Will Tekken 8 Be Crossplay? [2024]

Will Tekken 8 Be Crossplay? Tekken is one of the longest running and most popular fighting game franchises, known for its deep gameplay and diverse character roster. With the upcoming release of Tekken 8, many fans are wondering if the latest entry in the legendary series will feature crossplay functionality.

Crossplay allows players on different gaming platforms to play with or against each other. For example, a PlayStation player could battle someone on Xbox or a PC player could face off against someone using a Nintendo Switch. Crossplay has become an increasingly common feature in modern games, improving matchmaking times and connecting gaming communities across platforms.

So will Tekken 8 join the crossplay future when it launches? Let’s break it down.

Developer Statements Supporting Crossplay:

Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada has made several statements indicating that crossplay is planned for Tekken 8 between PlayStation and Xbox platforms, at a minimum.

In an interview with IGN Japan earlier this year, Harada said “I’d like Tekken 8 to have [crossplay] functionality at the time of launch as much as possible.” He specifically called out enabling crossplay between PlayStation and Xbox players.

Harada discussed obstacles with fully opening crossplay between all platforms, citing issues syncing updates simultaneously across consoles and PC. However, his comments made clear that crossplay is a priority for the Tekken 8 team at launch for the console versions.

Network Infrastructure Supports Crossplay:

Behind the scenes, Bandai Namco, the publisher for Tekken 8, has been building network infrastructure over the past couple of years that lays the foundation for crossplay support.

For example, in 2021 Bandai Namco integrated a new multiplayer server framework called Bandai Namco ID (BNID). This network backbone connects players across Bandai Namco games for features like cross-saving game progress or simplifying access to DLC content.

Having BNID already up and running makes adding crossplay functionality much easier from a technical perspective. Bandai Namco has specifically stated BNID was designed to support crossplay for eligible games. With BNaid providing the networking backbone, it becomes simpler to sync up Tekken 8 players across Xbox and PlayStation.

Popularity of Crossplay in Fighting Games:

The fighting game genre has widely adopted crossplay over the past few years, especially following the launch of smash hit Mortal Kombat 11. MK 11 featured crossplay functionality at launch across PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

Other major fighting game franchises with crossplay include:

• Street Fighter V
• Dragonball FighterZ
• Brawlhalla
• Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid

The success and popularity of crossplay in those titles adds confidence Tekken 8 will follow suit. Crossplay has also become an expectation for many fighting game fans these days when purchasing new titles or sequels. As a competitive series where skill matters more than stats or gear, crossplay is a natural fit for Tekken 8.

Encourages Broader Competitive Play:

A major focus for the Tekken series is the competitive scene and top-tier tournament play driving interest. Crossplay opens up the player pool across Xbox and PlayStation, making competition more broadly appealing.

Without crossplay, competitive players tend to consolidate behind one platform. Crossplay means competitors can purchase Tekken 8 for their console of choice without worrying about fracturing the player base between platforms.

For esports, crossplay also simplifies tournament organization when participants can seamlessly battle each other regardless of using Xbox or PlayStation consoles. Crossplay makes it easier for the competitive scene to thrive on Tekken 8.

Challenges Facing Full Crossplay Support:

While statements from Bandai Namco and Katsuhiro Harada indicate Tekken 8 will launch with crossplay at least across Xbox and PlayStation, there are challenges to overcome expanding it fully across all platforms.

As mentioned earlier by Harada, syncing updates between consoles and PC could hamper seamless crossplay if different versions end up with game balance tweaks. Bandai Namco cited this as well as cheat concerns on opening full crossplay between PC and consoles.

There also remains back-end development work enabling cross-progression and account linking for players that own Tekken 8 on multiple platforms. The foundations are there with BNID, but full integration may not make the launch window.

So while complete universal crossplay seems unlikely, Xbox and PlayStation crossplay should be available based on the confident comments around delivering this for fans at launch.

Closing Summary:

In closing, Tekken 8 adding crossplay has been confirmed as a goal by the development team for launch across Xbox and PlayStation platforms. Statements from Director Katsuhiro Harada and infrastructure additions by Bandai Namco pave the way for this key feature.

Crossplay is also massively popular in fighting games now, fueled by hits like Mortal Kombat 11 and Street Fighter V benefiting hugely. For competitive players and tournaments, enabling everyone to battle each other regardless of console choice is a must.

While full crossplay expanding to Nintendo Switch and PC remains uncertain for launch, Tekken 8 is primed to push the iconic fighting franchise into the crossplay future starting with Xbox and PlayStation support. Fans eagerly await official details as development progresses towards launch later this year.

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