Games

Tekken 8 Season 2 triggers record-low Steam numbers ahead of Emergency Patch

BBG News

As a hardcore Tekken fan, I’ve been feeling the burn since Tekken 8 Season 2 dropped. The player base has dwindled, and the outcry from the gaming community has been deafening. With Bandai Namco’s emergency patch just around the corner, I can’t help but wonder if there’s still a chance for a turnaround.

The number of players for Tekken 8 reached its lowest point on Steam after the release of an extremely disliked Season 2 update about two weeks ago. An “urgent fix” is scheduled to roll out soon, which could significantly impact the game’s popularity in the upcoming months.

In Tekken 8 Season 2, the introduction of fresh moves for each character was accompanied by exploitable sequences and combos, which left players feeling helpless due to their overuse. The incorporation of traceable mid-moves, on the other hand, diminished the effectiveness of sidestepping, making the game more challenging defensively, even though developers claimed that the Tekken 8 Season 2 update would strengthen defensive strategies.

Tekken 8 Season 2 causes record-low Steam numbers

On April 14th (Monday), Tekken 8 reached a maximum of 6,040 players over a 24-hour period, as reported by Steam DB. However, player engagement noticeably decreased post the introduction of Season 2.

The announcement about Tekken 8’s planned emergency update on April 15 failed to rejuvenate the game, as both players and developers expressed concerns regarding its future trajectory.

Enthusiasts of the game Tekken 7 are now coming back to play it again, as the number of players has more than doubled compared to the earlier Tekken series following the release of the contentious Season 2.

The debut of Tekken 8 Season 2 attracted a record-breaking 16,000 concurrent players on Steam within 24 hours, marking the game’s highest peak since its original launch. Yet, the regular player count has dipped below pre-Season 2 numbers, which could be a cause for concern regarding the future of this fighting game community (FGC) title.

Can April 17’s Season 2 emergency patch save Tekken 8?

Despite a decrease in players, there remains optimism that Bandai Namco may unveil some unexpected adjustments for the Season 2 emergency update of Tekken 8, set to release on April 17. In their recent announcement on April 14, they outlined their general modifications, but did not reveal any character-specific balance changes.

The characters expected to receive a balance adjustment (nerf) in the urgent Season 2 update are Yoshimitsu, King, Clive, Jin, and Nina. Additionally, players are eagerly waiting for an adjustment (nerf) on the overly advantageous frames of many new moves introduced in Tekken 8 Season 2.

This way, the information is presented in a more accessible manner that is easier to understand.

If the developers of Tekken 8 address these major issues promptly, there’s a good chance that the community will accept this and continue to support the game.

If Bandai Namco fails to include most of the mentioned characters and doesn’t address the broader issue of plus-framing in Tekken 8, the game’s future doesn’t appear promising. This is particularly concerning because the next balance update isn’t scheduled until mid-May, as per the developers.

In light of the fact that Anna was only recently joined (on April 1st), it seems improbable that Bandai Namco would introduce a new character quickly as an apology. Considering the current feelings within our community, let’s keep our fingers crossed for some exciting updates soon.

Negative reviews continue to flood Steam after Season 2

Over the past month, Tekken 8 has garnered more than 4,000 critical reviews, accounting for 92% of all reviews during that timeframe. This recent trend has kept its rating as “Overwhelmingly Negative.” Regarding its overall score, it currently stands at a mixed review with 45% of all reviews being negative.

Starting from its launch on April 1st, Tekken 8 Season 2 was met with a tide of unfavorable feedback. Gamers who play Tekken 8 were eager for fresh content and tweaks to the balance, given the community’s desperate situation. Unfortunately, the update released on April Fool’s Day turned out to be an unintended jest, causing disappointment among players.

In the second season, a series of challenges arose, aptly addressed by the insightful remarks of professional player Knee (Bae Jae-min) during his frank review of Season 2.

Tekken 8 vs. Street Fighter 6 player numbers

On Steam, Street Fighter 6 continues to outshine other games significantly. Launched in June 2023, this game often boasts more than 30,000 simultaneous players at its peak, nearly two years following its release. This impressive feat is mostly due to limited major adjustments to the fundamental game balance, aside from the addition of new characters like Mai and Terry from Fatal Fury.

In approximately the next 48 hours, an emergency update for Tekken 8’s Season 2 will be released. Here’s hoping Bandai Namco has a solid plan in place. If not, even Tekken 7 didn’t gain much traction until its third year.

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2025-04-16 04:41

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