Tekken 8 Plagued by Persistent Cheating Issues

It has been a year since the launch of Tekken 8, yet the problem of cheating within the game persists and continues to escalate. Despite numerous reports from the player community and internal investigations, Bandai Namco has not taken effective measures to curb the activities of dishonest players. If the developers fail to act, the online mode is at risk of devolving into complete chaos, where fair play becomes the exception rather than the rule.

Shortly after Tekken 8's release, videos emerged online showcasing players with seemingly superhuman reflexes. Examples include players blocking attacks in a single frame, an action impossible without the aid of third-party software or macros. Others can instantly counter any grabs, a feat beyond human capabilities. These behaviors are clear indicators of cheating, which continue to go unpunished.

In addition to cheating, the game is plagued by significant technical issues that disrupt balance and gameplay. For instance, Yoshimitsu's attacks occasionally become unblockable, with the defense system failing to register them. There are also tactics to artificially slow down matches, which disrupts an opponent's rhythm. When combined with cheats, these bugs render the competitive mode nearly unplayable.

Recently, prominent members of the Tekken 8 community, such as Mike Hollow and Blackheart59, uncovered a widespread network of cheaters. Within their Discord group, programs are openly shared that enable players to automatically dodge attacks, block combos, and even avoid losses. Shockingly, these players continue to participate freely in ranked matches without any intervention from Bandai Namco, despite being publicly exposed.

The only relatively secure way to enjoy the game is by playing on consoles with crossplay disabled. However, even this method does not offer complete protection against dishonest players. Some users create "smurf accounts" — secondary profiles to compete against less experienced players, further disrupting the game's balance. Others exploit control bugs to gain an unfair advantage.

Bandai Namco has announced the upcoming second season of Tekken 8, set to begin in April, but the developers have yet to outline a clear strategy to tackle cheaters. The community is concerned that the focus will shift towards new DLCs and cosmetic updates rather than addressing critical online issues. If the situation remains unchanged, players may lose interest in the game on a large scale, threatening its future.