Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada has confirmed that Tekken X Street Fighter isn’t dead; rather, the crossover project is now on hold amidst considerable uncertainty. On June 21, media sites reported on facts provided in a June 5 edition of Harada’s Bar – the developer’s online chat show – about Tekken X Street Fighter’s alleged cancellation.
The subtitled footage seems to show Harada informing Tekken 7 Director Kouhei Ikeda that the crossover fighter “died” at 30% of the way through development. Harada also mentioned that numerous artists cooperated on the project during this brief portion of the conversation.
He revealed that some of the female character models were going along beautifully until production reached a roadblock, revealing that fighters like Tekken 7: Fated Retribution’s Akuma “even had movements.” But it appears that all hope is not yet lost.
The show’s subtitled text is described as “missing subtlety in the English translation” by a Twitter account dedicated to Harada’s Bar. At 21:25 in the video, for example, the Producer refers to Tekken X Street Fighter as “ima tomete masuyo,” which means “waiting for status” or “pause.” As a result, 30% of the title that was finished is now in pending condition.
Harada mentions recruiting renowned painters for drawings around the 22-minute mark. When the Producer talks about partnerships like “Okura-iri ni nattan dayo na,” the translator misunderstands his words and misinterprets them as “project perished.” The word “Okura-iri” originally meant “to be shelved” or “placed in storage.”
The developer will not have perpetual access to the contributions of third-party artists because contractual agreements with them generally come with specific limitations. As a result, one part of the crossover project has been “put on hold for the time being.”
The TwitLonger concludes with a ray of optimism: the developers want to move forward with the game’s development. Because such a crossover necessitates two different organizations working in unison on all fronts, branding, marketing, and resources all demand more attention. “For the time being, we’re just waiting for the proper chance,” says the statement.
The game Tekken X Street Fighter is then put on pause, locked in position for an indeterminable amount of time. And it appears that even Katsuhiro Harada is unsure about when work would resume. With that in mind, fans shouldn’t hold their breath for a major progress report to appear anytime soon.
Tekken fans may still get their crossover fix thanks to Kazuya’s upcoming inclusion to the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. More details will be revealed at a small Nintendo Direct on Monday, June 28.
