Bandai Namco’s fighting game Tekken 8 is one of the most highly-anticipated games of 2024. The title, slated for release next January, has been the subject of many online discussions. Though typical for a huge and legendary IP like this one, things especially heated up after gamers had the opportunity to experience it in closed network tests. Now, a demon is on the way for more to experience.
The studio is making the game available to a wider audience with the revelation it will release a demo on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. The demo will be available on the PS5 from Thursday, December 14, and on the other two platforms on December 21.
Get ready for your first battle in #TEKKEN8 🥊
The #TEKKEN 8 Demo releases on December 14 on @PlayStation and December 21 on @Xbox and @Steam! pic.twitter.com/K8ZrBl9ZKr— TEKKEN (@TEKKEN) December 12, 2023
Tekken 8’s upcoming demo will be free, but will only be available offline. It will provide access to the first chapter of the game’s story mode, titled The Dark Awakens, as well as the first chapter of the Arcade Quest. The demo will also offer access to the Super Ghost Battle mode as well as a local versus mode, where gamers can take on offline opponents in 1v1 battles.
While Bandai Namco has revealed 32 playable characters for Tekken 8, including the recently announced Reina and Victor Chevalier, the demo will only offer Jin, Kazuya, Nina, and Paul as playable characters.
Many fans expressed delight at the announcement with comments ranging from how it’s the best Christmas gift ever to others calling it the most fantastic news of the year. However, some fans had questions, including when it will be available on Switch and whether the demo is only available for gamers who have pre-ordered the title or everyone.
Currently, Bandai Namco hasn’t indicated there will be a Switch version. The studio also neglected to respond to whether the demo will be limited to gamers who have pre-ordered the title – but luckily we don’t have to wait for long until we find out.
However, if we were to hazard a guess, it would be that the demo is open to everybody. The overview, available via the official Tekken 8 website, states it is “an opportunity for individuals who have never played the TEKKEN series to experience the world of TEKKEN 8.” The upcoming demo is Bandai Namco’s play at convincing more gamers that the Tekken franchise is worth their time and money.
The studio’s decision to release the title only on current-gen consoles may hinder widespread adoption. But then, the studio probably didn’t want to compromise on quality and the experience, which would have happened if it offered the game on older consoles.
Fortunately, Bandai Namco has made the barrier of entry as low as possible for PC gamers with the modest specs requirement of an Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU and a GTX 1050 Ti graphics card – a breath of fresh air compared to most recent AAA game specs.
Given that the title is available only on current-gen consoles, its relatively lightweight spec requirement came as a surprise to fans, albeit a pleasant one. There is one hitch, though: the game will require a humongous size of 100GB for installation. Nevertheless, we believe this requirement is more achievable than the higher specs that could have been necessary for gameplay.
Tekken 8 is set for its full release on the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on January 26, 2024.
