It has been a year since the launch of Tekken 8, yet the issue of cheating within the game persists and is escalating. Despite numerous reports from the community and internal investigations, Bandai Namco has failed to implement effective measures to curb dishonest gameplay. Without decisive action from the developers, the online mode is at risk of devolving into total chaos, where fair play becomes a rarity rather than the standard.
Shortly after Tekken 8's release, videos emerged online showcasing players with seemingly superhuman abilities. For instance, some players are able to block attacks in a single frame, an action that is impossible without the aid of third-party software or macros. Others can instantly break any grab, which is beyond human reaction time. These behaviors are clear indicators of cheating, yet they go unpunished.
In addition to cheating, the game still grapples with significant technical problems that impact gameplay balance. For example, Yoshimitsu's attacks sometimes become unblockable due to the defense system failing to register them. There are also tactics that allow players to artificially slow down matches, disrupting the opponent's rhythm. When combined with cheats, these bugs render the competitive mode nearly unplayable.
Recently, dedicated members of the Tekken 8 community, such as Mike Hollow and Blackheart59, have exposed a widespread network of cheaters. In their Discord group, software is openly shared that enables players to automatically dodge attacks, block combos, and even avoid losses. Astonishingly, these players continue to compete in ranked matches without any repercussions from Bandai Namco, despite being publicly exposed.
The only somewhat secure way to enjoy the game is by playing on consoles with crossplay disabled. However, this method does not offer full protection against dishonest players. Some users create "smurf accounts" — secondary profiles used to face less experienced opponents, further skewing the game's balance. Others exploit control bugs to gain an unfair edge.
Bandai Namco has announced the upcoming second season of Tekken 8, scheduled for April, but there remains no clear plan to tackle the cheater problem. The community is concerned that the focus will shift to new DLCs and cosmetic updates rather than addressing the critical online issues. If the situation remains unchanged, players may lose interest in the game en masse, threatening its long-term viability.
