Tekken 8 Director Confirms Fan Favorite Eliza Won’t Return
Tekken 8, the latest installment in Bandai Namco’s legendary fighting game franchise, introduces a fresh lineup of characters for the newest generation of consoles.
The roster features a mix of new faces, like Reina, Victor, and Azucena, alongside returning favorites such as Xiaoyu and Jin, however, a fan favourite character Eliza is missing from the roster.
Katsuhiro Harada, the director and producer of Tekken 8, recently shared his thoughts on Eliza, the vampire character from Tekken 7 and Tekken Revolution. Despite her popularity among fans, Harada indicated that her return to the series is unlikely due to the challenges she presents in game balancing.
In addition to its base roster, Tekken 8 is expanding through downloadable content, with four DLC fighters set to be released throughout 2024. So far, three of these fighters—Eddy Gordo, Lidia Sobieska, and Heihachi Mishima—have already joined the game, all of them returning characters from previous titles.
The fourth DLC fighter, expected to debut this winter, has sparked much speculation, with rumors suggesting another familiar face, such as Marduk or Fahkumram. However, when a fan recently suggested Eliza as a potential addition, Harada was quick to dismiss the idea, explaining the reasons behind her likely absence.
Harada, known for his active presence on Twitter, often engages with fans to clarify rumors and provide insights into Tekken’s development. Addressing Eliza’s potential return, he admitted that while she’s one of his personal favorites, balancing her gameplay has always been a significant challenge.
Introduced in Tekken Revolution and later added to Tekken 7 as DLC, Eliza stood out with her unique vampire-themed mechanics. However, her complex playstyle and high-execution requirements made her a polarizing figure.
The biggest issue with Eliza lies in her balancing. According to Harada, even the smallest adjustments to her stats often resulted in her becoming either overwhelmingly powerful or underwhelmingly weak.
This balancing nightmare not only frustrated the development team but also drew significant complaints from competitive players, who struggled against her advantages. These included her smaller hurtboxes, which allowed her to evade certain attacks and combos, and mechanics that gave her unique advantages over other characters.
Eliza’s Tekken 7 debut came as a result of a fan poll, where her popularity secured her a spot on the roster. Players enjoyed her ability to regenerate health, thanks to her vampire abilities, and her distinct fighting style.
However, fighting against her was often considered a frustrating experience, leading to her reputation as a difficult character to handle in tournaments. Given these complications, it’s understandable why Harada and the Tekken 8 team might hesitate to include her in the new game.
While fans on social media appreciated Harada’s transparency, many expressed disappointment at the news. Eliza remains a beloved character for her uniqueness, but her return seems unlikely, at least for now.
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