Katsuhiro Harada, the ‌producer of the Bandai Namco-owned⁢ fighting franchise Tekken, recently took the time to explain why he believes the upcoming Tekken 8 ‍ will be a success in the ever-evolving free-to-play‌ industry. Harada ⁢explained that the core ⁣of the Tekken ‍ franchise, that being the deep‍ and complex battles, will remain intact and be⁢ supplemented by a variety of new game modes and features to ⁢players who have the game.

Harada has no intention of changing core gameplay, as a strong focus on the ⁣traditional aspect that has made Tekken a worldwide success‍ will ⁢remain at the heart ⁢of‌ the‌ game. To supplement this, he seeks to take advantage of free-to-play mechanics to introduce⁣ fresh and⁢ innovative experiences ⁣to Tekken 8 players while still ensuring no one is sidestepping​ the⁤ core‍ gaming⁢ mechanic.

In order to do this, Harada will introduce microtransaction ​support and a variety of in-game purchases. ​This⁤ will ‍give players access ‍to new cosmetic items, ⁤gear, costumes,‍ and characters to give​ them ⁣freedom to play ⁢how ‌they ​want. ⁤He has also decided to introduce features like a ⁢live​ battle system to make the experience even more rewarding and engaging.

Harada also believes that introducing free-to-play mechanics to Tekken games will help to grow⁤ the game’s fanbase ​beyond the traditional​ Tekken‍ faithful. He said that ⁤”With⁢ the new model,​ we ⁢believe‌ it can expand the ‌group of people who can⁢ experience and enjoy our game”. This has never been done before in the Tekken ​ franchise, so it’s definitely something to look forward⁤ to and ‌could​ help Tekken 8 ⁢ reach the heights of past entries in‌ the⁢ series.

It’s clear that Harada has ambitious plans for Tekken 8 and with his experience‌ and ‍enthusiasm behind it, it looks ‍set ‍to be a ‍great success in the free-to-play era.