After Tekken 7 concluded with the showdown between the two elder Mishimas: Heihachi and his son Kazuya, Bandai Namco’s Tekken 8 will progress down the timeline and feature another father-son face-off between Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama.
The brand-new entry to one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time will reportedly reward aggressiveness rather than those who turtle up. Tekken 8 has also transitioned to Unreal Engine 5, a next-gen technology that the Bandai Namco Entertainment general manager Katsuhiro Harada is can’t wait to put into action.
Tekken 8 will follow Jin’s final quest to end the Mishima Bloodline and save the world from their evil. With new and improved visuals, iconic characters, breathtaking sets, and an action-packed storyline, this should be one of the finest fighting games in years and a near-permanent fixture in FGC tournaments. So, which characters are confirmed to appear?
1. Jin Kazama: Lightening of Fate
Fighting Style: Kazama-Style Traditional Martial Arts
The franchise cannot run without its true protagonist, and Jin Kazama will return to reclaim his role in Tekken 8 after playing the antagonist in Tekken 6 and then a supporting character in Tekken 7. Despite the cursed bloodline running through his veins, Jin seeks to destroy the devil’s heritage. He will join forces with his uncle Lars Alexandersson and devise a plan to take out his father Kazuya Mishima, the other bearer of the devil gene.
2. Kazuya Mishima: Cold-Blooded Oppressor
Fighting Style: Mishima Style Fighting Karate
The long-standing rivalry between Kazuya and his son Jin will reach a climax in Tekken 8, and we have an ever-powerful Kazuya for the decisive battle. Kazuya will overthrow Mishima Zaibatsu after defeating his father Heihachi Mishima in Tekken 7. Kazuya will also face off against his half-brother Lars Alexandersson as he joins hands with Jin to eliminate the devil gene.
3. Lars Alexandersson: The Lion of the Rebellion
Fighting Style: Tekken Force Martial Arts
Heihachi Mishima’s illegitimate son and the rebel army leader fighting against G Corp will be back in Tekken 8 to aid his nephew Jin and take down the tyrant Kazuya Mishima. Lars will organize a brand-new rebel force called Yggdrasil and overthrow Kazuya Mishima’s G Corp.
4. Hwoarang: Blood Talon
Fighting Style: Taekwondo
Hwoarang has considered Jin Kazama as his rival ever since their first fight ended in a draw. He defeated Jin in the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5, moments before Jin transformed into his devil form and almost killed him. The conflict between The Resistance and Zaibatsu occupied Tekken 6 and in the following events in Tekken 7, Devil Jin was defeated by Hwoarang in the Middle East, forcing the latter to return to his human form. Tekken 8 will hopefully conclude the long-standing rivalry between the two.
5. Jun Kazama: Light of Hope
Fighting Style: Kazama-Style Traditional Martial Arts
Jun Kazama will make her long-awaited return as a character in the mainline Tekken series after first appearing in 1995’s Tekken 2. She is Jin’s mother and was the one who trained him in the Kazama family’s traditional fighting style. The Ogre’s attack on Jun on his fifteenth birthday led Jin to believe she was dead, but Jun’s status has always been listed as “missing.”
6. Ling Xiaoyu: Dancing Phoenix
Fighting Style: Baguazhang, Piguazhang-based Chinese Martial Arts
Ling Xiaoyu participated in the competition in hopes of winning enough cash to start her theme park, but she soon became engaged in Mishima family matters. She has feelings for Jin Kazama and infiltrates Mishima Zaibatsu in Tekken 7 to search for him after learning of his disappearance. Toward the end of Tekken 7, she defeats Claudio Serafino and continues her search for Jin in Tekken 8.
7. Claudio Serafino: Banisher of Dreams
Fighting Style: Sirius Exorcist Art
The leader of an Italian exorcist group, Claudio Serafino has made it to the Tekken 8 roster after debuting in the last game. He learned about Kazuya and Jin possessing a devil gene from Heihachi and decided to cooperate with him to defeat the devil. In Tekken 7, he learns about Ling Xiaoyu’s search for Jin and decides to use her in his mission to find and defeat Jin.
8. Nina Williams: Silent Assassin
Fighting Style: Assassination Arts
A cold-blooded professional assassin from Ireland, Nina is the only female character to appear in every main Tekken game. She formerly served as the leader of Mishima Zaibatsu’s “Tekken Force” special forces unit, and will now join Kazuya’s side to serve as the commander of the G Corporation soldiers following the G Corp domination.
9. Jack-8: High Tech Annihilator
Fighting Style: Sheer Force
G Corp’s premier humanoid weapon and the latest prototype in the Jack series will aid Kazuya in Tekken 8 in his battle for world domination. Except Tekken 4, Jack has appeared in every Tekken game and gets better with each new release. Toward the end of Tekken 7, Kazuya designated Jack-7 as the “Chief Humanoid Weapon of the G Corporation” in a letter.
