Tekken 8 Boss Says He's Tried To Reach Waffle House For a Crossover, To No Avail

For some time now, Tekken fans have been vocal about their desire to see a Waffle House stage in the game. While this request might sound whimsical, it has garnered significant attention, especially since Tekken 8's director, Katsuhiro Harada, has shown interest in exploring this idea further.

On X/Twitter, Harada engaged with fans who are still eagerly pushing for a Waffle House stage in Tekken 8. The demand has been consistent and has gained momentum, particularly because Harada himself has expressed a willingness to delve deeper into the concept.

Harada has stated that he "fully understands" the fans' requests and has been proactive about it. He revealed that over the past year, he has tried to establish contact through various channels to make this happen. However, he speculates that the lack of response might be due to his association with "fighting-themed video games."

To be honest, within the bounds of what I can say, I fully understand your (you guys) request—that's precisely why I had considered taking on this challenge. In fact, I had already been thinking about it quite a while ago.

Over the past year or more, I've actually tried to make… https://t.co/Sa5oSpk2IZ

— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) May 13, 2025

Harada pointed out that a lack of response is a rare occurrence. He also mentioned that if using a different name or format is acceptable, as long as "the core message is maintained," he would be open to revisiting the idea seriously.

It seems unlikely that Kazuya and Jin will be duking it out under the iconic yellow light of a Waffle House sign in the near future. However, Harada floated the idea of a parody or an in-universe alternative, suggesting "Hustle House" as a potential substitute.

Currently, Tekken 8 is rolling out Patch 2.01, following the announcement of Fahkumram's addition to the roster. Back in April, Harada addressed fan concerns about Tekken 8's Season 2, assuring that the tuning team is working diligently to incorporate feedback and enhance future updates.