Tekken 8 Roger Jr. Trailer Inspired by Viral, Kangaroo-Punching Clip Was Prompted by Former Tekken Director Katsuhiro Harada

On the backmost of Bandai Namco’s announcement that Tekken’s much-loved, martial arts marsupial Roger Jr. volition beryllium coming to Tekken 8 arsenic portion of a salvo of ‘Season 3’ DLC characters, erstwhile Tekken manager Katsuhiro Harada has confirmed that helium had a manus successful the kangaroo’s clever reveal.

Debuted astatine EVO 2026, Bandai Namco aired a little teaser for Roger Jr.’s upcoming accomplishment that was wide homage to a 10-year-old viral video retired of Australia of a antheral punching an assertive kangaroo close successful the snout. For context, it was successful the process of rescuing a canine – which the kangaroo had successful a headlock astatine the time.

“Back successful September of past year, erstwhile we decided to bring Roger back, I sent the squad a YouTube nexus to ‘that celebrated video’ due to the fact that I wanted america to recreate it,” wrote Harada via his idiosyncratic societal media. “Some of the younger squad members had ne'er seen it before.”

“I wasn’t personally progressive successful editing this video, but I heard yesterday that astir springtime the squad was really hesitating implicit whether to see the recreation due to the fact that they were moving retired of time. Apparently, [Tekken 8 crippled manager Kohei Ikeda’s] last absorption was, ‘We perfectly person to bash it.’”

Harada conceded helium had really fixed up connected the thought himself.

“I thought, ‘They astir apt won’t bash that gag anymore. They’ve astir apt forgotten astir it,’” helium continued. “So erstwhile I saw it yesterday, it genuinely made maine smile. I thought, ‘Ah, they really did it!’”

Roger Jr. past appeared successful 2007’s Tekken 6, but was absent from Tekken 7. The Roger Jr. teaser appears astatine the extremity of the Bob gameplay trailer below, with a enactment fans tin expect a afloat trailer astatine EVO France connected October 11, 2026.

Harada announced his departure from Bandai Namco successful December 2025, wherever helium had worked connected the Tekken bid for implicit 30 years. Harada has subsequently acceptable up his ain crippled improvement institution – VS Studio – successful concern with SNK Corporation (The King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, and Samurai Showdown).

It was precocious announced that chap Tekken seasoned Kohei Ikeda has besides near Bandai Namco. Game manager connected Tekken and Tekken 8, Ikeda spent 20 years astatine the company.

Luke is simply a Senior Editor connected the IGN reviews team. You tin way him down connected Bluesky @mrlukereilly to inquire him things astir stuff.