There is still much to be revealed about Tekken 8 release date, given that Bandai Namco has not even confirmed the release window of the upcoming fighting game yet.
Activation Tekken 8 has been anticipated since then well-received announcement last year (opens in a new tab) and while there’s still a lot we don’t know, there’s still a lot to pick up from the trailers and gameplay we’ve seen.
Will be Tekken 8 start in 2023? That’s uncertain, especially considering they’re both street fighter 6 AND Mortal Kombat 1 will start this year. It looks like the next few years could offer some new contenders for the best fighting games.
Despite the obvious excitement of eager gamers, Bandai Namco has been quite reticent about the promotional content they have released for the release. That said, there’s still quite a bit of information to dissect from gameplay trailers and the roster itself, and we’ve put together everything we know about the release so far Tekken 8.
Tekken 8: Get to the point
What is this? Eighth main Tekken game and tenth overall in the series
When can I play it? The release date has not yet been confirmed.
What can I play it on? PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.
Tekken 8: Release date and platforms
Tekken 8 has yet to receive a specific release date. Currently, the only information we’ve received about the game is a few characters available in the core roster, a sneak peek at the new arenas we’ll be fighting in, a few slots for new and returning gameplay mechanics, and the platforms the game will be available on.
Tekken 8 is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. In addition, it was confirmed that Tekken 8 will be completely cross-platform, so no matter what console you and your friends play on, you will be able to fight in the ring.
With the game’s emphasis on competition and inspiration drawn from community-led events such as Tekken World Tour and EVO, the competitive website is expected to support players better than before. It’s because Tekken 8 it will also include netcode rollback, which is a huge improvement Tekken 7 online, which should lead to much more stable connections when playing online.
Tekken 8: Trailers
last Tekken 8 the trailer was uploaded in February and featured a variety of characters, including the expected return of Jun Kazama, as well as some new places to expect a brawl.
More Tekken 8 trailers can be found at Bandai Namco YouTube channel, along with gameplay trailers for each announced character. Character trailers come out frequently, so expect updates to this page as new and returning fighters announce their return.
With the new Tekken main game, players are desperate to see which characters from the older generation will return in the current-gen game. While many fan-favorite and story-integrating characters, such as Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima, will return, we can also expect a handful of new fighters with brand new movesets to master – although these have yet to be announced or unveiled.
New characters and their converging gameplay seem to come out fairly regularly at the time of writing, with gameplay videos being uploaded to Bandai Namco’s YouTube channel and Tekken’s social media. However, there are still many characters that remain unannounced in the title.
Tekken 8 roster so far
The Tekken 8 lineup currently consists of:
- Jin Kazama
- Kazuya Mishima
- Jun Kazama
- King
- Pawel Phoenix
- Nina Williams
- Ling Xiaoyu
- Jack-8
- Marshall’s law
- Leroy Smith
- Lars Alexandrsson
- Asuka Kazama
- Emilie “Lili” De Rochefort
- Hwoarang
- Bryan Fury
- Claudio Seraphim
Considering how extensive the character roster was Tekken 7there are still many familiar faces to be patiently awaited, such as Yoshimitsu and Eddy Gordo, who remain unannounced for now.
It speaks, Tekken 7 had various DLC characters available at the top of the standard list, which seems to change Tekken 8 as Leroy Smith will be part of the game’s starting lineup. That’s not to say DLC characters won’t reappear in Tekken 8, it could just be a case of brand new characters getting DLC slots unlike the ones we’ve come to love.
This also raises the question of whether characters like Fahkumram and Lydia will debut on the main roster, but it’s hard to believe that the full roster will be announced before the official launch of the game. Given Jun Kazama’s predicted return, no future debuts can be predicted, which only adds to the excitement.
Tekken 8: Gameplay
As expected from a game as high-stakes as Tekken, the level of aggressiveness and competition must be reflected in the gameplay and converging mechanics. However, Harada stated during interview with IGN that “the key word conveying the concept of the combat system is aggressiveness.”
Although brawls already go hand in hand with aggression, expect Tekken 8 be fast and strong, especially with the introduction of several new mechanics and the return of fan favorites.
Huge amount of gameplay inside Tekken 8 was inspired by the competitive side Tekken 7with an emphasis on fan reception from the perspective of the viewer, not just the players.
In the same interview, Harada went on to say that “it’s not only important that the game is fun for the person playing it. The game needs to look fun to captivate and attract new people.” So while the gameplay may be the most technical and aggressive we’ve experienced in a Tekken game so far, new players will be able to enjoy the game with no previous experience with the series.
IN 35-minute Q&A shown during the Tekken World Finals, Harada shared details of several new gameplay mechanics that players can expect Tekken 8alongside discussing some returning favorites and how they’ve been designed to fit the new gameplay aggressiveness.
The Heat System is a prime example of the new mechanics for Tekken 8, working similarly to Rage Art and Rage Drive, but once again reinforcing the aggression Harada is desperate to introduce. The blue bar will sit below each fighter’s health bar and fill during combat, turning purple when ready to activate. Activating the heat bar will have a similar effect to activating Rage Art or the newly named Heat Engager.
During the active period, which lasts approximately 10 seconds, the player will be able to perform Heat Dash and Heat Smash to deal heavy damage to the opponent. In addition, all the player’s attacks will damage the chip, which turns into recoverable health. At any time, the active player can use up the remaining heat bar to perform Heat Dash, which works in the same way as Rage Drive.
However, there’s still a lot to discover about Tekken 8’s gameplay, but with no official release date, there’s still a huge window of opportunity to explore further via trailers and character debuts.
News from Tekken 8
Tekken 8 Closed Network Test announced for July
The closed network test of Tekken 8 will start on July 21. Featuring 16 characters and 5 stages, registration for the event is now open and can be accessed via Tekken’s Twitter page.
Heat energy removed from gameplay
Heat energy has been removed from gameplay and it has been confirmed that the heat activation time changes depending on how the heat is activated. The “Heat Smash” command has also been standardized across all playable characters.
Claudio Serafino joins the Tekken 8 team
Bandai Namco has announced that Claudio Serafino will be the next one to join the Tekken 8 roster, which may be an odd addition considering we’ve yet to see the debut of traditional characters like Yoshimitsu.