Summary

  • With fan sentiment around Tekken 8 at an all-time low, Bandai Namco is hoping to turn things around quickly.
  • As announced during EVO Japan 2025, Fahkumram will be the next member of the Season 2 Character Pass, along with some new modes, costumes and a collaboration with the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends movie.
  • The game will have two more additions to its roster before the end of the year, including a character new to the franchise.

Right now, fan sentiment around last year's Tekken 8 has arguably never been lower. Beginning with backlash surrounding some proposed changes to how chip damage works that have since been scrapped, the fan-favorite franchise has seemingly been clouded with an air of negativity.

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Even as Anna Williams made her debut via the Season 2 Character Pass, the game hit new lows in player count for the first time since launch, with fewer than 6,000 players engaging with the game on Steam. That said, it appears like Bandai Namco is hoping to turn things around quickly with its next Season 2 character, plus a wealth of additions.

Welcome Back Fahkumram, And Hello Karate Kid

As revealed during this weekend's EVO Japan 2025 tournament, Fahkumram is making his return to the world of Tekken as the next member of the character pass. The Muay Thai fighter originally made his debut as DLC for Tekken 7.

Beyond the addition of Fahkumram, a special Pac-Man-themed stage in honor of the franchise's 45th anniversary, will also be released. Based off the trailer, it appears that damaging an opponent will send pixels flying, and the stage can collapse on itself.

There will also be a collaboration with the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends movie, including themed cosmetics. Other additions include a Ghost Showdown mode and classic costumes, along with general balance updates.

As a final note, the last two characters for the Season 2 Character Pass will be a "Returning Character" in Autumn and a "New Challenger" come Winter. For reference, the Season 1 pass introduced Final Fantasy's Clive Rosefield. Whether all of this is enough to turn around the game remains to be seen, but it's clear that Bandai Namco and the Tekken team are attempting to put their best foot forward.

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Tekken 8

Fighting Systems 4.5/5 8.5/10 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
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