Julio Junior
Summary
- "The inclusion of Anna Williams as a new playable character, available across all platforms."
- "Significant improvements to multiplayer matchmaking focus on character rank rather than Tekken Prowess."
Bandai Namco just rolled out the Season 2 update for Tekken 8, and it’s packed with new features and improvements. One of the biggest additions is the inclusion of Anna Williams, now available across all platforms. Alongside this new character, players will find the Tekken Fight Pass – Round 5 in the shop, which lets them complete missions to earn cool rewards. Plus, there’s a limited-time offer on an “Anna” avatar skin at a 75% discount.
Maintenance is complete and Patch 2.00 is now live, Fighters! ⁰⁰Read the full patch notes here: ⁰https://t.co/OQRN0KOw7t pic.twitter.com/h3lAXgQbU8
— TEKKEN (@TEKKEN) April 1, 2025
Since the launch of Tekken 8, the community has seen a series of updates that tweak gameplay balance and add fresh content. Season 2 wasn’t without its controversies, though. Before release, the introduction of chip damage on throw breaks raised a lot of eyebrows. Many fans felt this change clashed with the promised focus on defensive gameplay, and the developer eventually rethought their approach after the backlash.
This update isn’t just about new characters and skins—it also brings significant improvements to multiplayer matchmaking. The system now focuses on matching players based on the rank of the character they’re currently using and their highest rank in their character pool, rather than relying solely on Tekken Prowess. This change, along with adjustments to sub-character rank inheritance and search criteria, aims to create fairer and more balanced matches.
In addition to these changes, Bandai Namco has expanded the ranking system. Eight new ranks have been added beyond “Destruction God,” and all ranks have been reset with the start of Season 2. Now, winning against higher-ranked opponents nets more points, while a win over lower-ranked players yields fewer points. There are also tweaks to Quick Matches, Practice mode, and even a new V-Sync setting on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Not all changes have been met with universal approval. Anna Williams’ redesign sparked mixed reactions. While some fans appreciate the fresh look, others weren’t too thrilled. The director responded to the criticism, dismissing some of the negative feedback as “unconstructive” and “pointless.” Despite the debates, the update marks another step forward in Tekken 8’s evolving gameplay experience.
With these updates now live, players have plenty to explore in Tekken 8 Season 2—new characters, revamped matchmaking, added rewards, and plenty of gameplay tweaks. Whether you’re a seasoned fighter or a newcomer, there’s something in this update to keep you engaged.
Tekken 8 Season 2 Update Patch Notes
Downloadable Content (Paid DLC)
* Playable Character “Anna Williams”
The character “Anna” will be available on each platform store starting from the following dates:
1) Early Access
– [CEST] Tuesday, April 1st at around 1:00 AM
– [PDT] Monday, March 31st at around 4:00 PM
Note:
Early access (72 hours) is available by purchasing one of the following bundles released on the above date:
> For those who own the base game of “TEKKEN 8”:
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Character & Stage Pass”
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Character Pass”
> For those who do not own the base game of “TEKKEN 8”:
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Ultimate Edition”
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Deluxe Edition”
2) General Access
– [CEST] Friday, April 4th at around 1:00 AM
– [PDT] Thursday, April 3rd at around 4:00 PM
Note:
General access becomes available by purchasing the “Anna” downloadable content released on the above date.
