The Tekken 8 community has erupted in anger following the Season 2 update, which introduced several controversial changes to the game. According to the patch notes, there was an across-the-board increase in character damage potential and offensive pressure, leading some players to argue that the update has deviated significantly from the traditional Tekken experience.
Professional Tekken player JoKa expressed his frustration, stating, "This does not feel like Tekken AT ALL." He elaborated on the changes, pointing out that even slight buffs to characters, coupled with more stance-based transitions that enhance 50/50 situations, are not in line with the game's core identity. JoKa criticized the addition of new moves with little to no counterplay, the removal of character weaknesses, and the homogenization of character identities, which he sees as lazy balancing. He also mentioned the gutting of oki and the buffing of heat, which he believes makes no sense, and the excessive combo damage across the roster. While he acknowledged that sidesteps have improved, he questioned their relevance when moves with crazy tracking and hitboxes exist. Additionally, he noted that chip damage remains high and that the emphasis on 50/50 situations over strategy is moving away from Tekken's foundational gameplay. JoKa also raised concerns about the lack of promised defensive options.
T8 now hit the most negative reviews in a day since the day the Tekken Shop launched one year ago
byu/YourGameTVlol inTekken
.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }As expected, the Tekken 8 Steam page has become a platform for players to voice their frustrations. The game has received over 1,100 negative reviews in the past two days, resulting in a 'mostly negative' user review rating for recent reviews. One of the 'most helpful' reviews states, "Genuinely good game held back by schizophrenic insane developers sent from hell." Another review criticizes the new season for turning every character into a "braindead easy mix up machine" without any defensive buffs. A third review expresses disappointment over the balance team's focus on powerful offense that strips away the defending player's agency. Several players lament the game's shift towards character offense and constant 50/50 situations, feeling that it's a departure from what made Tekken a legacy fighting game.
The dissatisfaction is so profound that some Tekken fans are abandoning the game in favor of Capcom's Street Fighter 6. Others have labeled Season 2 as the "worst patch in Tekken history," with some professional players threatening to leave Tekken 8 altogether.
I don't know if I'll continue playing Tekken if this patch stays.
I'm sorry for doomposting, but I thought it had a chance to be a better game.
I'm just really sad.
Like depressed.
I streamed 70 hours of Tekken this past week to prep for s2 just to have those hopes shattered.
Gn.— END | Jesandy (@Jesandy1572) April 1, 2025
The community is now eagerly awaiting a response from the development team to address these complaints. Some are calling for the patch to be rolled back entirely, while others are hoping for an emergency follow-up patch to implement key changes.
