Tekken 8is confirmed to be bringing back Hwoarang, who has been a mainstay sinceTekken 3. The game may not yet have settled on a release date, but that won’t stop Bandai Namco from keeping players hypedwith regular character confirmations.
Tekkenhas been one of the most dominant fighting game series ever since its 1994 debut, and is currently the third bestselling fighting game franchise ever with a notable eSports scene to boot. As of this year, it boasts seven mainline entries alongside a multitude spin-off games, a crossover withStreet Fighter, several animated, printed, and live-action adaptations, and even a collectible card game.Tekken 8was first announced on September 13th of last year via Sony’s State of Play (after being teased atTekken 7’s EVO tournament a year prior), and is set to be the first fighting game to make use of Unreal Engine 5.
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The latest character revealed forTekken 8, Hwoarang, is a staple playable character in the series since 1997’sTekken 3. The synth-backed video shows the fighter motorcycling into the arena with a new look, laying the smack down on multiple opponents, includingthe returning Nina Williamsand Jin Kazama, with his signature explosive taekwondo, all the while remaining aloof and quippy the entire time.
Born in South Korea, the hotheaded and arrogant Hwoarang is a taekwando black belt and a student of Baek Doo San, the one character he never speaks to in his usual cocky tone. His main rival throughout the series is Jin Kazama, the son of Kazuya Mishima, which naturally puts him at odds with the omnipotent, morally questionable Mishima clan. With the family playing such a prominent role, it’s likely that Hwoarang will get in a fight with Jin at some point.His mother’s confirmed returnin the game after her suspected death also suggests that he might get some character development as well.
Currently,Tekken 8has 16 confirmed playable characters alongside confirmed new mechanics such as the Heat gauge. With Bandai Namco’s propensity to reveal new inclusions within the game at regular intervals, it only fuels speculation as to whom or what will be shown off next, and with the release date still unknown, it’s unclear how many updates the company is willing to share before at least confirming the game’s launch window. Perhaps Bandai being coy in an attempt to surprise players at launch, but withmany hotly-anticipated games being leaked as of late, there is a risk that this game might meet a similar fate.
Tekken 8will release for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on an unknown date.
