But it was not to be… TWO BEE… 2…
No-one can deny thatNieR Automata‘s exquisite but highly hazardous android 2B is a perfect fit for Bandai Namco’s fantasy fighterSoulcalibur, and as such nobody really batted an eyelid when the hack ‘n’ slash herowas announced forSoulcalibur VIback in 2018. But according to producer Katsuhiro Harada, things could have been different.
Speaking on Twitter, Harada noted that both his own fantastic fighterTekken 7andNieR: Automataare both approaching the seven million sales milestone. This led the charismatic producer to recall how, initially, 2B was slated to make her fighting game debut inTekken, notSoulcalibur, a move that would have seen the YoRHa android square off against the likes of King, Asuka Kazama, and Ling Xiayou.
“Originally, there was a time when 2B was planned to become a guest character forTekken, and we were moving forward with it behind the scenes,”remembers Harada, in a series of tweets translated byEventhubs’ Nicholas Taylor. “However, the discussion changed to ‘Isn’t she actually a better fit forSoulcalibur?’ and that’s what happened.”
Ultimately, I think we’d all agree thatSoulcaliburwas a more snug fit for 2B, given her haute couture battle fashions and penchant for bladed weaponry. That said, it would’ve been great to see her throw down withTekken‘s Alisa Bosconovitch – all-out cyborg warfare that would probably shift the entire planet off its axis.Tekkenwould go on to receive its own cast of guest stars, includingStreet Fighter‘sAkuma,Final Fantasy XV‘sNoctis,Fatal Fury‘sGeese Howardand… erm…The Walking Dead‘sNegan.
NieR: Automata’s 2B was initially planned as a guest for Tekken[Eventhubs / Harada]
