After a false start back and EVO 2022, fans now know thatTekken 8is on the way, rather than a remake of a past game. Much likeStreet Fighter 6,Tekken 8is going to mark a huge shake-up for the fighting game community after a console generation spent with just one entry. Neither game was static during its tenure, butTekken 7stubbornly resisted fundamental changes even when new mechanics were introduced.Tekkenhas historically seen little mechanical variety between entries, so a brand-new title is necessary for any major changes to take place.
At the moment, it’s unclear what is different inTekken 8. The fighting looks even more cinematic than it did inTekken 7, but the caveat that footage was taken from the cinematic story mode makes all camera cuts suspect. All that can be said for sure is that Jin Kazama seems to have mastered his Devil Gene powers, and is using them to finally challenge his monstrous father Kazuya Mishima. With the potential for the ultimateclash between good and evil inTekken 8, fans are excited to see more. However, one of the outdated guesses atTekken 8’s identity could hold value even afterT8has come and gone.
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Fighting Game Remakes Are a Hard Sell
Fans weren’t sure what to make ofTekken 8’s reveal trailer at EVO 2022. It, and the developer actions around it, seemed to be the product of miscommunication. Among the various guesses at whatKazuya’sTekken 1ending transitioninginto an updated Kazuya model could mean, one line of thought was thatT1was getting a remake. This belief seems unfounded in retrospect, asTekken 8was the clear direction for the series’ story and gameplay to move in. There was no clear benefit to suddenly returning toTekken 1, and the same can be said for many legacy fighting games.
Remaking video games has become fairly common nowadays, whether they’re high profile projects like theFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketrilogy or something more lowkey likeKlonoa Phantasy Reverie Series. Fighting games,apart fromStreet Fighter 2, have avoided the trend due to remakes being a poor fit for the genre. Fighters present an ever-evolving space, with greater expectations being placed on them now thanks to the rise of esports. Reverting to an older roster with revised versions of past systems would not be well-received, especially considering how much larger modernTekkenrosters are compared to the first few.
Tekken’s Remake Could Follow Its Sister Series’ Example
However, another fighting game remake from Bandai Namco does reveal a potential path to success.Soul Calibur 6is a soft reboot of theSoul Caliburfranchise, returning to theSoul Calibur 1timeframe just afterSoul Edge. Many modern and new characters have been added to the roster, as well as plenty of new features like Reversal Edge andSoul Calibur’s now-iconic custom characters. It’s a completely different experience, but it does successfully channel nostalgia to support its new identity. This is the approach aTekken 1remake must take.
Tekken 8has the real potential to bringTekken’s long-running story to a close. After that, whatever Bandai Namco wants to call theTekkenremake can set up a new entry during the era ofTekken 1. This would mean that Heihachi Mishima is alive and well, and a number of characters are unborn or too young to fight. Kazuya switches from villain to protagonist again, and gets to have a spruced up version of the first even fight with his father. Along the way,sensible roster additions like Jun Kazamacould be introduced to bolster the tiny original cast.Tekkenbeing what it is, the mechanics and look of the game would pick up right whereTekken 8left off. It’s a risky idea, but one that could pay dividends by introducing new fans to the best possible version of the original King of Iron Fist Tournament.
Tekken 8is expected to come out in 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
