The Tekken franchise is by and large one of the iconic and popular series of 3D fighting games of all time. With the most recent entry in the series, Tekken 7, still being supported and being given new DLC this year, the game is far from dead.
However, as a new console generation has recently begun, it's safe to say that a new installment in the Tekken franchise isn't outside the realm of future possibilities. Therefore, let's speculate on how the series can continue to maintain its high quality while improving moving forward. What things need to be included in Tekken 8?
9 Additional Single Player Modes
While the multiplayer combat of Tekken 7 is incredibly polished, the single-player options leave something to be desired. While the game's story mode is far from terrible, each character's individual stories and arcade endings are quite sparse, disappointing some players.
As many more casual players tend to gravitate towards single-player offerings, additional solo modes could help keep those people engaged while preparing them for competitive multiplayer combat.
8 Improved Tutorials
It's not a secret that the fighting genre isn't one of the easiest in gaming, requiring time and effort to move past a button-mashing level so that a player can access a game's mechanics with intentionality. While online tutorials exist, a title can help players with accessibility by explaining in-game what the experience has to offer.
Additionally, in recent years, fighting game tutorials have been evolving, becoming more than simply combo practice. When it comes to Tekken 8, including improved tutorials that help players better understand the game's more advanced techniques can be paramount in creating long-term fans.
7 Solid Starting Roster
Whether a player is a newcomer or a veteran to Tekken, the starting roster of any fighting game can make or break a game on day one. While Tekken 7 currently boasts an impressive roster, many fan-favorite characters in the game were included post-launch as DLC.
Cultivating a solid starting roster of both fresh new faces and returning characters can help the game burst out of the gate on day one.
6 Further Character Customization
One element that is quite popular within Tekken 7 is players' ability to customize their characters, allowing them to build outfits for each member of the roster. While fighting games already allow players to express themselves through their choice of character, this exemplifies self-expression even further, especially as these custom costumes can be used online.
Further development of character customization or even a character creator similar to that within Soul Calibur VI could be quite a benefit to Tekken 8.
5 Additional Guest Characters
Tekken 7 currently boasts four guest characters, including characters from other fighting franchises and ones from other video game genres and mediums. The inclusion of guest characters sparks interest in a game from those who may not try it otherwise.
Guest characters from other fighting titles provide a bridge of familiarity to fans of those games, allowing them to more easily acclimate to Tekken's mechanics. The inclusion of similar guest characters in Tekken 8 can once again help bring fans of other games to the Tekken series.
4 Improved Online
When it comes to modern fighting games, one of the most important aspects of a project is its online capabilities. Without solid net code or online modes, a game's multiplayer is immediately hindered for those who don't have others to play with locally.
Through improving the series net code and online lobby systems, Tekken 8 will greatly benefit. As multiplayer is such an important element of modern gaming and the fighting genre especially, Tekken 8 can't afford to launch with unstable servers or lackluster online features.
3 Online Team Battles
One popular way of playing Tekken in tournaments is by grouping up with a team of players who alternate between rounds. However, this method of play is currently unavailable in Tekken 7's online.
By adding team battles to Tekken 8's online, players will have access to yet even more options to play the game how they want. This is something that should have been added to Tekken 7, so it needs to be a priority for its sequel.
2 Cross-Platform Play
As multiplayer games have evolved, cross-platform play has become increasingly more important. Allowing two people on different consoles to play together, users will be able to find opponents with good connections much more quickly, allowing the online experience to run even more smoothly.
Cross-play would only benefit players and should help extend Tekken 8's lifespan across all platforms.
1 Embrace The Franchise's Identity
Moving forward with the Tekken franchise, it is integral that the series continues to embrace its strengths and identity rather than getting bogged down and trying to be something it's not.
With the inclusion of several guest characters, this has been an understandable concern for some players. However, by making sure to put the primary focus of game design onto the core combat that fans of Tekken play the series for while accounting for the previously mentioned points, everything else should fall into place.