Bandai Namco has revealed Tekken 8’s PC requirements. The incoming fighting game sequel boasts modest specs, a big surprise given that it’s exclusive to current-gen consoles now. However, what was shocking is the storage space required to install it on PC. Apparently, it requires more than 100GB on PC, making it one of the biggest games.
For context, the typical AAA release these days ranges from 30-80GB pending scope and complexity. So to essentially double the standard immediately warrants attention. Not to mention, it’s a 1v1 competitive fighter. Unlike, let’s say, the likes of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which will be launching on three discs on Xbox Series X or the two-disc PS5 exclusive, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it’s hard to justify Tekken 8 needing as much space when it doesn’t have a sprawling open world nor does it have a “separate” hi-res texture pack. Although it’s possible that Tekken 8 might do the same thing as Tekken 7 and include HD remasters of older cinematics from previous titles.
In any case, 100GB is still far from normal. Its rival, Street Fighter 6, happily gets by on just 60GB. Then again, maybe a game like Capcom’s critically-acclaimed fighter is the exception now – Mortal Kombat 1 has similar storage requirements on PC.
Naturally, the revelation has opened the discussion on whether it’s warranted. While some fans welcome it, many have bemoan the careless excess forcing unnecessary upgrades and game uninstalls. In particular, those with budget rigs and lacking high capacity solid state drives are hit by this the worst.
As previously mentioned, Tekken 8 maintains approachable minimum specs: a humble GTX 1050 Ti graphics card coupled with an Intel i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU. This means playing at smooth 60fps performance won’t require powerful PC hardware. It doesn’t ask you to get an SSD for the best experience either. Still, you might have to get a new one anyway. Otherwise, you’ll have to uninstall Mortal Kombat 1 or Street Fighter VI, whichever fighter you played ahead of Tekken 8’s launch.
Video games are bigger than ever. Call of Duty, in particular, consumes more than 200GB if you install everything. This install bloat trend is dismissive of players with storage space limitations. But, it has an obvious solution – flexibility. Call of Duty lets players tailor installs around preference rather than perceived necessity. Give choice instead of mandating a blanket slate irrespective of cost or convenience. Because, in reality, Tekken 8 likely doesn’t require all the players to access high-res cutscenes or obscure game modes. Unfortunately, the likely monolithic delivery demands excess most won’t leverage.
Sadly, this plea will fall on deaf ears unless there’s enough outrage. Tekken is one of the most popular fighting games on the market. The upcoming entry is also going to be DRM free. Given all the positive things it has going for it, the least that’s on the minds of fans is that it will take up a lot of space on their hard drives.
It remains unclear how much storage space Tekken 8 takes up on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X, but the number shouldn’t be too far off from its PC numbers.
Tekken 8 will be available to play on January 26.
