On the again of Bandai Namco’s announcement that Tekken’s much-loved, martial arts marsupial Roger Jr. will probably be coming to Tekken 8 as a part of a salvo of ‘Season 3’ DLC characters, former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has confirmed that he had a hand within the kangaroo’s intelligent reveal.
Debuted at EVO 2026, Bandai Namco aired a quick teaser for Roger Jr.’s upcoming arrival that was clear homage to a 10-year-old viral video out of Australia of a person punching an aggressive kangaroo proper within the snout. For context, it was within the strategy of rescuing a canine – which the kangaroo had in a headlock on the time.
“Again in September of final yr, after we determined to convey Roger again, I despatched the crew a YouTube hyperlink to ‘that well-known video’ as a result of I needed us to recreate it,” wrote Harada via his personal social media. “A few of the youthful crew members had by no means seen it earlier than.”
“I wasn’t personally concerned in enhancing this video, however I heard yesterday that round springtime the crew was really hesitating over whether or not to incorporate the recreation as a result of they have been operating out of time. Apparently, [Tekken 8 game director Kohei Ikeda’s] closing course was, ‘We completely should do it.’”
Harada conceded he had really given up on the concept himself.
“I believed, ‘They in all probability gained’t do this gag anymore. They’ve in all probability forgotten about it,’” he continued. “So after I noticed it yesterday, it genuinely made me smile. I believed, ‘Ah, they really did it!’”
Roger Jr. final appeared in 2007’s Tekken 6, however was absent from Tekken 7. The Roger Jr. teaser seems on the finish of the Bob gameplay trailer under, with a be aware followers can anticipate a full trailer at EVO France on October 11, 2026.
Harada introduced his departure from Bandai Namco in December 2025, the place he had labored on the Tekken sequence for over 30 years. Harada has subsequently arrange his personal recreation growth firm – VS Studio – in partnership with SNK Company (The King of Fighters, Deadly Fury, and Samurai Showdown).
It was lately introduced that fellow Tekken veteran Kohei Ikeda has additionally left Bandai Namco. Recreation director on Tekken and Tekken 8, Ikeda spent 20 years on the firm.
Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN opinions crew. You may monitor him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him issues about stuff.
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