For some time now, Tekken fans have been eagerly requesting a trip to Waffle House, not in real life, but within the game itself. While Tekken 8's director, Katsuhiro Harada, seems open to the idea, there hasn't been any definitive commitment from Waffle House.
On X/Twitter, Harada engaged with fans still pushing for a Waffle House stage in Tekken 8. This request has gained significant traction, especially since Harada has shown genuine interest in exploring the possibility.
Harada acknowledged that he "fully understands" the fans' requests and has already taken steps to try and make it a reality. "Over the past year or more, I've actually tried to make contact through several different channels," Harada shared on X/Twitter. He speculated that the lack of response might be because his project is associated with "fighting-themed video games."
"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,'" Harada explained.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 emphasized that "no response" is a rare occurrence. He also suggested that if using a different name or format, as long as "the core message is maintained," he would be open to exploring the idea further.
It appears that fans won't see Kazuya and Jin battling under the iconic yellow light of a Waffle House sign anytime soon. However, a parody or an in-universe equivalent could still be possible. Harada even proposed "Hustle House" in another post, which could serve as a creative alternative.
Meanwhile, Tekken 8 is rolling out a new update with Patch 2.01, following the announcement of Fahkumram's addition to the roster. In response to fan feedback on Tekken 8's Season 2 back in April, Harada assured that the tuning team is diligently working to incorporate player suggestions and improve the game.
