Tekken 8 Players Express Discontent Over Season 2 Update

Tekken 8’s latest update, Season 2, has just hit the scene, and fans are visibly shaken, not stirred. The game has once again sparked debate across the community, with some decisions being rolled back even before the update was officially rolled out. One such change was the proposed introduction of chip damage on throw breaks, which was ultimately scrapped due to player feedback.

Now available to players, Season 2 dives headfirst into the action with Anna Williams joining the fight as a new character, keeping the intensity high as Nina Williams’s sibling. Alongside Anna, gamers can explore fresh content through a new Fight Pass. The update comes packed with eight additional ranks following the God of Destruction level, but all the progress players made in Season 1 has been wiped, and the points system for rank-up battles has seen a makeover. Matchmaking, too, has been tuned up, ensuring that players face opponents of a similar caliber. Yet, despite these efforts, the reception has been rather cold.

The community’s discontent doesn’t stop there. Arslan Ash, a notable Tekken player, voiced his dissatisfaction over the latest season, reflecting that players took Season 1 for granted. Meanwhile, Stephen “Speedkicks” Stafford has called for urgent tweaks to even out the playing field, advocating for nerfs across the board before the Tekken World Tour 2025 kicks off. Akhil “Tetsu” Kakar, another pro player, is weighing the pros and cons of sticking with Tekken or jumping ship to try Street Fighter 6 or the upcoming Fatal Fury.

What’s got players in an uproar are the newly bestowed moves and power boosts, shaking up the dynamics across the roster. While defensive enhancements have been introduced, fighters now have a broader arsenal to counterattack, including potent 50/50 moves — offensive options that leave players with just a coin flip’s chance to defend successfully. Consequently, these shifts have unveiled some broken gameplay scenarios and combos labeled as “touch of death.” This has led to some claiming that if everyone in the game is “broken,” then no one truly is. Tekken 8’s rating on Steam has taken a dive down to “mostly negative,” reflecting the community’s sentiment.

As it stands, neither Bandai Namco nor Tekken 8’s director, Katsuhiro Harada, have addressed the backlash head-on. Players are hopeful that the developers will listen to their feedback and implement changes in upcoming patches to enhance the overall gameplay experience.