Tekken 8 Season 2 Changes Spark Outrage, Pros Threaten Boycott, Steam Reviews Plummet

The Tekken 8 community has erupted in anger following the Season 2 update, which introduced several controversial changes to the game. Patch notes disclosed an across-the-board increase in character damage potential and offensive pressure, prompting some players to argue that Tekken 8 has deviated significantly from its classic roots.

Pro Tekken player JoKa expressed his frustration, stating, "The Season 2 update means this does not feel like Tekken AT ALL." He criticized the changes, explaining, "Characters getting buffed even slightly, along with more stance-based transitions where 50/50 situations are enhanced, is not the way. Some of the new moves added are insane with little to no counterplay. Characters are having their weaknesses patched and identities removed by homogenization, which is lazy balancing. Oki being gutted while heat is just buffed makes no sense. Combo damage is too high across the whole roster. I definitely think the sidesteps are better, but does that really matter when moves exist with crazy tracking/hitboxes? Chip damage is still excessive with most heat smashes remaining the same. Removing strategy in favor of more 50/50 situations isn't interesting gameplay and moves away from the foundation of Tekken. Where are the defensive options that were mentioned?"

T8 now hit the most negative reviews in a day since the day the Tekken Shop launched one year ago
byu/YourGameTVlol inTekken

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }As expected, Tekken 8's Steam page has become the primary platform for players to voice their frustrations. The game has received over 1,100 negative reviews in the last two days, resulting in a 'mostly negative' user review rating for recent reviews.

One of the top reviews states, "Genuinely good game held back by schizophrenic insane developers sent from hell." Another review reads, "New season dropped and they made every character into a braindead easy mix-up machine without a single buff to defense." A third review criticizes, "After promising changes to open up defensive options, the balance team has doubled down on extremely powerful offense that takes away all agency from the defending player."

"Not every character needs to be able to force 50/50 canned mixups constantly, but it seems like the balance team doesn't have any other ideas for how to build characters at this point. It's just a shame to see another legacy fighting game become entirely defined by character offense and situations with little to no response from the defender," another user lamented.

The discontent has led some Tekken fans to abandon the game in favor of Capcom's Street Fighter 6. Others have labeled Season 2 as the "worst patch in Tekken history," with some professional players even threatening to quit Tekken 8 entirely.

I don't know if I'll continue playing Tekken if this patch stays.
I'm sorry for doomposting, but I thought it had a chance to be a better game.
I'm just really sad.
Like depressed.
I streamed 70 hours of Tekken this past week to prep for s2 just to have those hopes shattered.
Gn.

— END | Jesandy (@Jesandy1572) April 1, 2025

The community is now eagerly awaiting a response from the development team, hoping for some acknowledgment of their complaints. Many are calling for the patch to be rolled back entirely, while others are demanding an emergency follow-up patch to address key issues.