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Tekken Director Katsuhiro Harada is surprisingly asking about Waffle House again. Harada previously entertained the fans' idea to bring the restaurant to Tekken 8. While it seemed unlikely for the stage to come to fruition, there's a small possibility it might become a reality.
Earlier this month, a new video of Waffle House staff members getting into a fight with customers went viral on social media. Apparently, it caught the attention of Harada, which made him ask about the restaurant again. He couldn't get a full grasp of the idea of staff members and customers getting into a brawl. It made him question the American culture in general.
I have already received a lot of… no.. tons of information from everyone about this store before,” Harada said. “But let me ask one question from a different angle this time. Why do fights like this between waitstaff and customers happen so often in the restaurant? I have never seen plates and chairs flying around like this, especially in Japan. … What kind of culture is this?
I have already received a lot of… no.. tons of information from everyone about this store before, but let me ask one question from a different angle this time.
Why do fights like this between waitstaff and customers happen so often in the restaurant?
I have never seen plates… https://t.co/RLMnYeszqc— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) June 3, 2024
The fact that the Tekken Director is asking about Waffle House again could mean one of two things. Either he's genuinely curious about why these turn of events constantly take place or he's doing his research to properly introduce the restaurant as a Tekken 8 stage. However, it's most likely him genuinely asking about it. Harada is known to be active on social media and would either engage in trendy topics or with his fan base.
But the fact that Waffle House piqued his interest could be a good sign for hopeful fans. For now, players will have to wait for any kind of development from the Tekken team should they decide to integrate the diner into the game.
Tekken Fans Plead Katsuhiro Harada to Add Waffle House
Earlier this year, many Tekken fans requested Katsuhiro Harada to add Waffle House in Tekken 8 as a stage. The logic behind these requests was due to a weird phenomenon that pits customers and staff members against each other in an all-out brawl. Having that said, fans felt like it was appropriate to add a restaurant with that kind of reputation to a fighting game.
Tekken Director Harada noticed these odd requests and humored the fans for a brief moment sometime in March. He said that he'd “only ask once” about Waffle House and told fans to explain their reasons. A huge majority explained that it's mostly due to drunks and overstressed staff butting heads. Considering how the diner operates 24/7, scenarios like these are likely to happen consistently.
However, Harada refuses to believe that drunks and stressed staff members are the only reason. What the Tekken Director fails to understand is that Japan and America are two very different cultures. While Japanese people are humble and show respect to one another through greetings and bows, Americans tend to mind their own business and respond according to the treatment they receive.
Nevertheless, it's amusing to know that a place like Waffle House has become a highly requested Tekken 8 stage. This wouldn't be the first time odd stages were added to the franchise. A primary example would be Tekken 7's Kinder Gym. Of all the places Bandai Namco could think of, why would fighters settle their differences in one of the most innocent rooms? Given this factor, pitting fighters in the viral diner doesn't seem too farfetched at this point.
