Tekken 8 features a lot of firsts. It also marks some possible lasts. To me, an arcade nerd, one particular first and last stands out from the crowd: this is the first Tekken game to launch on home consoles before it hits arcades. With the way the wind is blowing, this also probably means that we’ve already seen the last Tekken release that is arcade-first, back with the 2015 arcade release of Tekken 7.
I understand why this is happening, and Tekken isn’t the first series to do this. Capcom already took the plunge with Street Fighter 5, and continued the trend with Street Fighter 6. Indeed, six months on from SF6’s release, SF6 ‘Type Arcade’ is announced, but yet to be widely released. I get why it’s right and proper that this be the case; and yet, at the same time, my heart breaks.
Thankfully, I know I’m not alone in the heartbreak. I’m in good company, in fact – sharing in the pain with the guys behind Tekken, who make the move with the heaviest of hearts.
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