When it comes to positive critical reception, Tekken 8 is ahead of the pack. The latest installment in Bandai Namco's long-running fighting game franchise sits comfortably near the top of many "best games of 2024" lists, released in January 2024 to near-universal critical acclaim. On review aggregator OpenCritic, Tekken 8 has a top critic average of 90 and a stunning 99% critic approval rating. Compared to Tekken 7, which received a modest score of 82 on the same website, this is especially impressive. The glowing reviews Tekken 8 received made it not only one of the highest-rated games of the year, but also the second highest-rated game in the series, behind only 1997's Tekken 3.
Despite the strong start Tekken 8 got off to, it has gradually received a more mixed reception from fans. The primary cause of many players' frustrations is the egregious monetization practices that Bandai Namco uses. Just a few weeks after it came out, Tekken 8 received a post-launch update that added a battle pass and a microtransaction-filled cash shop to the game. Considering the fact that Tekken 8 is a $70 release and not a budget-priced or free-to-play title, this unsurprisingly didn't go down well with fans, many of whom review-bombed Tekken 8 on storefronts like Steam. In the ensuing months, Tekken 8 was hit with controversy after controversy which, after the game's latest debacle, resulted in Bandai Namco promising to make it up to fans.
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Tekken 8 Has Received Several DLCs Since Its Release, Both Free and Paid
Like many modern fighting games, Tekken 8 has received many consistent updates and paid DLCs after its release. One of the first DLC characters added to the game was the Warrior Prime Minister Lidia Sobieska, who could be purchased individually for $8. Alongside her July 26 debut, Bandai Namco released a new stage for the game, called the Seaside Resort, in the form of a free update. Though some still had their complaints about Tekken 8's overall monetization, this arena being available to all players at no extra cost at least made up for the fact that playable fighters like Lidia were locked behind paywalls.
Heihachi Mishima's Stage DLC Being Locked Behind a Paywall, While Lidia's Was Not, Upset Fans
With the most recent addition to Tekken 8's roster of characters, however, Bandai Namco found itself in hot water. On October 3, the company released Heihachi Mishima, the once-thought-dead antagonist of the Tekken series, as an $8 DLC for the game. In conjunction with the launch of this playable character, Bandai Namco added another stage to the game, like it did with Lidia. This one, though, was released as a paid, $5 DLC instead of a free update. The fighting game community's reaction to the pricing strategy used for Genmaji Temple, which is the name of the stage in question, was overwhelmingly negative, especially since it wasn't available in any of Tekken 8's $100+ premium editions.
Bandai Namco is Giving Tekken 8 Players Some Free In-Game Content to Make It Up to Them
In response to all the critical feedback, Bandai Namco announced on October 17 that it was making some changes to the release method for future Tekken 8 DLC. The game's next stage, which will be released sometime this winter, is going to be available to all owners of the Playable Character Year 1 Pass at no extra cost. This pass is, however, exclusive to Tekken 8's Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. Bandai Namco will also give every player that logs in to Tekken 8 from October 29 to November 26 a gift of 500 Tekken Coins. This digital currency is essentially equivalent to $5 in-game, so it's enough cash to purchase the Genmaji Temple stage with.
Reception to this decision seems mostly positive, but some may argue that it would have been even better if Bandai Nacmo gave Genmaji Temple away for free to everyone instead of continuing to charge money for it. Even still, it is great that the company is actually listening to Tekken 8 player feedback and adjusting its strategies in accordance. Let's hope Bandai Namco doesn't release any other DLCs that anger the Tekken 8 fanbase.
Tekken 8
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- January 26, 2024
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, Arika
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
Tekken 8 brings the fight to the latest generation of consoles, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco. Utilising the power and realism of Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 pushes the envelope for fighting games by taking full advantage of the power of the latest generation of consoles. Ground-breaking new features, breathtakingly detailed character models and dramatic environments make this one of the most visually stunning and immersive titles in the genre yet. Tekken 8 picks up after the gruesome battle that ended in Heihachi Mishima’s defeat in Tekken 7, focusing on a new rivalry, pitting father against son as Jin Kazama stands in defiance against Kazuya Mishima in a city-shattering face-to-face showdown.
- Franchise
- Tekken
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
