The latest trailer for Tekken 8 marks the return of Lili, who made their first appearance 18 years ago. The latest installment of the hit fighting game franchise was formally confirmed for PlayStation 5 during last September’s PlayStation State of Play livestream, not too long after it was teased at EVO 2022. Since then, Bandai Namco has been slowly pulling back the curtain on Tekken 8’s roster and gameplay in the build-up to its as-of-yet unannounced launch date.
Tekken 8 will have no shortage of favorites from previous entries in the long-running series, with feuding relatives Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama being among the first combatants confirmed. Other popular fighters returning in Tekken 8 include Leroy Smith, Asuka Kazama, and Paul Phoenix among countless others. Even Jun Kazama, the estranged wife of Kazuya and mother of Jin, is coming back in Tekken 8 after being presumed dead for over a decade. Now, yet another past character is confirmed for Tekken 8, one that has been a recurring presence since the PlayStation 3 era.
Yesterday, the official Bandai Namco Entertainment America YouTube channel posted a brand-new character gameplay trailer for Tekken 8 centered around Emilie De Rochefort - or “Lili” as she is more commonly known. The “Fighting Heiress” starts her demonstration off by chasing after her wayward cat Salt before unleashing a series of graceful yet punishing kicks and chops on Leroy. She then turns her attention to Asuka, dominating her rival with a dance-like Special Move before reuniting with Salt for a post-match celebration.
First introduced in 2005’s Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, Lili is the daughter of Mr. De Rochefort, the founder of a wealthy oil company named Rochefort Enterprises. She would be featured as a playable character in every mainline Tekken game to follow, either to continue her fierce rivalry with the aforementioned Asuka Kazama or rebuild her father’s lost fortune by defeating Tekken’s sinister Mishima Zaibatsu corporation. She has also appeared in a few Tekken spin-offs, including the 2012 crossover Street Fighter X Tekken. There, she briefly set aside her feud with Asuka to battle the team of Chun-Li and Cammy.
Now Lili is returning to the field of battle once more in Tekken 8, ready to unleash her stylish moves against any foe who dares underestimate the fight-hungry heiress of Rochefort Enterprises. Bandai Namco will likely reveal even more playable Tekken 8 characters as it gets ever closer to its still-unknown release date and fans get ready for the next battle.
Tekken 8 is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
