All unlockable characters in Tekken 8

Is it a grind?

Victor Chevalier using an earpiece in Tekken 8.
Image via Bandai Namco

The long-awaited Tekken 8 dropped on Jan. 26 and many fans are wondering if there are any unlockable characters and how to unlock them.

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In fighting games, you normally unlock characters by completing campaign or story mode. This varies from one game to another, but the principle is the same—play the game. In previous versions of Tekken, you have to beat the story mode a couple times to unlock all characters. For example, in Tekken 5, you could get Anna Williams, Kuma, Heihachi, and other characters. Tekken 8 is a bit different, so here’s everything you know about unlockable characters in the latest Tekken.

Are there unlockable characters in Tekken 8?

Reina sits on a throne looking directly at the camera.
All fighters are available from the beginning. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The good news is—there are no unlockable characters in Tekken 8. There are 32 characters in the roster available since the launch. All characters are available from the get-go in the versus mode. While you know most of them, two are completely new—Reina and Victor Chevalier.

Speaking of Reina, you can get her Character Episode by completing the main story. This is also true for Jun Kazama, a mother of Jin Kazama and a fighter combining traditional martial arts with the force of nature. Throughout the Character Episodes, you learn more about the characters’ backstory and motives. You play through five unique encounters, and at the end, you get a cinematic that sheds light on the character. 

On top of all that, you can expect more familiar faces to join Tekken 8’s roster in the future. Bandai Namco has promised DLC updates further down the road, including a content roadmap reveal at Tekken World Tour Finals 2023. Fans found out that Eddy Gordo, who made his debut back in Tekken 3, will be released as the first DLC fighter. 

While Eddy Gordo will be released in spring 2024, you can expect three more characters to be released this year. Other fighters are coming in summer, autumn, and winter, respectively.

Author
Image of Izabela Tomakic
Izabela Tomakic
Staff Writer & World of Warcraft lead. Izabela has a long history with writing and games like World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Fortnite, and The Sims. Before finding her home at Dot Esports in 2021, Izabela was an English teacher and a freelancer at Hotspawn, GGRecon, and Gameranx. In her free time, you’ll find her writing novels, wandering Azeroth, or inting on Summoner’s Rift.