In an interview with iGamesNews about the past and future of the Tekken series on its 30th anniversary, Tekken 8 executive producer Katsuhiro Harada (translated via producer Michael Murray) said that the pair may still be working together before delivering on the Tekken series. Will have another Iron Fist. Give the reins to others.
This is to answer the question of what Harada’s hopes are for the future of Tekken. You can read the full interview here and get his thoughts on other topics, including what it’s like to have Tekken become the last 3D fighting game and why Tekken has lasted so long while other IPs have struggled.
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“It’s really hard to say. Murray and I, we’ll probably only have one more Tekken due to age and how it’s grown and developed in Japan and things like that. 20-30 years is a long time time, so you might have another team, that’s how the company works, right? The Tekken team is kind of unique in that even if you take the two of us, there’s still a director and a leader on the team, we’re all on the same team . The age range is similar, which is pretty unique, and in most cases everyone on the team has been on the team for at least 20 years, so it might become more casual after we leave. ? Probably like Super Smash Bros. ”
Harada, through Murray, continued to express his concerns about the balance of power within the Tekken team once he and other senior employees who had been with the Tekken team for decades left.
“I’m worried, to be honest, because there are so many factors that go into making a game. So, obviously, the board of directors and the financial people have their own goals, like the financial goals of the game and how the game relates to the company. They’re just like you It’s naturally very powerful as you imagine it, so it’s important to have the creativity to make people aware of the game. brilliantly and know what it is need become”.
“But there must be a strong enough voice [on the development team] On the same floor as those people. So my concern is if you have a creative side but it’s not in the same position as the people who run the business… I worry about how that’s going to play out”.
However, when I then asked him if he was worried that the power of Tekken’s creative development team would be diminished with his departure, he again provided confirmation and further elaboration via Murray. “Yes. It’s actually a difficult balance because if the creative side is stronger than the board of directors of the company – which sometimes happens, right – then the company may not survive. [laughs] So, it’s a delicate balance.
If you’ve been a long-time Tekken fan, it’s hard to imagine a future without Harada, Murray, and the many veteran leaders who have played cornerstone roles in the ever-growing Tekken franchise. The couple I interviewed are very much the faces and voices in the game, communicating directly with the community about matters serious and joyful.
But it’s not an unfamiliar problem, especially for Japanese game development, where a few key star developers have been taking leading roles in various franchises over the years. Many of these legends started in the early PlayStation days – or even earlier! It’s only natural that over time, new names and faces will have to take up the torch. One can only look to the young and ambitious talent in Street Fighter 6 as a model of success, something one hopes all great video game series can achieve.
