For some time now, Tekken fans have been asking for a trip to Waffle House. Not in real life, mind you, but in-game. And while it sounds like Tekken 8's director is fishing for it, there hasn't been a bit on the line from Waffle House.
Over on X/Twitter, Tekken game director Katsuhiro Harada was responding to fans still eagerly asking for a Waffle House stage in Tekken 8. It's a frequent demand that's gained a lot of steam as Harada himself has expressed interest in learning more on the matter.
Harada said he "fully understands" fans' requests. So much so, in fact, that he's already been thinking about it, and apparently taken action to try and make something happen.
"Over the past year or more, I've actually tried to make contact through several different channels," said Harada on X/Twitter. "However, and this is purely my own speculation, I suspect that the lack of response may be due to the fact that the project I'm known for revolves around '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 noted that "no response" equals a very rare case. He also said if using a different name or format is acceptable, as long as "the core message is maintained," then he would be willing to seriously reconsider and explore this again.
So it seems like Kazuya and Jin won't be settling their familial differences beneath the yellow light of a Waffle House sign anytime soon. A parody version could happen though, or an in-universe facsimile. Harada suggested "Hustle House" in another post, which isn't a bad option.
Tekken 8 is currently swinging into a new update with Patch 2.01, after confirming the impending addition of Fahkumram to the Tekken 8 roster. Back in April, Harada responded to fan frustration over Tekken 8's Season 2, and said the tuning team is working "around the clock" to read feedback and work on future changes for the better.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
