Tekken 8 Continues to Suffer from Numerous Cheaters

Tekken 8, released a year ago, is plagued by a persistent and growing cheating problem. Despite player complaints and evidence, Bandai Namco has yet to effectively address the issue, threatening to unravel fair play in online modes.

Shortly after launch, videos emerged showcasing players exhibiting superhuman reflexes—impossible feats like single-frame blocking and instantaneous grab breaks, clear indicators of third-party software or macro usage. These cheats remain unchecked.

Beyond cheating, significant technical issues further undermine balance and gameplay. Yoshimitsu's attacks sometimes become unblockable, the defense system malfunctions, and match manipulation tactics exist. These bugs, coupled with rampant cheating, render competitive play frustrating.

Community figures like Mike Hollow and Blackheart59 recently exposed a cheater network openly distributing programs enabling automatic dodges, combo blocking, and even loss avoidance. Despite this public exposure, these players continue to compete in ranked matches with impunity, and Bandai Namco remains unresponsive.

Currently, disabling crossplay on consoles offers the only relatively safe haven, but this isn't foolproof. "Smurfing"—using secondary accounts to exploit less experienced players—and control bug exploitation persist.

While Bandai Namco has announced Tekken 8's second season for April, a clear anti-cheat strategy remains absent. The community worries that new DLC and cosmetic updates will take precedence over addressing these critical online issues. Failure to act decisively risks widespread player attrition and the game's long-term viability.