Remember Tekken X Street Fighter? The Bandai Namco project was announced during the PS3 generation as something of a contrasting companion to Street Fighter X Tekken — another supposed crossover of the two popular fighting game franchises, but in the style of Tekken, rather than Street Fighter.
However, unlike its divisive sibling, Tekken x Street Fighter never actually happened, and the seemingly cancelled project's ghost has haunted the fighting game community ever since. Every now and then, whispers of the abandoned title make their way through the usual social media channels, but talk came back with a bang over the weekend thanks to Evo 2023.
(Thanks Kakuchopurei for clipping the moment)
Just before the Tekken 7 finals on Sunday, Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada and lead game designer Michael Murray were joined by a surprise guest on stage. It was none other than Yoshinori Ono, the ex-Capcom veteran who spearheaded many a Street Fighter project. Having left the company back in 2020, Ono's shock appearance prompted cheers from the crowd.
Acting startled themselves, Harada and Murray surrendered a mic to Ono, who went on to ask Harada about their "homework". And then, before he was comically ushered off stage by a (jokingly) outraged Harada, Ono mentioned "Tekken cro--". An obvious reference to the unfinished Tekken x (cross) Street Fighter, which Ono would have been a part of back in the day.
It was the funniest moment of Evo 2023, and just for a minute, it had people wondering whether Tekken x Street Fighter was about to make a return. But with Tekken 8 on the immediate horizon, we'd be surprised if this was an official tease for anything imminent — especially since Ono obviously doesn't work at Capcom anymore.
Could he be a guest producer, though? Could things be moving behind the scenes? We wouldn't like to bet on it, but it's safe to say that we're big fans of Harada and the gang's on-stage antics.
Comments 9
It would be a lot of fun and only bring more and more people into the fighting game category. I am all for bringing as many people into this genre as possible.
There isn't a game experience like 1v1 where you are pitted against someone and it is your skill versus their skill and that's just about it.
I am pumped that the genre seems to be getting so much more attention this year. The games coming out on top of SF6 makes this the best year for fighters in god knows how long.
Honestly it just felt cruel I know it was harmless jesting but most people had finally accepted Tekken X Street Fighter was never gonna happen now some will have false hope. Tekken X Street Fighter was a dream game for me I'll always be sad it never happened
A funny moment but I gave up on Tekken X Street Fighter years ago.
^Same here. If it by some miracle does ever come out I will play it but right now TKxSF is just a pipe dream at this point.
I normally would be upset over something like this but this genuinely put a smile on my face. I thought it was genuinely cute watching Hamada be all perplexed going “homework?” And when ono goes Tekken cross…. And then Haradas just like GO GET OUTTA HERE YOU YOU CRAZY ANIMAL YOU.
That would be really dope because in the end, Tekken>Street Fighter. So I would prefer the fighting style of Tekken with the bonus SF classic characters
Knowing Harada this was just a fun joke with Ono who happened to be there.
I honestly believe it's still going to happen at some point. That said, I don't think it's going to be any time soon. I'd be shocked if it happened during the PS5 generation. Some day though.
I thought they were still working on it, didn't know it was cancelled. I think I remember they said they put development on pause for that, while they were working on Tekken 7. Well I guess it's too late now. Well for me it's too late, I lost interest in fighting games.
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