Tekken 8 shows off graphics upgrades for returning fighters, including one that’s waited 20 years

For all of the hype Bandai Namco was feeding into Tekken 8 being at The Game Awards this year, there wasn’t a lot of depth to the actual trailer outside of showing off how good the game looks in Unreal Engine 5 and some returning characters. 

After Kazuya Mashima and Jin Kazama were shown fighting in the initial reveal, Bandai put even more emphasis on the interactions between the pair in a Fist Meets Fate addition to the longest-running video game storyline.

While it didn’t show as much as Capcom’s latest Street Fighter 6 update, Tekken fans did get to see a short glimpse of several returning characters and their new looks for the franchise’s latest installment—Paul Phoenix, Marshall Law, King, Lars Alexandersson, and Jack-8.

And that isn’t all, as while Jin faces Kazuya and his own fate, he will also encounter his mother Jun Kazama as she returns to the series following a long absence. 

As for gameplay (which we saw basically none of) Bandai has confirmed T8 will include reworked gameplay that focuses on “aggressive tactics.” This includes the new “Heat System” mechanic, which aggressive attacks with special moves and enhancements for each character’s abilities in a new way compared to previous titles. 

Unfortunately, most of this info was only really shared after the trailer ended via press releases and social media, meaning the whole #SavetheD8 campaign Bandai was running for Tekken ahead of the event seems somewhat misleading now—though not to a major extent. 

The community may have been overhyping itself with hopes for a beta or release window, but seeing more than a brief glimpse of gameplay between cinematics over the course of a minute-long trailer isn’t asking for much, despite what producer Katsuhiro Harada might say. 

Outside of a bit of disappointment, the response to everything that was included was highly positive and shows that the direction for T8 has fans excited. Hopefully, we will be able to see more in-depth looks at the game in early 2023 as development continues. 

Additionally, the press release for this trailer once again confirmed that T8 is being developed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC—making it a true next-gen title.

We still don’t have a release window for the game, but given that Street Fighter 6 is dropping on Friday, June 2, this will likely end up being a 2024 title.