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Tekken 8 - What We Know So Far

The PlayStation State of Play event has surely left an impression on a lot of gamers. "Rise of the Ronin," a new action-RPG based in ancient Japan and a PlayStation exclusive, was revealed to the world and had the gaming community talking. There was even a new trailer for "God of War: Ragnarok," which was nothing short of epic. But among the biggest news coming out of the PlayStation event was the reveal of "Tekken 8," the long-awaited entry into one of gaming's most prevalent and iconic fighting series.

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It's been some time since the release of "Tekken 7," both in arcades and its subsequent home release for consoles and the PC in 2017. During that time, fans of the fighting series have wondered when or if "Tekken 8" will eventually be released to the world. While "Tekken" fans have had small nuggets of content, such as the "Tekken: Bloodline" anime, to hold them over, it doesn't quite measure up to a new game. Finally, after years of waiting, "Tekken 8" has been officially announced. While details have been sparse on the new "Tekken" title, here's everything we know about it so far.

Does Tekken 8 have a release date?

Unfortunately, "Tekken 8" does not currently have a release date attached to it. Towards the end of the announcement, fans are told to "stay tuned" for more updates regarding the game's development. As far as platforms are concerned, the PlayStation 5 logo is shown quite prominently and is unaccompanied by any other logo other platforms. However, as noted by Polygon, the game should also be coming out for the Xbox Series X/S and the PC as well.

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"Tekken 8" will mark the series' first foray into the next generation of gaming. As mentioned by game director Katsuhiro Harada in an official blog post on PlayStation's website, the game is still in active development and many of the in-game features and presentation are still being evaluated such as the camera angle, dialogue, and special effects. Even if a release date is currently unknown, it seems the team at Bandai Namco are dedicated to making the final product as complete and polished as possible.

Is there a trailer for Tekken 8?

The announcement trailer for "Tekken 8" was unveiled on Sept. 13, 2022 during the PlayStation State of Play event. Using real-time rendered footage, the trailer shows "Tekken" protagonist Jin Kazama having a confrontation with his father and "Tekken" icon Kazuya Mishima. The two are in the midst of a tense stare down during a torrential downpour with an erratic ocean and a thunderstorm serving as a backdrop. Jin tells Kazuya that "people like us shouldn't exist," possibly a reference to the Devil Gene the two both genetically possess. Kazuya — whose lust for power has always driven him — scoffs at this notion and declares it to be pathetic. 

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The pre-fight pleasantries end there as the two then engage in some old-school, "Tekken"-style combat presented as gameplay footage. During the fight, it appears that Jin has been able to develop control over the Devil Gene and seemingly resists his demon form in the middle of the fight. By far, the most notable takeaway from the new trailer is its visuals. Following the trailer's release, many took to social media to praise the graphical fidelity that was showcased in the brief teaser. According to an official blog post on PlayStation's website, this scene is ripped directly from a section of the game's story mode.

What will the gameplay be like in Tekken 8?

Historically speaking, the "Tekken" series has always taken more-or-less a traditional route to fighting games — similarly to "Mortal Kombat" or "Street Fighter" — all while adding in its own flavor and small innovations. Two fighters face off and perform attacks on one another until one of their health bars run dry. According to the community, what sets "Tekken" apart from other series' of its ilk is its fluidity, difficulty, and grounded presentation. If "Tekken 8" is to be a success with the fanbase, then doubling down on these aspects is almost a sure bet.

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During the trailer, a small section which could be interpreted as gameplay is shown. With the power of the next-gen hardware at its base, the small clip shows Jin and Kazuya engaging in what seems to be a traditional "Tekken" combat, albeit with a much more beautiful coat of next-gen paint. If this small glimpse is any indication, "Tekken" will be maintaining its classic presentation while providing it with more fluidity and responsiveness than ever before. According to Rock Paper Shotgun, the game will be running on Unreal Engine 5.

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