Tekken 8 Release Date Possibly Revealed

A new leak suggests that players may have the opportunity to try out Tekken 8 sooner than anticipated. With highly anticipated fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 set to launch in 2023, it’s shaping up to be an exciting year for fans of the genre. In September, it was confirmed that a new Tekken game was in development, with a thrilling Tekken 8 trailer showcased during a PlayStation State of Play livestream.

While details about the plot of Tekken 8 are still scarce, previous trailers have hinted at the continuation of the intense father-son rivalry between Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama following the demise of Heihachi Mishima in Tekken 7. The game is expected to feature numerous beloved characters from past Tekken titles, and the development team has promised a more aggressive gameplay experience thanks to the introduction of the new Rage and Heat combat systems.

Although an official release date for Tekken 8 has not been announced yet, fans might have the opportunity to experience the game’s brutal new mechanics sooner than expected. A recent update on SteamDB revealed the addition of a “Tekken 8 Playtest” to the main Steam page of Tekken 8. While the exact nature of this playtest remains unclear, it could potentially be a playable demo designed to test the game’s mechanics or online server infrastructure ahead of its official launch.

Several unofficial leaks regarding Tekken 8 have emerged in the past week, including the return of long-time Tekken antagonist Bryan Fury, whose reveal was leaked prematurely, prompting criticism from Tekken 8 director Katsuhiro Harada. Additionally, a fan recently shared an image of the Tekken 8 character selection screen, offering a glimpse of previously-revealed playable fighters.

As with most online leaks and unconfirmed updates, it is advisable to approach the recent “Tekken 8 playtest” leak on SteamDB with caution. It is possible that there might not be an upcoming Tekken 8 demo, particularly considering that Bandai Namco is still hosting the Tekken World Tour event in Tekken 7. Nevertheless, fans can expect more information about Tekken 8 to potentially be unveiled during the upcoming Summer Game Fest, set to take place next week.