Tekken 8 is Being Review Bombed Yet Again

Summary

Tekken 8 faces backlash over paid DLC and monetization, leading to negative reviews.
New Gemaki Temple stage DLC is a separate purchase, sparking controversy among fans.
Despite positive aspects like gameplay and visuals, the game's microtransactions draw criticism.

Tekken 8 is being review-bombed once again over publisher Bandai Namco's approach to monetization, with fans making their voices heard on places like Steam. Tekken 8 is no stranger to controversy regarding its monetization and paid DLC, with the game being criticized over its inclusion of a battle pass progression system shortly after release. With the introduction of a new paid stage, fans are once again calling out Bandai Namco for the way Tekken 8 has been handled post-launch.

Serving as the latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise, Tekken 8 also acts as the direct sequel to Tekken 7, a game that released over nine years ago. The road to Tekken 8 has been a long one, though the game mostly delivered in terms of visuals, narrative, and, most importantly, gameplay. Tekken 8 launched with a total of 32 playable characters, 29 of which have made at least one appearance in previous games throughout the series. Tekken 8 was also designed to be welcoming to newcomers, coming equipped with the most robust training tools seen in a fighting game. However, it's not all been smooth sailing for one of Bandai Namco's flagship franchisees, with Tekken 8 enduring negative reviews once again over monetization.

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By J Brodie Shirey

Tekken 8's latest controversy revolves around the fighting game's new stage, which is a separate purchase from Heihachi Mishima. Tekken 8's new stage will run players a small $5 charge, but the principle is what is driving fans to review-bomb the game. Tekken 8's recent reviews sit under the "Mostly Negative" category on Steam, with the game's lifetime reviews sitting under the "Mixed" classification. Players expected the new Gemaki Temple stage DLC to be released for free, and while the price of admission is rather small, it seems this is the straw that broke the camel's back. The game's previous new stage came free with the addition of Lidia Sobieska to Tekken 8's roster, making the recent omission even more perplexing.

Players Review Bomb Tekken 8 Over Monetization

Controversy first arose regarding Tekken 8's monetization due to the game's cash shop being revealed after the fighting game was released. To make matters more complicated, Tekken 8 launched in both a $100 Deluxe Edition and a $110 Ultimate Edition, which promised to grant access to additional costumes and the first year's worth of added characters. While Tekken 8 is often praised for its gameplay, visual fidelity, and deeply rewarding combo system, players have a hard time ignoring its microtransactions.

Despite players primarily devoting their attention to the new $5 stage, Tekken 8's recent update did bring back Heihachi Mishima, a character many thought was dead after the events of Tekken 7. Heihachi is the third new fighter offered in the Year 1 character pass, which also includes Eddy Gordo and Lidia Sobieska. While there's certainly more to come with Tekken 8, it's unclear where the game will stand within the community a month or year from now.