Veteran fighter Anna Williams is making a comeback in Tekken 8, and her new look has stirred quite a buzz among fans. While many have embraced her redesign, a vocal minority has likened her appearance to Santa Claus, sparking a heated debate.
When a fan requested the return of Anna's classic design, Tekken's game director and chief producer, Katsuhiro Harada, responded firmly. He stated, "If you prefer the old design, I am not taking those away from you." Harada pointed out that 98% of fans have welcomed the new design, yet acknowledged the minority's personal taste. He emphasized that past games with the original design are still available and criticized the fan for claiming to speak for all Anna enthusiasts. Harada further rebuked the fan's threats to quit and their demand for a reversion, calling their approach unconstructive and disrespectful to other fans.
In a separate exchange, when a commenter criticized the lack of re-released older games with modern netcode and labeled Harada's response as a "joke," the director retorted sharply, "Thank you for POINTLESS reply. You yourself are the joke. MUTED."
Despite the controversy, the general reception to Anna's new design remains positive. Redditor AngryBreadRevolution expressed satisfaction with the new look, appreciating the edgier and vengeful persona it conveys. They noted the hair complements the outfit well, though acknowledged the coat's resemblance to Christmas attire. Other fans, like troonpins and Cheap_Ad4756, also shared mixed feelings, with some elements of the design, such as the white feathers, drawing comparisons to Santa Claus. Spiralqq criticized the overall design as overdone, suggesting it lacks focus and resembles Santa cosplay due to the bright red coat with white fur trims and a black belt.
The community's reactions to Anna's redesign can be seen on platforms like Reddit, where users have actively discussed and shared their thoughts on her new outfit in comparison to her look in Tekken 7.
Meanwhile, Tekken 8 has achieved significant commercial success, selling 3 million copies within a year of its release, outpacing Tekken 7, which took a decade to reach 12 million copies worldwide.
In our IGN's Tekken 8 review, we praised the game, awarding it a 9/10. We highlighted its innovative tweaks to the classic fighting systems, a variety of engaging offline modes, the introduction of compelling new characters, robust training tools, and a significantly improved online experience. We concluded that Tekken 8 honors its legacy while pushing forward, making it a standout entry in the series.