# “TEKKEN SHOP”
* Added “TEKKEN FIGHT PASS -ROUND 5-“
– Complete missions during the period to level up and earn various items
– “PREMIUM” grants more items than “FREE”
– “FREE” allows up to 100 TEKKEN COINS to be earned
– In addition to the 100 coins from “FREE,” “PREMIUM” grants up to 600 more, for a total of 700 TEKKEN COINS
* Added Avatar Skin “Anna”
– An avatar skin usable in “TEKKEN FIGHT LOUNGE”
– To celebrate Anna’s release, it is available at a limited-time sale price of 75% OFF (100 TEKKEN COINS)
* “TEKKEN SPECIAL DEAL” Event Held
– Selected items are available at special prices during the event
# “TEKKEN FIGHT LOUNGE”
* Five Special Ghosts Appearing with Obtainable Character Panels
– Talk to and defeat them to obtain one character panel each
– Character panels are fan art works submitted through the “TEKKEN FANDOM Campaign”
– Special Ghosts will appear in the lobby until the next update scheduled for May
– They will be replaced with new Special Ghosts in the next update
# “TEKKEN BALL”
– Adjusted ball return behavior for certain moves in “TEKKEN BALL” mode
# “RANKED MATCH”
[① Matching has been changed so that players can battle others with a closer skill level]
* Matchmaking System Changes in Ranked Match
– Matchmaking based on “Tekken Prowess” has been removed
– Matchmaking now considers the rank of the character currently in use and the player’s highest rank among all used characters
* Sub-Character Rank Inheritance System Adjustments
– Changed the timing and target rank for sub-character rank inheritance
– When the highest reached rank among all characters is updated, rank inheritance will be applied
* Search Criteria Changes
– Added “Same Rank Only” to Rank Restrictions
– Changed “±1 Preferred”, “±2 Preferred”, and “±3 Preferred” to “±1 or lower”, “±2 or lower”, and “±3 or lower”
Note: These changes make it less likely to match with opponents whose rank is outside the selected range
* New Ranks Added Beyond “Destruction God”
– Eight new ranks added after “Destruction God”:
God of Destruction I / II / III / IV / V / VI / VII / ∞ (Ouroboros)
Note:
The difficulty of ranking up increases significantly in the ranks beyond “Destruction God”
* Rank Reset Implemented
– At the start of Season 2, ranks are determined based on the highest rank achieved in Season 1
– Special Titles will be awarded based on the highest rank achieved in Season 1 as part of the rank reset process
[② The following changes have been made to create a more competitive and satisfying point system]
* Point Gain/Loss System Adjustments
– The higher your opponent’s rank, the more points you earn for a win
– The lower your opponent’s rank, the more points you lose for a defeat
(Examples)
1) Lower-Ranked Match
You: “Fujin” (Rank 21) vs Opponent: “Battle Ruler” (Rank 20)
> Win: +720pt / Loss: -1280pt
2) Same-Rank Match
You: “Fujin” (Rank 21) vs Opponent: “Fujin” (Rank 21)
> Win: +1000pt / Loss: -1000pt
3) Higher-Ranked Match
You: “Fujin” (Rank 21) vs Opponent: “Raijin” (Rank 22)
> Win: +1280pt / Loss: -720pt
– Promotion bonus points are now only awarded once upon reaching a new highest rank
– The system that caused a significant point drop after 3 consecutive losses has been removed
– The win streak bonus system has been adjusted:
- Bonus points for win streaks are now only available up to “Tenryu” (Rank 17)
- For ranks “Tenryu” and below, bonus points start applying after 3 consecutive wins
- For ranks “Tenryu” and below, the more wins in a row, the greater the additional points earned
# “QUICK MATCH”
* Added “Rank Restriction” Option to Search Criteria
– Now possible to choose from:
”Same Rank Only” / “±1 or lower” / “±2 or lower” / “±3 or lower” / “No Restriction”
# “RANKED MATCH”, “QUICK MATCH”, “VERSUS”, “PLAYER MATCH”
* Added “In-Battle Status”
– Now displays combo count and combo damage in actual battles, just like in “Practice” mode
– New indicators added: “PUNISH”, “CLEAN”, “COUNTER”, “TORNADO”
– To turn the display OFF, go to OPTIONS > “Screen Settings” > “In-Battle Status Settings” > toggle ON/OFF
– In “PRACTICE” and “MY REPLAY & TIPS”, you can toggle it from the “Display Settings” in the pause menu
