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

Despite Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada's long-held dream, a Colonel Sanders appearance in the Tekken franchise remains elusive. Even after years of hoping, his proposal has been rejected.

Harada's Colonel Sanders x Tekken Request Rejected by KFC and His Own Team

Even Internal Approval Wasn't Enough

Harada's desire to include the KFC founder and mascot, Colonel Sanders, as a fighter in Tekken is well-documented. In a recent interview with The Gamer, he revealed that both KFC and his own superiors have vetoed the idea. He recounted personally reaching out to KFC Japan, only to be met with resistance.

This isn't a new ambition for Harada. He previously expressed his desire for a Colonel Sanders guest fighter on his YouTube channel, describing the subsequent rejection as a disheartening experience. Therefore, fans shouldn't anticipate a KFC crossover in Tekken 8 anytime soon.

Game designer Michael Murray elaborated on the KFC interaction, stating that KFC wasn't receptive to the proposal. He speculated that the issue might stem from the Colonel fighting other characters, but acknowledged the complexities of such collaborations.

Harada has openly admitted his "dream" of including Colonel Sanders, even detailing a developed concept with Director Ikeda. He believed it would be a brilliant addition, but KFC's marketing department reportedly deemed it unappealing to players. He concluded the interview with a plea to KFC, urging them to reconsider.

Tekken has successfully incorporated various guest characters, including Akuma (Street Fighter), Noctis (Final Fantasy), and Negan (The Walking Dead). However, despite fan requests, a Waffle House crossover also seems unlikely, according to Harada, due to logistical challenges. Nevertheless, fans can look forward to the return of Heihachi Mishima as the game's third DLC character.