Tekken 9 Should Atone For One of Its Predecessor’s Sins From The Get-Go

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 31, 2025 8 Views 7 Min Read
Tekken 9 Should Atone For One of Its Predecessor's Sins From The Get-Go



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With Tekken 8 enjoying ongoing success more than a year after its initial launch, the franchise seems to have a bright future ahead it. As players begin to speculate about what Tekken 9 could eventually look like, however, one element of the current entry sticks out as a notable weakness to be addressed. While it might have been billed as a package that would reward dedicated fans with unique content, the Ultimate Edition of Tekken 8 has ended up being seen as a disappointing attempt at an enhanced version of a game.

When it launched, T8 was made available in a Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate edition with differing tiers of respective additional content. With how these versions were centered around Avatar skins, though, it’s no surprise that they have fallen under the radar. If Tekken 9 can instead focus more heavily on offerings which get to actually appear in its core gameplay, it can go a long way to improving its perception among fans when it gets another chance at the concept.

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After 1 Year, Tekken 8 Remains the Only Mainstream Game of Its Kind

Following an entire year of consistent support, the ongoing popularity of Tekken 8 has proven that a game of its kind is still capable of dominating.

Tekken 8’s Ultimate Edition Didn’t Live Up to the Format’s Expectations

A Handful of Customization Items Aren’t Typically Enough to Drive Sales

When it comes to the most expansive version of a release that a player can buy, it’s common to see a full set that includes components such as an art book and other lasting collectibles. However, Tekken 8‘s Ultimate Edition – apart from a metal plate and stickers – hardly justifies its hefty price tag with insubstantial DLC. A pack of gold customization outfits is the only element which appears in the actual combat of the title, making it so that the only items separating the Deluxe and Ultimate versions of the game are for the player’s Avatar. This kind of feature has been emphasized by the developers of both Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 alike, but Avatar skins seem to only appeal to a small percentage of players far more interested in the core gameplay of the genre.

T8’s Microtransaction Shop Undermined Its Initial Bonus Content

As if it wasn’t already rather flimsy enough to have the Ultimate Edition solely set apart by the title’s weaker customization options, the later addition of an in-game shop to Tekken 8 would only serve to further overshadow this. Players can now individually purchase several full costumes for their favorite fighters which outpace the versatility of repetitive gold clothing, further leaving largely unseen Avatar customization on the sidelines.

Surpassing the Offerings of T8 Can Make Tekken 9’s Ultimate Edition More Than Worth the Hype

The Potential for More Than a Simple Season Pass and Avatar Skin Bundle

As it stands, the Ultimate Edition basically serves as a slightly enhanced version of Tekken 8‘s season pass of DLC fighters, which likely doesn’t justify its cost in the eyes of many players, but that doesn’t need to continue to be the case. When Tekken 9 comes around, Bandai Namco can learn from its mistakes by including minor offerings like Avatar skins in the base game to begin with and including at least a few sets of actual playable character outfits. With the rich library that the publisher has under its belt to draw from, there’s no reason that the next game’s reward for its most dedicated players should be limited to a smaller pack of gaudy, all-gold customization.

If the microtransactions of Tekken 8 become a staple of the series moving forward, being more upfront about the inclusion and using it to further reward players could go a long way toward increasing their good faith. Instead of letting a costume shop end up undermining the offerings of a future Ultimate Edition, it should give players the resources to engage with that system to a degree more proportionate to a price point which exceeds US$100.

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