- Tekken 8 has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics.
- The game launched to nearly 50K concurrent players on Steam.
- This player count is around 2.5x higher than Tekken 7’s peak count.
- The game also beats Mortal Kombat 1’s peak concurrent player count on the platform.
Tekken 8 had a bit of a rough start on consoles after crashing issues hampered the online experience, but the overall reception of the game has been stellar. Thanks to revamped visuals and combat, the game has become Bandai Namco’s biggest hit in the franchise so far.
Launching after much anticipation, it has also reached nearly 50K concurrent players on Steam. This peak is roughly 2.5x higher than Tekken 7’s.
Why it matters: Tekken 7 set a new bar for the series. It sold 10 million copies and was by far the IP’s most popular game. However, early results for Tekken 8 are setting a great precedent for the franchise moving forward.
While a peak player count of 50K might seem underwhelming after Palworld reached nearly 2 million concurrent players, the fighting games genre is much more niche.
This is a major achievement for Tekken 8. It also outpaces Mortal Kombat 1, which peaked at under 40K players and has lost much of its player base since launch, falling behind Mortal Kombat 11.
However, Tekken 8 has not been able to dethrone Street Fighter 6. Capcom’s latest iteration peaked at over 70K players last year and has sold millions of copies after its successful debut.
Still, Tekken 8 boasts extremely positive reviews. Over 85% of the Steam reviews are positive, and the Metacritic score is currently a solid 90/100. To make things even better for PC gamers, it skips Denuvo DRM.
Tekken 8 is the biggest departure from traditional mechanics in a new entry. With more offensive and defensive options, the game is more dynamic, flashy, and engaging than anything past games offer.
This entry is also a confident visual showcase for Bandai Namco’s team.
The switch to Unreal Engine 5 marks a noticeable improvement over the dated visuals of Tekken 7, bringing each battle to life through incredible particle effects, smooth animations, and heart-stopping slow motion.
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[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over three years because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.