Tekken 8 Developer Warns Fans Against Playing Cracked Closed Network Test

Tekken 8 just wrapped up its Closed Network Test, but unfortunately for developer Bandai Namco, players are still playing it via a cracked version of the game. This comes just after a partial roster for the full release leaked when players used Cheat Engine to inspect the code behind the CNT. This newest development though, is potentially a much bigger issue, as it could lead to a competitive advantage for anyone looking to get into Tekken 8‘s competitive scene. To that end, Bandai Namco issued a strong statement today, warning players against downloading the cracked version of Tekken 8 on PC.

In the post, Bandai Namco noted that playing the Tekken 8 CNT beyond the official testing period breaches the game’s terms of service and goes against the Tekken World Tour code of conduct. They also made it clear that “unauthorized download or distribution of the game is illegal.” Further, they announced that anyone who has knowingly played the CNT past the official period “may be deemed ineligible for the upcoming Tekken World Tour and other official tournaments.” In short, if you want to play Tekken 8 on a competitive level, it’s not a good idea to hop into the cracked CNT despite the fact that it’ll give you extra practice time.

It’s also an interesting development in terms of how it will affect future closed tests like this one. Because the PC version of Tekken 8 is the only version that’s been cracked like this, we might see Bandai Namco and other competitive game developers go away from offering test periods on PC. After all, they can get much of the same data on consoles with a much lower risk of things like this happening. 

That said, it’s impossible to say for sure until a developer makes an official stance. Either way, Tekken 8 is seemingly set to launch at some point later this year. Bandai Namco hasn’t provided an official Tekken 8 release date just yet, but it should be coming relatively soon now that the CNT is finished. Tekken 8 will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC when it launches.