Katsuhiro Harada teases Tekken 8 to have larger roster than Street Fighter 6 at launch

Bandai Namco’s upcoming fighting game Tekken 8 has been making waves in the gaming community, and the game’s producer Katsuhiro Harada has been keeping fans updated through Twitter. Recently, Harada made a bold statement that has sparked the interest of Tekken and Street Fighter fans worldwide.

Harada has been active on Twitter, answering questions and giving insights into the development of Tekken 8. One fan asked Harada about the roster size of the upcoming game, to which he responded with a bold statement, “I think it’s a lot more than Capcom-san.”

This was in reference to Street Fighter 6, Capcom’s latest entry into their popular fighting game franchise, which is set to release on June 2, 2023. Street Fighter 6 will launch with 18 playable characters, but Harada’s comment suggests that Tekken 8 will have an even larger roster at launch.

I think it's a lot more than Capcom-san.
Of course, character modeling, rigging, and costume design are all new assets, so it's hard work.
That's why we're trying to increase the number of launches. https://t.co/d4BOZYxRBM

— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) April 9, 2023

Currently, 12 characters have been revealed for Tekken 8, including series mainstays such as Kazuya Mishima, Jin Kazama, and Nina Williams. Harada noted that creating 3D models for all these characters is a challenging task, but the team is pushing themselves to deliver a sizeable roster at launch.

It’s important to note that Tekken has always been known for its large and diverse character roster, with the previous entry, Tekken 7, launching with 36 playable characters. Fans can expect Tekken 8 to follow in this tradition, with Harada’s comment hinting at a roster size that could potentially surpass previous entries in the series.

While there is no official release date for Tekken 8 yet, fans can look forward to a game with a robust character roster and the same fast-paced gameplay that they have come to love from the series.