Throughout the last few hours, Bandai Namco has revealed a lot of information about Tekken 8, including new gameplay mechanics such as the new Rage system. However, today’s biggest reveal is that a Closed Alpha Test has been announced! Fans hoping for an online test are out of luck, as it seems Bandai Namco will conduct the tests “in selected locations around the world to gather feedbacks of the battle system.” The first of these will take place at EVO Japan 2023, which will be held from March 31st through April 2nd. Mandatory requirements include registration for the Tekken 7 tournament and an application “via a special website to be opened in February.” There will be a raffle if there are a large number of applicants.
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In addition to news of the Closed Alpha Test, Bandai Namco revealed that Tekken 8 will see the return of Nina Williams. A trailer featuring the character was showcased, which can be found embedded below.
Naturally, a lot of fans on social media are disappointed about the Closed Alpha Test! Many were hoping that Bandai Namco would make it open to the general public, or at least to a wider variety of players. Limiting these tests to in-person events makes it a lot more difficult for players to participate, though it’s possible an online test could be announced down the line. Some are even speculating that this could mean that Tekken 8 won’t release until next year, but no release window has been provided, as of this writing.
Slated to release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, Tekken 8 is the next installment of the beloved fighting game franchise. The original Tekken released in arcades back in 1994, and had its first home console release on the original PlayStation in 1995. Given that, a 2024 release for Tekken 8 would come just in time for the franchise’s 30th anniversary, so it doesn’t seem like a stretch to think fans might be waiting until next year. Of course, any kind of release window could change based on fan feedback, so we’ll just have to wait and see!
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