Veteran Tekken 8 fighter Anna Williams is making a comeback, and while her new design has been warmly received by the majority of fans, it has also sparked some controversy, with a few fans drawing comparisons to Santa Claus due to her outfit's resemblance to festive attire.
When a fan expressed a desire for the return of Anna's previous design, Tekken game director and chief producer Katsuhiro Harada responded sharply. Harada pointed out that while 98% of fans have welcomed the new design, there will always be critics. He emphasized that past versions of Anna are still available for those who prefer them, stating, "If you prefer the old design, I am not taking those away from you."
Harada further criticized the fan's approach, noting that claiming to speak for all Anna fans was inappropriate and that the fan's threats to quit and demands for reverting the design were unconstructive and disrespectful to other fans who are excited about the new look. He remarked, "Either way, your method of expressing your opinion and the content of your argument are entirely unconstructive, utterly pointless, and, above all, disrespectful to the other Anna fans who are genuinely looking forward to her."
In response to another comment criticizing the lack of re-released older games with modern netcode, Harada dismissed the comment as "POINTLESS" and labeled the commenter as "a joke," subsequently muting them.
Despite the mixed reactions, the general sentiment towards Anna's new design remains positive. Redditor AngryBreadRevolution shared their satisfaction with the design, appreciating the new, edgier look and hoping for a vengeful storyline for Anna. They noted, "Before she was announced I was hoping for an edgier, angry, violent Anna out for revenge for her fiance's death and so I'm quite happy with this design!"
Other fans, like troonpins, expressed liking everything about the new outfit except for the white feathers, which they felt contributed to the Santa Claus comparison. Cheap_Ad4756 felt that Anna's new look made her appear younger and less like the mature, dominant character she used to be. Meanwhile, spiralqq was critical of the design, feeling it was overly complicated and lacked focus, particularly disliking the coat's resemblance to Santa's attire.
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. In IGN's Tekken 8 review, the game was praised for its innovative tweaks to the fighting system, robust offline modes, new characters, training tools, and improved online experience, earning a score of 9/10. The review concluded, "By honoring its legacy, but continuing to move forward, Tekken 8 manages to stand out as something special."
