Tekken producer addresses 'whining' fans
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Namco Bandai boss Katsuhiro Harada loses patience with "spamming" fans calling for favorite audio samples, voice actors in upcoming Tekken Tag Tournament 2.
Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada is fed up with fans requesting that September's Tekken Tag Tournament 2 use audio samples and voice actors from the series' 18-year history. The Namco Bandai boss, who has worked on the Tekken series for more than 17 years, penned a fiery epistle to fans recently, telling them to lighten up.
"I have something I want to say to the people who spam me with requests to 'switch back (or bring back) to the voice actors used previously,'" he said. "I believe that, before whining and complaining about everything, you need practice at taking a step back and analyzing things objectively. And also at being an adult."
Harada provided a long list of reasons why Namco Bandai is unable to reuse audio samples from the 1994 game. He said the current generation of consoles are "totally different" in how they play back sound, and the original voice actors may be unable or unwilling to reproduce the tracks they originally recorded.
"The Tekken series has continued for 17 years. The development environment, as well as the environment in which you all play games, has changed," he said. "There are so many characters, and we can't keep using the same voice actors every time, for a variety of reasons."
Harada said additional Tekken Tag Tournament 2 characters that "comply with some [fan] requests" will be revealed in the time ahead and that he will "continue to sincerely comply with fan requests." The developer will not, on the other hand, continue to speak with fans who do not present constructive comments.
"I can't continue to engage the negative ones that, without knowing what you are talking about, or even thinking about what you are saying, blindly repeat 'bring back, bring back, bring back…' After this lengthy explanation, I will be quite surprised if there are still people who still don't get it," he said. "Thanks for understanding or not understanding. Whatever."
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 hit Japanese arcades last September and welcomed a new update in February, which added new modes, such as one-versus-two matches and pair-play mode. It is due out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 11. For more on the fighting game, check out GameSpot's latest preview.
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
316 comments
The seiyu for Heihachi committed suicide recently. So I wonder how they'll be able to recreate his voice under new conditions(i.e. hardware like PS3/Xbox360)?
"Thanks for understanding or not understanding. Whatever." Best thing I've heard a game company say in a long time. It's just boring PR-talk, but this is hilarious. It's funny because it's true!!!
This game will probably take the fighting game genre by storm when it comes out. I am just stating this based on the popularity of TTT1 and the huge number of features the upcoming title is bringing. I am so glad that Tekken finally returns with a new exciting title.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is going to rock. Tekken Tag 1 has been a huge success. Look at what we are getting here. Plenty of customization options, music imports, 1 vs 1, 1 vs 2, 2 vs 2, restructured online (not using the same lobby system as tekken 6), free DLC characters, and new gameplay tag features.
My only "whine" is that I wished Tekken Tag Tournament 2 would've come sooner so I wouldn't have bought the boring SFxT.
Why are those fans even complaining? Voices, tracks? So what....? It's not that they changed characters, story or visuals...
Where as I understand the producer's frustrations with unsatisfiable fans, I have to say: Welcome to the internet. This guy simply needs to learn to ignore the trolls and take in the constructive comments. Writing a pissy letter to your fans will only serve to add fuel to the flames (i.e. Don't feed the Trolls).
@DrunkenCandy Street fighter is a 2D fighter Tekken is a 3D fighter. I prefer 3D fighters so I like tekken over street fighter. It sounds like you like 2D so you it would make sense for you to like Street fighter. Comparing Tekken to street fighter is like comparing apples to oranges.
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@DrunkenCandyI sort of agree. I like Tekken but Its been broken many sequels ago and they dont fix the broken elements before they release new games. I hope they fix previous broken elements like simple button mashing winnable matches with many characters. And some cheap moves some characters have...
1 Like I didnt like Street Fighter IV or Street Fighter X Tekken or the arcade edition, I prefer the old street fighter alpha, Street fighter turbo etc..., I also enjoy The King of Fighters XIII and Tekken 6 very much, Tekken 6 is one of the best fighting games of this generation, is fun and balanced, not like the new Street fighter, were you are in the middle of exagerated combos and total caos...
Been a Tekken fan since Tekken 2, and I really have to say...people were actually whining about the f'ing voices? I mean, I know it's the internet and every misplaced string on a costume is bound to have thirty seven forum threads written by "long term fans" who will leave a garbled wall of angry text proclaiming how said misplaced string just "cost Namco a sale", but the voices? Really? I wasn't even aware their voices had ANY continuity throughout the series.
What do I HOPE for in Tekken Tag Tournament 2? A lengthy single player experience, kind of like the Story Mode in Mortal Kombat, that would make this game an instant buy for me, if not, THEN I still might get it :3
1 Like Harada gets respect in my book. Would I call it smart business? Not necessarily. But sometimes fanboys just need to be told to sit down and shut up. If replacing a voice actor is enough to make you upset with a game, you're playing for the wrong reasons. Glad Harada called them on it.
This is reminding me of the whole Sonic the hedgehog VA fiasco in 2006. "Waaaaa, this game suck cause' Ryan Drummond isn't voicing Sonic anymore!"
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@Frisky_Tzatziki Negative, when people start yappin about dumb shit you call um on it, reason harada does what he does so well and most fighttng game players respect him even the ones that only play capcom anime and 2d fighters
I agree with the man...
It's really childish of people to not accept changes.
You want the same voices ? Ok... , but how about if the same voices came with the same graphics ?
Kids need to chill out. It's not like one of those games that have locked content in disc that will be sold as DLC.
You can play on mute after all can't you ? -_-"
Sounds like this guy has been hanging out with George Lucas...
"... No, just tell them the samples aren't technically possible to use. It worked for me with the claims of lost or destroyed master prints of my films..."
XD
Whining, indeed. He might have a point, but how he delivered said sentiment is pretty un-Japanese (sounds more like an American, if you ask me).
@mdchapel9 Because Gamespot sucks now. They had to post something real quick so all the staff could go help Danny made a stupid video. Place is turning into G4. I especially like how the video up above is an interview with Snoop Dog.
To all the ones who are "I'm not going to support further Tekken anything anymore b/c of this now blah blah"--- b.s. One (or more) of your friends will get ttt2 and you'll be riding the hypocrite train playing it with them anyway. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong. What are you going to use as an alternative, Blazblue?!! lol :-p
I think the alternatives you're looking for are Virtua Fighter and Dead or Alive, not Blazblue.
@Darkflare_EX haha indeed. :) unfortunately where i'm at the "community" are all capcom zombies so no other fighting game gets played period lol
3 Like so he has been in tekken for 17 years, and now a bunch of people that have never and will never make a game is telling him how to make his job.... how would you feel?
1 Like @anticusho1984 ...How would I feel if my CUSTOMERS told me what they wanted? Golly gee, I guess I'd just release a press-statement calling them entitled retards OH WAIT NO THAT'S A HORRIBLE IDEA IF YOU LIKE STAYING IN BUSINESS
1 Like @DrYnot If my customers complained about something as minuscule as the voices in a FIGHTING game, I would be pissed at them too.
@DrYnot Yeah, seriously. Anyone that has had a job involving customers in any form gets this all the time; worse actually.
1 Like @Axe_Armor Then you'd quickly go out of business. I don't care how obviously 'smarter' you are than them, you are asking for their money in exchange for a product. The onus of maturity is on YOU. You don't get to act like a screeching jackass in retaliation to them and then act shocked, SHOCKED, if your game does badly.
@anticusho1984 If only more people would see this :)
If you dont got any constructive criticism then dont say anything but people will continue to do so including the ones here that wont buy the game because the Dev is "Rude".....
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