Tekken 8 producer Katsuhiro Harada has expressed interest in more Final Fantasy characters being added to the game’s playable roster, and fans are hoping Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa is one of them.
During an interview with IGN, Tekken 8 executive producer Katsuhiro Harada, game director Kuhei Ikeda, and producer Michael Murray shared their interest in the possibility of more Final Fantasy characters making an appearance on the game’s roster now that Clive Rosefield is available, while fans continue to hope for the arrival of Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa.
The Tekken 8 developers mentioned that the gameplay from Final Fantasy XVI is a bit more action-oriented, which is why Clive fit in with the fighting game. They were then asked whether there ever any consideration for including other Final Fantasy characters, such as Cloud from Final Fantasy VII. In response, Harada clarified that the development team isn’t limited to just one character from Final Fantasy. He added that it might be good if the game featured two characters from Square Enix’s role-playing game series, but that’s not something the Tekken team can decide on their own.
The Tekken 8 developers were also asked if there was anything that, while working with Square Enix, they felt that they absolutely had to get correct when bringing Clive into the fighting game. In response, Ikeda said that, while there were many things, one of the key points was Phoenix Gate. He discussed that it was important for the team to ensure the Eikons are portrayed correctly during the action.
For example, when you smash your opponent into the wall, they get attacked by an Eikon and blasted across the screen. Additionally, when you send your opponent to the ground, another Eikon performs an attack and sends them flying through the air. The way these moments transition seamlessly during the battle was something the Tekken 8 development team paid particular attention to. Another thing was Clive’s transformation during battle. These were details that the team felt it had to perfect.