Note:
– In line with Season 2’s balance adjustment direction of “more accessible and clearer battles,” key elements from the fast-paced exchanges have been selected and visualized during matches
– This feature is designed not only for players, but also to help spectators and commentators better understand and follow what’s happening in battle
# “PRACTICE”
* Added a Special Practice-Only Stage
– A practice-only stage with a wall distance of approximately 500m is now available
– Select “Practice Stage” under “Restart Settings” and press [Touchpad/View button/V] + [×/A/J] (normal restart method) to switch to the practice stage
– You can also switch to the practice stage by pressing [Touchpad/View button/V] + [↑]
– To return to the original stage after switching with [Touchpad/View button/V] + [↑], press [Touchpad/View button/V] + [×/A/J]
* New Items Added to the Reversal Move List
– The following CPU actions can now be set:
Heat Burst / Heat Burst (Cancel) / Standing Block / Crouching Block
Low Parry / Dash / Back Dash / Sidestep (Into Background)
Side Walk (Into Background) / Sidestep (Into Foreground) / Side Walk (Into Foreground)
* Added “Action After Ukemi” to Practice Settings
– The following CPU actions can now be set after a tech roll:
Standing / Standing Block / Stand and Approach / Crouching
Crouching Block / Crouch and Follow / Block All / Random Block
Jump / Mimic / Sidestep (Left) / Sidestep (Right) / Side Walk (Left)
Side Walk (Right) / Back Dash/Move (Auto-switch) / Punish
Note:
– Combining with reversal settings allows configurations like “attack after tech roll” or “sidestep after tech roll”
– From side tech rolls, CPU performs reversals from crouching; from back tech rolls, from standing
* Added “Move (Auto-switch)” to “Action After a Hit or Block” and “Action After Ukemi”
– The following five movements cycle in sequence:
Sidestep (Left) > Sidestep (Right) > Side Walk (Left) > Side Walk (Right) > Back Dash
Note:
This makes it easier to test which direction your moves can be evaded.
# “OPTIONS”
* Added “V-Sync” Setting
– “V-Sync” settings are now available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
– Can be toggled ON/OFF via Options > Graphics Settings > V-Sync
Note:
– V-Sync is a feature that prevents screen tearing when images are displayed
– Turning it OFF slightly improves the response time between key input and character action
– When OFF, minor screen tearing may occur, but it does not affect gameplay progression
– V-Sync settings have been available on the Steam version since ver.2.00.01 and earlier
* Added Features to Tournament Settings
– Two new presets added, enabling the following bulk settings:
Default: Only “Disable Intro/Outro Skipping” is OFF
Preset 1: All settings ON (same as previous “Preset”)
Preset 2: “Disable Intro/Outro Skipping” and “V-Sync” are OFF
Preset 3: Only “V-Sync” is OFF
Custom: Each item can be customized freely
Note:
– For Steam users, V-Sync behavior in tournament settings may differ from v1.13, so please check your settings again.
# “LEADERBOARDS”
* Now Reflects Season 2 Stats
– Season 1 leaderboards have been reset
– Online ranking data from Season 2 is now viewable
Note: Future updates may allow viewing of Season 1 leaderboards
# “PLAY DATA”
* Now Reflects Season 2 Stats
– Season 1 stats have been reset in the following categories:
BATTLE (ONLINE), OTHER (ONLINE section only), PLAYSTATS, CHARACTER DATA (ONLINE)
– Newly accumulated stats from Season 2 are now displayed
Note: Future updates may allow access to some Season 1 play data
# “Playable Characters”
* Character Move Behavior Fixes and Balance Adjustments
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Unreal 5
It’s great to see Tekken 8 receiving such a comprehensive update with Season 2. The addition of Anna Williams and the revamped matchmaking system should keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. The balance between new content and gameplay tweaks seems well thought out, despite some initial controversies. It’s always exciting to see how a game evolves with each update!