Katsuhiro Harada, known for directing the Tekken fighting game series, visited a Waffle House restaurant on May 24, 2026, following years of fan campaigns urging him to include a Waffle House 3 a.m. fight stage in the game [1, 2, 3]. Harada shared photos of his visit on social media and bought a menu for $5 during the stop, joking that he would "be back at 3 a.m. for fight time," referencing popular memes about late-night fights at the iconic diner [1, 2, 3].
Fans began campaigning as early as 2024 for Tekken to add the Waffle House location as a playable stage. At that time, Harada responded by requesting that the communities explain the origin and background of their requests, expressing concerns over trademarks and rights issues related to including Waffle House in the game [1, 3].
Harada ended his 31-year tenure at Bandai Namco at the close of 2025. He has since become CEO of VS Studio, a company under SNK that is owned by the Saudi Fund for Development [1, 2, 3]. His recent Waffle House visit comes after stepping into this new role.
Around the same time as Harada’s visit, Bandai Namco announced the addition of Baki’s Yujiro Hanma as a playable character in Tekken 8 [1]. This character reveal marked a separate highlight in the Tekken community while fans await possible future updates involving fan-favorite locations.
Harada’s Waffle House visit reflects his engagement with long-standing fan requests despite earlier legal concerns. He said, "I finally made it to WAFFLE HOUSE. The staff are always friendly, and when I asked if they would sell me a menu, they sold me one for $5. Next time, I’ll be back at 3 a.m. for fight time" [1].
Bandai Namco’s scheduled release plan for Tekken 8 and its new characters will continue to unfold in the coming months as fans track the franchise’s developments.
