Sad as it may be, I wouldn't be surprised if KOEI considers the Western fan base to be an albatross around their neck. We aren't getting SW3:XL or Empires, or DW7 Special for the PSP. The current generation character designs, a significant departure from the more traditionally Chinese costumes of the classic era, are clearly influenced by popular Japanese media tropes. Feh, at least I still have my full DW/SW/WO collection to enjoy.
Last I heard, Xiahou Dun, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Zhang Fei were decloned for XL. Guo Jia and Wang Yi got brand new move sets. KOEI hasn't handled an ensemble cast properly since Warriors Orochi, which managed to give everyone something meaningful - even if brief - within an overall narrative that was surprisingly good for a corny crossover fan service extravaganza. Nowadays, all they care to do is focus on a few people and phone in everybody else.
As to Cao Ren, I'm guessing that the designers don't like his somber sensitive badass archetype from 4 and 5, and his fan base is negligible enough that they don't care about maintaining the nuances of his original character. Same goes for everyone else drastically changed in 6 and later, like Elf Princess Yue Ying. (I heard that her old school battle dress designs were unpopular in Japan.) Revamps can work - O HAI THAR LU MENG - but you'd think they could do some market research to maintain that something for everyone appeal by keeping the niche characters' fan preferred characteristics. Then again, methinks I'm asking too much from a company that has no qualms about pissing off half of their paying Western fan base.
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Last I heard, Xiahou Dun, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Zhang Fei were decloned for XL. Guo Jia and Wang Yi got brand new move sets. KOEI hasn't handled an ensemble cast properly since Warriors Orochi, which managed to give everyone something meaningful - even if brief - within an overall narrative that was surprisingly good for a corny crossover fan service extravaganza. Nowadays, all they care to do is focus on a few people and phone in everybody else.
As to Cao Ren, I'm guessing that the designers don't like his somber sensitive badass archetype from 4 and 5, and his fan base is negligible enough that they don't care about maintaining the nuances of his original character. Same goes for everyone else drastically changed in 6 and later, like Elf Princess Yue Ying. (I heard that her old school battle dress designs were unpopular in Japan.) Revamps can work - O HAI THAR LU MENG - but you'd think they could do some market research to maintain that something for everyone appeal by keeping the niche characters' fan preferred characteristics. Then again, methinks I'm asking too much from a company that has no qualms about pissing off half of their paying Western fan base.