Tekken 8 Season 3 Revealed, New Characters and Balance Adjustments Incoming

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Bandai Namco has announced Season 3 for Tekken 8. To avoid the issues that arose with the last season, they’re focusing on a simpler, more fundamental approach to updates, balancing the game, and adding new characters. Tekken 8 has changed a lot since it launched, with numerous patches, updates, and the addition of two full seasons of fighters.

So, Tekken 8 has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride since it came out a couple of years ago. It started strong – sales were amazing the first month, and Season 1 was awesome, bringing back characters like Eddy and Heihachi that everyone wanted. But Season 2? Oof. Bandai Namco made some changes that really ticked players off, and they had to quickly backtrack. Now, with Season 3 coming up, it looks like they’ve finally listened to the community and are trying to do things right.

Tekken 8 Season 3 Content and Release Dates

Starting February 9th, fans of Tekken 8 will be able to purchase the Season 3 Pass, which adds four new characters to the game throughout 2026. The first character coming in Season 3 is Kunimitsu, a ninja returning from Tekken 7. She originally appeared in the very first Tekken game as her mother, and this new version builds on that history. While not much was revealed, we got a glimpse of Kunimitsu’s stage entrance and a new look, including a flaming scarf.

Most fighting games keep new character announcements close to their release dates, but Tekken 8 is being more open after revealing Kunimitsu. Joining her are two returning favorites: Bob, arriving this summer, and Roger Jr., launching in the fall. The latest trailer also hints at a secret character coming this winter, along with a new arena. Players who purchase the Season 3 Pass will get a 120-hour head start and the Aurora Outfit Pack, which includes 44 costumes for all characters, featuring special visual effects.

Image via Bandai Namco

The major update fans have been waiting for arrives on March 10th, focusing on balancing the game. Unlike the controversial changes in Tekken 8‘s Season 2, this update aims to be straightforward and reliable. The Season 2 changes caused significant player complaints, and it took Bandai Namco months – and a complete overhaul of the balance team – to address all the issues with multiple updates.

Image via Bandai Namco

For the third season, Bandai Namco is focusing on improving the existing fighting mechanics rather than making big changes. They want to stay true to what makes each character unique – their individual strengths and weaknesses. They’re also creating a new system where players can easily report bugs and share feedback directly with the developers. Details about the updates and how characters are balanced will be released on March 17th.

Image via Bandai Namco

From February 9th to March 15th, Tekken 8 is celebrating its second anniversary! During the five-week event, the in-game shop will have a 50% off sale on various cosmetic items, and players can also download free, special customization packs.

Image via Bandai Namco

Season 3 marks a new beginning for the Tekken series. Late last year, Katsuhiro Harada, the long-time director of Tekken, unexpectedly announced his retirement and departure from Bandai Namco. For three decades, Harada has been the public face of Tekken, often appearing with producer Michael Murray to share trailers and updates with fans. While he previously suggested Tekken 9 might be his final project, events in 2025, particularly the passing of Tomonobu Itagaki, seem to have changed his outlook.

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2026-02-02 21:38