There Aren't Many Routes for Tekken 9's Story to Take

Summary

Tekken 8's narrative conclusion impressively wrapped up the Mishima family arc and may require a fresh storyline for Tekken 9.
Kazuya's Devil side has been vanquished, while Jin's redemption is complete, possibly setting the stage for new protagonists in future games.
The introduction of a potential new antagonist, Reina, hints at a direction for Tekken 9, possibly revisiting the new generation concept of Tekken 3.

Proving itself as one of the fastest selling of its entire franchise and receiving widespread acclaim from more than just fans of the genre, Tekken 8 may actually have the potential to last for almost a decade if it follows in Tekken 7’s footsteps. The narrative conclusion to the arcs of both Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama has even earned Tekken 8 praise for its story, but the closure of its ending might spell trouble for eventually continuing it in the next game’s story.

It can seem like a stagnant tale of repeated familial conflicts from the outside, but many Tekken players are familiar with the progression of the series’ overall plot in context. Following Tekken antagonist Heihachi Mishima’s death at the hands of Kazuya in Tekken 7, the follow-up shifted its focus back to the only remaining thread of the Mishima storyline, Jin and the Devil Gene. These previously seemed like they might play out as perpetual battles which could drive many more Tekken sequels, but Tekken 8 has now taken a bold step forward that mandates a major paradigm shift in the future.

This article contains major spoilers for Tekken 8's story

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By Cameron Lucas

Tekken 8 Wrapped Up the Known Mishima Family Arc

The End of Kazuya's Devil Side

Ever since he appeared as the protagonist of the original Tekken from 1994, Kazuya’s quest for revenge and inner conflict with what would become known as the Devil Gene has been central to not only his character, but several of the sequels’ narratives. He grew from a bitter son with the potential for heroism into a maniacal, war-waging monster in pursuit of reaching the full strength of his Devil power, but his own son brought an end to this at the end of Tekken 8. With the Devil Gene apparently purged from him, and Jun possibly redeeming him, there’s hardly any reason for Kazuya to ever fill such a prominent villain role again.

Jin's Redemption is Complete

In the epic climax of Tekken 8’s story, protagonist Jin is able to transcend his Devil Gene’s limitations and enter a new Angel Jin form before also losing the power at the same time as his father. Following his heel turn into a ruthless dictator waging war on the entire world in Tekken 6 and his lack of relevance in Tekken 7, Jin may have finally earned his status as a hero back in the eyes of Tekken’s cast. He could still find himself returning once more to cement his protagonist role, but the loss of the tension brought about by Tekken's Mishima family conflict and Devil Jin has left a void that will need to be filled somehow.

Tekken 9 Might Require a Totally New Story and Cast

The Ambiguous Set-Up of Reina as Tekken's Next Antagonist

When discussing how conclusive Tekken 8’s story is, there’s one elephant in the room who contradicts this idea, Reina. She plays a coy and understated role in the game’s plot which leaves her as an enigma, but the final ending cutscene acknowledges that Reina is Heihachi Mishima’s child before she exhibits her own Devil form that may have been activated by Kazuya. Unless Tekken 8 gets story DLC, it seems that Harada and his team made sure to leave the door open for more of the Devil Gene in Tekken 9 through Reina. Her explicit ties to the Mishimas are still a mystery, however, leaving her potential future villain status against what is speculated to be a new united family of Jin, Jun, and Kazuya unknown.

Tekken 3's New Generation Concept Might Be Worth Revisiting

The cliffhanger scene of Reina in Tekken 8's ending makes the prospect of a direct sequel picking up where this leaves off appealing, but looking to one of the series’ most iconic titles could also serve as inspiration. Tekken 3 jumped two decades into the future following Tekken 2, introducing Jin and aging up returning fighters to massive success. The same power-hungry Mishimas might not be around to drive the plot forward in the same way anymore, but there’s no telling what the greater plan Reina began executing throughout Tekken 8 could be.

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