Bandai Namco reveals Tekken 8 will be introducing two new mechanics to the series, Stage Destruction and Heat systems. These were first touched on in an interview with series producer and director Katsuhiro Harada, who talked at length about the various additions that this game will make. These functions were also first showcased in Tekken 8's trailer that was showcased at The Game Awards 2022. This trailer was then broken down by Harada himself, where he spoke about the numerous elements that weren't explicitly featured or shown.This panel showcased aspects like the returning Jun Kazama, who is confirmed to not be dead, only missing after the events of Tekken 3, along with the confirmation of her status as a playable character within the mainline canon. Her concept art was also shown off, where this iteration of Jun was designed by Mari Shimazaki of Bayonetta fame. Shortly after that, Harada went into the finer details of both returning and new mechanics for Tekken 8.One of these is how stages can be destroyed and how it affects gameplay. While it has been a part of the series in past entries, the developers state Tekken 8 will lean into it more, with the stages widening or moving to a completely different area when it's destroyed. As for a returning mechanic, the Rage Arts from Tekken 7 will be retained for this entry, with the panel demonstrating Paul Phoenix's in particular. Harada also offhandedly mentions how players can customize Paul's hair to be the same sky-high skyscraper it was in Tekken 7.
Other elements introduced include the game's new Heat System, which according to Harada will make the gameplay of Tekken 8 "more aggressive" compared to previous entries. The developers also clarify that while certain moves can initiate this state, as demonstrated in previous trailers, there are other ways of activating it, which will be revealed in due time. They also state that since it is a 3D fighting game, side-stepping and side-walking mechanics are retained for this entry as well, where players can evade or strategically move around the arenas.
The last thing to note will be the date of the next update about Tekken 8. One of these possible dates listed was at the Tekken World Tour 2022 Global Finals in February, though Harada notes the marketing team said it was "crazy" so the date is uncertain. At the very least, the Tekken 8 team will be preparing to show something when February rolls around.
Tekken 8 is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
