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Akuma is in Tekken 7 for two reasons that operate on different levels. Inside the game’s story, Kazumi Mishima has made a deal with him to kill her husband, Heihachi, and her son, Kazuya. Behind the scenes, Game Director and Chief Producer Katsuhiro Harada said Akuma’s background and manner fit the Mishima family storyline, and that bringing a Street Fighter character into Tekken was a deliberate way to break the series’ expected formula and reach beyond its core fans.
The story reason: Kazumi’s deal
Akuma’s place in Tekken 7 starts with the Mishima family feud, which the game’s official material presents as the central story of the title. In a PlayStation Blog interview around E3 2016, Harada explained his role directly:
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“Akuma plays a vital role in the story mode — he’s entered a deal with Kazumi to rid the world of her hateful spouse and son, Kazuya and Heihachi, and by the end of the game the Mishima family’s tale will be over.”
That deal gives Akuma a direct stake in the conflict rather than a background reference. He is not simply a visiting fighter who happens to share a roster with the Mishimas; his targets are the family members the story is built around.
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- Unreal Engine 4 - Powered by the Unreal Engine 4, Tekken 7 sets a new benchmark for graphical fidelity for the fighting game genre, pushing the new generation visuals to the limit
- Seamless Story Experience - Hollywood-like, over-the-top cinematic action sequences blend flawlessly into fierce battles
- The Final Chapter of the Mishima Blood Saga - Tekken 7 represents the final chapter of the 20-year-long Mishima feud
- Roster of Over 30 Playable Characters - Select characters from an impressive roster of fan-favorites and all-new fighters, each with a distinct set of deadly techniques, martial arts moves and combos
- Street Fighter Cross-Over Character - Street Fighter's Akuma flawlessly transitions into the 3D space and joins the fray in an epic franchise mash-up complete with all his shoto-style moves
Harada’s line about the tale ending is a contemporaneous 2016 interview statement about the Mishima storyline. It is not a statement about the future of the Tekken franchise as a whole, and it should not be read that way.
The development reason: why Akuma was chosen
Harada gave the creative rationale in a GamesBeat interview. The team wanted a crossover that reached into the game’s setting rather than a guest character placed on the roster. He described Akuma as a deliberate attempt to do something different from what players expected, and to make the game more interesting to people outside the core audience.
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- The legendary weapon-based 3D fighting game returns to its roots
- a complete roster of returning characters and Geralt of Rivia
- an epic story mode of the struggle for the two swords
- find your favourite deadly techniques, martial arts moves and combos to win the fight
- everyone has a reason to fight
He stated the audience rationale this way:
“Akuma was an attempt at doing something drastically different from the regular formula that the creators and the fans would expect, and to break that form.”
This is a stated creative and audience intention, explained by Harada in interview. It is not a measured result, and published material does not show how much the choice widened the game’s audience.
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- UNREAL ENGINE 4 - Powered by the Unreal Engine 4, Tekken 7 sets a new benchmark for graphical fidelity for the fighting game genre, pushing the new generation of console hardware and PC visuals to the limit. SEAMLESS STORY EXPERIENCE - Hollywood-like, over-the-top cinematic action sequences blend flawlessly into fierce battles.
- THE FINAL CHaPTER OF THE MISHIMA BLOOD SAGA - Tekken 7 represents the final chapter of the 20-year-long Mishima feud. Unveil the epic ending to the emotionally charged family warfare between the members of the Mishima Clan as they struggle to settle old scores and wrestle for control of a global empire, putting the balance of the world in peril
- ROSTER OF OVER 30 PLAYABLE CHARACTERS - Select characters from an impressive roster of fan-favorites and all-new fighters, each with a distinct set of deadly techniques, martial arts moves and combos. STREET FIGHTER CROSS-OVER CHARACTER - AKUMA - Street Fighter's Akuma flawlessly transitions into the 3D space and joins the fray in an epic franchise mash-up complete with all his shoto-style moves and fireballs. ALL NEW BATTLE MECHANICS & MOVES - Classic 1 vs 1 battles return along with new moves and battle mechanics like Rage Arts, Rage Drives and Power Crushes that make gameplay more accessible for players of all skill levels.
Why not Ryu or Ken?
The obvious choice for a Street Fighter guest would have been Ryu or Ken, and a martial-arts matchup with either would have been the expected move. Harada said Akuma’s background and way of speaking fit the Mishima story better than either of them. The choice was therefore about narrative fit as well as surprise.
Breaking the formula
Harada’s point was that a crossover choice can change how players read the game. Using a character outside the usual Tekken roster signals that the story itself is open to a different kind of fighter, which is the reason the developers gave for the choice. The effect on players is the intention, not something the interviews measure.
Rank #4
- Powered by the Unreal Engine 4, Tekken 7 sets a new benchmark for graphical fidelity for the fighting game genre, pushing the new generation of console hardware and PC visuals to the limit.
- Hollywood-like, over-the-top cinematic action sequences blend flawlessly into fierce battles.
- Select characters from an impressive roster of fan-favorites and all-new fighters, each with a distinct set of deadly techniques, martial arts moves and combos
- Street Fighter's Akuma flawlessly transitions into the 3D space and joins the fray in an epic franchise mash-up complete with all his shoto-style moves and fireballs
Akuma is playable, not only a story figure
Akuma is also a playable crossover fighter. Bandai Namco’s official description covers his move into Tekken’s 3D space, with his characteristic moves and fireballs carried over from Capcom’s Street Fighter.
In a separate GameSpot interview, Harada and game designer and translator Michael Murray said Akuma is a special case because he appears in the story mode itself, not only on the roster. That distinction matters for readers: a playable guest and a story participant are different roles, and Akuma is both.
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According to the same GameSpot interview, the thought of bringing Akuma into Tekken came up during earlier discussions around Street Fighter X Tekken. Harada also said the idea went back years, to conversations about collaboration with Capcom.
Published material does not show a direct carryover from Tekken X Street Fighter, so it is not accurate to say that project caused Akuma’s inclusion in Tekken 7.
Two explanations, kept separate
| Explanation | Who gave it and when | What it does and does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| In-universe: Kazumi’s deal | Harada, PlayStation Blog interview, around E3 2016 | Explains Akuma’s motive and targets inside the story. It is a fictional motivation, not a statement of why developers made the choice. |
| Creative: narrative fit | Harada, GamesBeat interview | Explains why Akuma’s background and speech suit the Mishima story better than Ryu or Ken. |
| Creative: breaking the formula | Harada, GamesBeat interview | States the intention to surprise fans and reach beyond the core audience. It does not establish an audience result. |
| Development history | Harada and Michael Murray, GameSpot interview | Places the idea in discussions around Street Fighter X Tekken and earlier Capcom collaboration talks. It does not show a direct link to Tekken X Street Fighter. |
What published material does not settle
The announcements and interviews do not establish how Akuma’s final confrontation with Kazuya plays out. Do not infer a winner from later franchise events. If you need the ending of his storyline, check the game’s story mode directly rather than relying on secondhand summaries.
Quick Recap
Release facts
- Platforms announced for the home version: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
- Americas launch date: June 2, 2017, as announced by Bandai Namco on January 23, 2017.
- Current store availability and pricing vary by platform and region. Those details are not established by the 2016 and 2017 announcements and should be checked with the platform’s storefront.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
