The announcement of Anna Williams as Tekken 8’s first Season 2 character has prompted some fans to voice their dislike of her new character design. A lot of the backlash was addressed to producer Katsuhiro Harada directly on X, who responded with his thoughts on the matter.
While Harada understands where some veteran players are coming from, he reminds them that past Tekken games are still available to play for those who prefer Anna’s previous looks. Harada goes on to say that many of those who call themselves “Anna fans” are just voicing their own opinions and do not speak for the majority of players. According to Harada, about 98% of fans approve of Anna’s new design.
Developers cannot seem to win when it comes to fan criticism. Using Anna Williams as an example, Harada points out that people complained when she was not in the game, and are now complaining again after she’s been added. Funnily, he suggests that if the team had kept Anna’s old look instead of making her from scratch, they likely would have been accused of “recycling.” To appease fans old and new, Tekken 8 often implements alternate costumes that reference characters’ older looks while creating new designs for their default appearances.
Anna’s Costume 3 is a modern take on her Corset Dress outfit in Tekken 6, while her Costume 4 pays homage to her Tekken 7 look. Her default appearance is brand-new, as she sports a new asymmetrical bob haircut with red highlights and dons a red coat, a lace top, and red pants. While she looks understandably different from her past iterations, her personality and outfit undoubtedly make her Nina Williams’ younger sister.
When it comes to praise for Anna’s new design, Harada makes sure to let players know that positive opinions are greatly appreciated by the Tekken 8 development team. Harada explains that while he does not like responding to negative opinions, he addresses them more than positive comments to avoid spreading misinformation and toxicity.
Anna Williams arrives in Tekken 8 on March 31 (PDT) for Early Access adopters and April 3 for everyone else. Tekken 8 is available for the PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