10. Lili: Fighting Heiress
Fighting Style: Street Fighting
Emilie De Rochefort, the only daughter of a wealthy Monegasque oil magnate will return in Tekken 8 to fight her eternal rival Asuka Kazama. She is an 18-year-old high school student and keeps her fighting endeavors a secret from her peace-loving father. Will she finally win over Asuka after getting defeated by her twice?
11. Asuka Kazama: Spirited Peacemaker
Fighting Style: Kazama-Style Traditional Martial Arts
Asuka Kazama was first introduced in Tekken 5 and has returned for every following entry in the series. She defeated the young heiress Lili at The King of Iron Fist Tournament twice, but their rivalry continues. Tekken 8 might see her facing off against Lili and her relative Jin, whom she blames for the worldwide conflict.
12. Leroy Smith: Grandmaster of Drip
Fighting Style: Wing Chun
Leroy Smith made his debut in Tekken 7 as a Wing Chun master from New York, who wanted to take down the Mishima Zaibatsu for destroying his city. After G Corp overthrew Mishima Zaibatsu and forced its tyrannic rule, Leroy, along with his dog Sugar, is determined to defeat its leader Kazuya Mishima.
13. Paul Phoenix: Hot-Blooded Destroyer
Fighting Style: Integrated Martial Arts based on Judo
Paul Phoenix is the only character along with Nina Williams to appear in every Tekken game since its inception. He enters every King of the Iron Fist tournament in hopes of proving himself as the best fighter in the entire universe but has never won the tournament. Last, on Tekken 7, the tournament was suspended with the disappearance of Mishima Zaibatsu, but Paul will be back for some more fights in Tekken 8. Maybe it’s time for the Paul-Kazuya rivalry to continue!
14. Marshall Law: The Legendary Dragon
Fighting Style: Martial Arts / Jeet Kune Do
Marshall Law debuted in the original Tekken game and has been a part of every subsequent game except Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament. He is close friends with Paul Phoenix and entered the King of Iron Fist tournament to win the prize money and open his dojo. Now poverty-stricken and in debt, he will return to Tekken 8 and team up with Paul to win the money.
15. King: Anger of the Beast
Fighting Style: Professional Wrestling
The beloved luchador from Mexico and savior of orphans, King will be a playable character in Tekken 8, continuing the ritual of a King appearance in every Tekken game. The number of children in need of his assistance has increased dramatically as a result of the world-devastating conflict between the G Corp and Mishima Zaibatsu. He will continue to compete in Tekken 8 and earn money to help more orphans.
16. Bryan Fury: Harbinger of Chaos
Fighting Style: Kickboxing
Byran Fury, a former cop turned psychotic cyborg will continue to wreak havoc in Tekken 8. He first appeared in Tekken 3 and has been a part of the game series ever since. Bryan returned to combat zones after the sixth tournament was canceled and went on indiscriminate rampages there. In Tekken 7, Byran found himself in a conflict zone in the U.S.A. where the overheating of his generator caused a devastating aftermath.
17. Raven: Shadow Agent
Fighting Style: Ninjutsu
Tekken is bringing its secret agent fighter back from the shadows for Tekken 8. Raven was first introduced in Tekken 5 as a secret intelligence officer for the U.N., alongside Asuka Kazama and Feng Wei. He was replaced by his superior Master Raven in the last installment, Tekken 7. He dislikes the Mishima clan, so fans can count him on Team Jin. He formed an alliance with Lars Alexandersson in Tekken 6 and will likely continue aiding him and Jin to defeat the G Corp.
18. Azucena: Coffee Queen
Bandai Namco has introduced the first brand-new character for Tekken 8, confirming the previously leaked rumors. Azucena is a new fighter from Peru and is a mixed martial artist who is also dubbed a coffee queen. Fans so far love the character design and her moves from the gameplay trailer look promising. It’s still unclear how will she fit into the story, but welcome to Tekken, Azucena!
19. Yoshimitsu: Mechanized Space Ninja
Fighting Style: Manji Ninja Arts
Another series stalwart, Yoshimitsu is the bizarre fighter at the head of the Manji clan, combining futuristic technology with old-school ninjutsu. Tekken 8 will see Yoshimitsu investigating the occult practises of the Mishimas and searching through their archives. As usual his move set and aesthetic are imaginative and eye-catching, befitting the “space ninja” theme.
20. Steve Fox: Counter-Punching Paragon
Fighting style: Boxing
Tekken’s British boxing champ is back once again. By now he knows he’s Nina Williams’ son, though as he’s a test subject she doesn’t necessarily consider herself to be his mother. Anyhows, it seems finally learning the secrets of his origin has left Steve without his “driving force”, but his buddies Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law are going to reignite that spark by throwing him back into the ring.
