Tekken 8 has found itself in hot water over its microtransaction practices, particularly regarding the Year 1 Character Pass and DLC stages. Players of the iconic fighting game series have been vocal about their frustrations with Bandai Namco’s monetization strategies throughout the year, with this recent controversy sparking even more backlash. In response, the Tekken team addressed the issue in an official statement on their X account.
An important message from the #TEKKEN8 team. pic.twitter.com/OfYbeyLBU4
— TEKKEN (@TEKKEN) October 17, 2024
For those with the Playable Character Year 1 Pass, there’s no need to purchase the winter Battle Stage DLC separately. The pass now includes the Battle Stage, along with 72-hour early access to characters like Eddy, Lidia, Heihachi, and one more. On top of that, you’ll also get the Kinjin avatar skin. Additionally, to make up for their previous mistake, the Tekken team is offering 500 Tekken Coins, redeemable by logging into Tekken 8 between October 29 and November 26, 2024. This is just about enough for players to purchase the exclusive Genmaji Temple DLC stage.
The controversy stems from the use of microtransactions, which many players criticize as being predatory and resembling real-life gambling. The high cost of Tekken 8 only worsened the backlash. What particularly upset players was the expectation to pay extra for a DLC stage, even after buying the game and Year 1 Pass. However, the situation seems to be cooling down as many players are now expressing relief and appreciation for Bandai Namco’s efforts to address the situation and improve.
Tekken 8 is currently playable on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC via Steam.
Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco.