Tekken 8 Continues to Suffer from Numerous Cheaters

Author : Emily Mar 21,2025

Tekken 8 Continues to Suffer from Numerous Cheaters

Tekken 8's first year has been marred by a persistent and growing cheating problem. Despite player complaints and evidence, Bandai Namco's response has been insufficient, leaving fair play threatened in online modes.

Shortly after launch, videos emerged showcasing players exhibiting superhuman reflexes—single-frame blocks and instantaneous grab breaks—clear indicators of third-party software or macro usage, yet these remain unpunished.

Beyond cheating, significant technical issues further undermine balance. Yoshimitsu's unblockable attacks and defensive system failures, coupled with methods to artificially slow matches, create a frustrating and unfair competitive environment.

Community figures like Mike Hollow and Blackheart59 recently exposed a cheating network openly distributing programs for automatic dodges, combo breaks, and even loss avoidance. These players continue to compete in ranked matches with impunity, despite public knowledge.

Currently, disabling crossplay on consoles offers the most reliable, though not foolproof, protection. Even then, "smurfing" (using secondary accounts to exploit lower-skilled opponents) and control bug exploitation persist.

While Bandai Namco has announced Tekken 8's second season for April, a lack of a concrete anti-cheat strategy fuels community concerns that DLC and cosmetic updates will take precedence over critical online issues. This inaction risks widespread player disengagement and jeopardizes the game's long-term health.