starting January 26, 2024.
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