Summary
The developers ofTekken 8recently explained the decision to include an in-game shop and microtransactions amid the pushback it received.Tekken 8launched back in January, getting rave reviews and critical acclaim. Much of the praise was given to its plot, the gameplay, and the realistic and dynamic visuals. This has resulted inTekken 8becoming one of the best-selling games in the franchise, and it is poised to get post-launch DLC with brand-new fighters, like the fan favorite Eddy Gordo.
One feature that the game received pushback on after launch was the announcement ofTekken 8implementing microtransactions. Microtransactions are a controversial trend in the gaming industry that continues to be used in many triple-A releases. Fighting games likeStreet Fighter 6andMortal Kombat 1were criticized for their implementation, which included expensive cosmetics or limited-time unlockables. Based on prior backlash, it’s likely not surprising that fans rejected the idea ofTekken 8getting its own in-game shop.Tekken 8’s developers, including director Katsuhiro Harada, spoke about the shop’s inclusion.
In a recent Tekken Talk Live broadcast, the developers addressed some of the concerns about its implementation, with producer Yasuda Esports stating that the store is meant to “maintain a fresh feeling” forTekken 8rather than be a source of profit. Yasuda says he understood that some fans will have a knee-jerk reaction when they hear about it, due to its negative connotation. He elaborates further, saying that much like withTekken 7, the developers are looking toimproveTekken 8and this is one of the methods of doing that.
Harada’s Statement on Microtransactions in Tekken 8
Tekken 8’s director then acknowledgedthe price of triple-A gamesthat also implement microtransactions, stating that development costs have increased from what they used to be. “We would like to ask a favor of everyone that they update their thinking to the current environment of game development and how games are consumed, etc,” said Harada through translator Michael Murray. “Games to create now are just so much more expensive than evenTekken 7was, so it’s several times of that when we’re thinking about the current platform of games.”
Games to create now are just so much more expensive than evenTekken 7was, so it’s several times of that when we’re thinking about the current platform of games.
Harada then states that adding newlegacy costumes forTekken 8’s charactersisn’t an easy task either, saying it’s not as simple as taking assets from a previous game and inserting them to work with current-gen hardware. He notes that while there are profits being made off of these microtransactions, they will be used to pay for the development of the game and its free content updates rather than sitting in Bandai Namco’s accounts.
The Tekken Shop will have a mix of both paid items and free items, with the former usingTekken 8’s in-game currency. The Tekken Shop itself will be implemented in the second update forTekken 8, which is scheduled to drop sometime between late February and early March.
Tekken 8
WHERE TO PLAY
Tekken 8 brings the fight to the latest generation of consoles, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco. Utilising the power and realism of Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 pushes the envelope for fighting games by taking full advantage of the power of the latest generation of consoles. Ground-breaking new features, breathtakingly detailed character models and dramatic environments make this one of the most visually stunning and immersive titles in the genre yet. Tekken 8 picks up after the gruesome battle that ended in Heihachi Mishima’s defeat in Tekken 7, focusing on a new rivalry, pitting father against son as Jin Kazama stands in defiance against Kazuya Mishima in a city-shattering face-to-face showdown.
