Why Tekken 8 Has Been Getting Negative Reviews?

Tekken 8 was released with lots of anticipation among fighting game fans. Created by Bandai Namco, the game at first received good reviews and remarkable sales figures with more than two million units sold inside its very first month.

But the torrent of negative reviews on Steam has now lowered the game’s review rating to “Mostly negative,” ruining its image.

The Battle Pass Controversy

A major source of the backlash is the introduction of a seasonal Battle Pass in Tekken 8. Some players have complained about this added monetization option on top of the regular USD 70 price tag, Season Pass, and in-game store.

The community feels that Bandai Namco should just dump the Battle Pass into a full-priced game and push microtransactions further.

Players claim the Battle Pass system is exploitative monetization based on fear of missing out (FOMO), forcing players to complete it before it expires and thus spend more money on the game.

The Mod Crackdown Fallout

Another contention is Bandai Namco’s alleged crackdown on fan-created mods for Tekken 8. The developers have been accused of blocking videos showing these mods online, a practice many players claim is an attempt to protect in-game earnings.

This particular move has drawn much backlash, as modding has always been a tradition within Tekken and allows players to tweak and customize the experience.

There’s a feeling of resentment towards modders that has seen review bombing on Steam, with players complaining that Bandai Namco has emphasized monetization over maintaining a relationship with the community.

Persistent Performance and Matchmaking Problems.

While Tekken 8 enjoyed some success upon release, lag, stuttering and queue times have continued to frustrate players. The community feels that Bandai Namco has prioritized other monetization systems while neglecting these issues and creating more negative sentiment towards the game.

Players claim stability & smoothness should be the guiding light when it comes to competitive fighting games such as Tekken 8.

Balance Changes and Unintended Effects

Aside from that, the developers have made balance tweaks which should cause Tekken 8 players concern. Although balance adjustments are inevitable and necessary in fighting games, some players have complained that the changes have resulted in accidental collateral damage to characters that did not necessarily need nerfs or buffs.

Sometimes the nerfs had unwanted effects that made certain moves or combos harder to execute or punish, which resulted in frustration for longtime players of those characters.

Conclusion

With Bandai Namco gearing up to unleash heavily anticipated DLC characters, the company has a chance to earn back the Tekken community’s faith and respect.

Resolving player issues, repairing the game’s balance and performance, and also rethinking how they monetize is crucial to restoring the game’s longevity and reputation.