Fighting game fans have been eating well throughout 2023, and Tekken 8 is on the way for lovers of familial disputes that can only be resolved with a dip in a volcano.
The newest installment in Bandai Namco’s fighting game franchise looks like a stunning battle, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and using new aggressive gameplay elements to differentiate it from prior iterations.
We’ve gathered everything we know about the game, including which fan-favorite characters will appear in its roster when you can play it, and how the Heat system shakes up the fisticuffs formula.
Is There a Release Date For Tekken 8?
No, unfortunately. While the State of Play and The Game Awards teasers offered us much more to look at than the EVO teaser, we still don’t have an official release date or a release window for Tekken 8.
However, a report from Insider Gaming stated that the latest Tekken entry will be released in 2023, so we’ll have to wait and see.
During a recent investor conference, the Tekken 8: Arcade Edition developer Bandai Namco hinted at an early 2023 release date. “We have a lot of projects in the works.” Tekken 8 is also in the works, to release it in fiscal 2023 or later.”
So far, all we know from the trailer is that we should “stay tuned” for additional information. Given the game’s title drop, it’s more than we received from the EVO trailer, but there wasn’t much else displayed on this front.
Tekken 8 Platforms
Tekken 8 will be released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
The PS4 and Xbox One consoles are unlikely to see a version of Tekken 8, as the creators have stated that they are “pushing the feeling of power in battles continuously further by harnessing the power of the latest generation of consoles.”
Things could change between now and the release, but we should assume that Tekken 8 will be a current-gen exclusive.
Tekken 8 Betas
The first closed network test for Tekken 8 will take place on July 21, covering a significant portion of the game’s primary content. Players can select from a roster of 16 characters and compete in one of five stages.
Aside from that, Bandai Namco hasn’t confirmed any more closed or open betas for the game, but it’s not uncommon for fighting games to conduct stress tests on servers as they near release.
Tekken 8 Storyline
Tekken 8 picks up six months after the events of Tekken 7, in which longstanding antagonist Heihachi Mishima was eventually killed by his son Kazuya, and continues the franchise’s theme of bad parenting.
This time, the spotlight is on Kazuya and his son Jin Kazama, as the destined war between the two bearers of the Devil gene begins. Jun Kazama returns to the game after being absent for several rounds, sporting a fresh design by Bayonetta artist Mari Shimazaki.
Tekken 8: Character Roster
Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima were the first two unveiled characters in the initial Tekken 8 trailer. And, while Devil Jin is distinct from regular Jin in Tekken 7, there’s no reason to suppose that will be the case in Tekken 8.
There are a few other names that have been confirmed for Tekken 8, and you can see the complete list in progress right here:
- Jin Kazama / Devil Jin
- Jack-8
- Jun Kazama
- Kazuya / Devil Kazuya
- King
- Lars Alexandersson
- Marshall Law
- Nina Williams
- Paul Phoenix
- Brian Fury
- Hworang
- Lili
- Ling Xiaoyu
- Leroy Smith
- Asuka Kazama
Tekken 8 Gameplay
Compared to Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat rivals, Tekken games have emphasized three-dimensional brawling in which players position themselves throughout an arena.
Tekken 8 offers a considerably more aggressive attitude for the sequel, with the new Heat gauge system rewarding players for pushing forward action. Every character has their own fighting style and moveset, but the Heat system, which replaces Tekken 7’s Rage Drive, really turns up the… well… heat.
This new meter grants each character further strikes and more excellent tactical options for punishing adversaries with strong combinations. Heat Burst is a spectacular strike that offers you a window to launch a combo; Heat Engagers are more sophisticated, character-specific attacks that add two stocks to your Heat gauge; and Heat Dash helps you to close the gap rapidly.
Finally, Heat Smash depletes your Heat gauge and allows you to perform a strong attack in exchange. Players can perform chip damage when in a Heat State, and the attributes of some moves are altered.
Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada views this new method as a way to entice players to try out characters they might not ordinarily utilize.
“Because of the differences in the Heat system for each individual character, [players will] start off with their main, but then they’ll see the [command] list and see what makes another character more unique in a Heat state that they’ll gradually want to try other characters as well, and we think it will induce that exploration,” Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada said.
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For almost 4 years, Jason Martin has been a freelance writer for newspapers, journals, blogs, books, and online material. He covers the most recent news as well as many other topics.