Tekken 8 gets review bombed again

Important takeaways

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

Tekken 8 is once again being reviewed 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 criticized for its introduction of a battle pass progression system shortly after launch. With the introduction of a new paid stage, fans are once again calling Bandai Namco for the way Tekken 8 has been handled after launch.

Acting as the latest entry in the long-running fighting game series, Tekken 8 also serves as a direct sequel to Tekken 7a game that was released over nine years ago. The way to Tekken 8 has been long, although the game mostly delivered in terms of visuals, story 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, and comes equipped with the most robust training tools seen in a fighting game. But all has not been smooth sailing for one of Bandai Namco's flagship franchisees, med Tekken 8 endure negative reviews once again over monetization.

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Tekken 8The latest controversy centers around the fighting game's new stage, which is a separate purchase from Heihachi Mishima. Tekken 8s new stage will give players a small fee of $5, but the principle is what drives fans to review and bomb the game. Tekken 8Recent reviews are under the “Mostly Negative” category on Steam, with the game's lifetime reviews under the “Mixed” classification. Gamers were expecting the new Gemaki Temple scene DLC to be released for free, and while the price of entry is quite low, it seems this is the straw that broke the camel's back. The game's previous new stage came for free with the addition of Lidia Sobieska Tekken 8s list, which makes the latest omission even more puzzling.

Gamers Review Bomb Tekken 8 Over Monetization

Controversy first arose regarding Tekken 8s 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 access to additional costumes and the first year's new characters. While Tekken 8 often praised for its gameplay, visual fidelity and deeply rewarding combo system, players have a hard time ignoring its microtransactions.

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