Veteran Tekken 8 character Anna Williams is making a comeback, sporting a new look that has largely been well-received by fans. However, not everyone is on board with her redesign, with some even drawing humorous comparisons to Santa Claus due to her outfit's red coat and white fur trims.
When a fan expressed a desire for Anna's old design to return, Tekken game director and chief producer Katsuhiro Harada responded firmly. "If you prefer the old design, I am not taking those away from you," Harada stated, emphasizing that previous versions of the game with the original design are still available. He further highlighted that while the vast majority of fans are embracing the new look, there will always be dissenters. Harada criticized the fan's approach, suggesting that such feedback was unconstructive and disrespectful to other fans who are excited about the new Anna.
In another exchange, when a commenter criticized the lack of rereleases of older Tekken games with modern netcode and called Harada's response a "joke," the director retorted sharply, calling the comment "POINTLESS" and the commenter a "joke" before muting them.
Despite the controversy, many fans are happy with Anna's new design. Redditor AngryBreadRevolution expressed satisfaction, appreciating the new, edgier look and hoping for an Anna driven by revenge. They noted that while the coat reminded them of Christmas, other elements like the leotard, tights, boots, and gloves were well-received. Other fans, like troonpins, appreciated most aspects of the design but were not fans of the white feathers, likening the overall look to Santa Claus. Cheap_Ad4756 felt that Anna appeared younger and less like a mature woman, missing the previous "dominatrix" vibe. Spiralqq was critical of the overall design, feeling it was overdone and lacked focus, and would prefer the outfit without the coat.
The discussion around Anna's new look has sparked significant engagement on platforms like Reddit, where fans continue to share their thoughts and preferences.
Tekken 8 has achieved impressive sales, reaching 3 million copies sold within a year of its release, outpacing Tekken 7, which took a decade to sell 12 million units. In IGN's Tekken 8 review, the game was praised for its innovative updates to the classic fighting system, engaging offline modes, fresh characters, robust training tools, and enhanced online experience, earning a 9/10 rating. The review concluded that by respecting its legacy while pushing forward, Tekken 8 distinguishes itself as a standout entry in the series.
