Bandai Namco received promising results from July’s closed online tests for hotly anticipated fighter Tekken 8, indicating a smooth and stable online environment awaits fans at launch.
Strong online infrastructure is crucial for modern fighting games to thrive. Players expect seamless cross-platform connections and lag-minimising rollback netcode. Thankfully, Tekken 8 director Katsuhiro Harada has already confirmed the inclusion of these key features, welcomed by the competitive community. You can watch the interview video below.
Tekken 8 Director Katsuhiro Harada Interview Video
Speaking after July’s Closed Network Tests, Harada admitted the stable overall connection quality surprised him. Having prepared for inconsistent long-distance matchmaking, he was pleased to find smooth US-Europe connections during testing.
Associate producer Michael Murray agreed things proceeded far more smoothly than expected. Despite the sizeable pool of testers, no major server outages occurred.
This suggests Tekken 8 is on track to deliver the online experience fans demand. While full launch stresses will be the real test, these results are extremely promising. Smooth online play is pivotal for Tekken’s continuing popularity, especially with rival franchises stepping up.
Elsewhere in the interview, Harada and Murray discussed other Tekken 8 elements, including the new Arcade Quest mode and evolving story. Murray reminded fans to watch the Tekken: Bloodline anime to catch up on lore before the sequel’s narrative campaign.
Focusing on Connectivity Fundamentals
Overall, Bandai Namco seems confident Tekken 8 will please long-time devotees and draw new blood. Apart from reassuring online results, buzz is building around new features like special moves and the grittier visual overhaul.
And by ensuring rollback netcode and crossplay are present from day one, they have avoided grievances still plaguing rivals.
Fighting games literally live or die by their online communities. Strong foundations prevent frustration and keep players engaged for the long term. Players will tolerate bugs and balancing issues if core connectivity is sound.
Hopefully other fighting developers are paying attention. What fans want most of all is responsive, smooth online battles unimpeded by technical shortcomings. Tekken 8’s robust test results should galvanise the genre to keep improving online quality across the board.
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With confident proclamations of stability even before launch, Bandai Namco is seizing the competitive initiative. Online connectivity troubles have tarnished too many big-name fighters lately. By aggressively addressing this weakness, the fighting title returns eager to reclaim its throne.
Loads of returning faces have been confirmed for the huge roster, the likes of Bryan Fury, King, Claudio Serafino and many more will be playable come launch.
Come January, fans will see if this positive momentum translates into long-term online excellence. But for now, the fighting game appears poised to set new online standards that keep players punching and kicking for years.
Tekken 8 launches on January 26th, 2024, for Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source – Bandai Namco
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