21. Sergei Dragunov: White Reaper
Fighting style: Combat Sambo
The Russian Spetsnaz commando debuted in Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection and has appeared in every entry since, using this crushing and brutal combat sambo style to dismantle opponents. As of Tekken 8, he’s a free agent, having been granted extended leave in recognition of his many achievements. How’s Sergei going to use his free time? Well, by doing the exact same thing as he did at work: clobbering people.
22. Leo Klieson: Seeker of Truth
Fighting style: Bajiquan
German fighter Leo Kliesen debuted in Tekken 6 and was seeking answers on his mother’s death. She was a Mishima researcher studying genetic research and was killed when Kazuya decided to tie up some loose ends. As of Tekken 8, he’s solved the mystery, but is now on a quest for vengeance against Kazuya.
23. Kuma: Master of Salmon
Fighting style: Heihachi-Style Advanced Kuma Shin Ken
We would have been devastated if Kuma hadn’t made it into Tekken 8, but here he is and his fur has never looked so glossy. Formerly Heihachi’s pet, Kuma has donned some of his clothes and taken up his fighting style. It seems he’ll be searching for Heihachi, likely joining the fight against G Corp.
24. Shaheen: Desert Falcon
Fighting style: Close Quarters Combat
A new arrival for Tekken 8, Shaheen is a master of CQC and is trying to get to the bottom of the mysterious death of his friend. And, wouldn’t you know it, Kazuya Mishima seems to be responsible. Shaheen appears to be trained in the assassin’s creed but has vowed to use his skills to save people rather than murder them.
25. Feng Wei: God Fist
Fighting style: Taliquan
Feng Wei hails from China and has spent his life being guided by the God Fist Scrolls, aiming to become the perfect martial arts warrior. Unfortunately for Wei his plans were scuppered when he suffered a humiliating defeat to Leroy Smith. Expect a titanic rematch between the two in Tekken 8.
26. Panda: Pretty Protector
Fighting style: Heihachi-style Improved Kuma Shinken
Originally a mere palette swap of Kuma, Panda has gone on to become a character in her own right. She’s the pet, best friend and bodyguard of Ling Xiaoyu and is dangerously adorable. In Tekken 8 Panda and Ling are travelling around the world, with the bear in charge of her outfit choices. Panda usually has the funniest endings in Tekken, so we’re excited to see her here.
27. Zafina: Mystic Stargazer
Fighting style: Ancient Assassination Arts
Zafina hails from a dynasty of exorcists devoted to battling demonic forces, with the conflict between Jin and Kazuya awakening monsters that should have been sealed away forever. She’s also a talented astrologist who can see the future, but her assassin-based skillset likely means her story will dovetail with Shaheen in some way.
28. Lee Chaolan: Silver-Haired Demon
Fighting style: Martial arts
Lee made his debut way back in the original Tekken and has undergone considerable upgrades over the franchise. He’s now wearing “The Violet Suit”, an almost indestructible suit of armor crammed with the latest high-tech devices and custom-tailored to Lee’s personal fighting style. Lee will be working against G Corp in this game, apparently providing some serious hardware to the cause.
29. Alisa Bosconovitch: Destroying Automaton
Fighting style: Thruster-Based High-Mobility Fighting Style
Here’s some Tekken logic for you: you’re making a fighting android bristling with laser chainsaws, so why not make it look identical to your deceased daughter? Alisa has spent her time in Tekken gradually becoming more and more human and gaining free will. She’s also developing romantic feelings for Lars, so seeing that play out is sure to be bonkers.
30. Devil Jin: Black Wings of Ruin
Fighting style: Unknown
Devil Jin is the version of Jin Kazama after being fully consumed by the Devil Gene. In Tekken 8 he’s lost all logical reasoning and seems to be an unstoppable destructive force, leaving all connection to humanity behind him. His fighting style will likely be influenced by his jet-black wings, which give him the power of flight.
31. Victor Chevalier: Refined Violence
Fighting style: Super Spy CQB
Another Tekken 8 newbie, Victor Chevalier is the leader and founder of the U.N.’s independent forces, which theoretically links him to many other existing fighters. Dedicated to maintaining world order, he sees the battle against G Corps as something that needs to be stamped out as efficiently as possible, arguing “We’d best hold the reins to the global balance of power”.
32. Reina: Purple Lightning
Fighting style: Taido and Mishima Style Fighting Karate
Apparently the final Tekken 8 new fighter, Reina is currently extremely mysterious. Her official bio only mentions that she’s a student at Mishima Polytechnical School, but that’s it. We’re betting she has deeper connections to the Mishimas than she’s letting on, perhaps yet another long-lost family member? Either way, she’s all about speed.
When does Tekken 8 come out?
The anticipation for Tekken 8 is at an all-time high and the game itself will be released on Jan. 24, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Additionally, it is revealed that Tekken 8 will be cross-platform in its entirety. Therefore, everyone will be able to engage in combat with one another regardless of the console they are using.
