It has already been a year since the release of Tekken 8, but the issue of cheating in the game has not only remained unresolved but continues to grow. Despite numerous complaints from players and even their own investigations, Bandai Namco has yet to take decisive steps to address dishonest players. If the developers do not take action, the online mode risks descending into complete chaos, where fair play will become the exception rather than the norm.

Shortly after the release of Tekken 8, videos began surfacing online showing players with superhuman reflexes. For example, some players block attacks in a single frame, which is impossible without the use of third-party software or macros. Others instantly break any grabs, which also exceeds human capabilities. Such actions clearly indicate the use of cheats, which remain unpunished.

In addition to cheating, the game still suffers from serious technical issues that affect balance and gameplay. For instance, Yoshimitsu's attacks sometimes become unblockable, and the defense system fails to register them. There are also methods to artificially slow down matches, disrupting the opponent's rhythm. Combined with cheats, these bugs make the competitive mode nearly unplayable.

Recently, active members of the Tekken 8 community, such as Mike Hollow and Blackheart59, uncovered an entire network of cheaters. In their Discord group, programs are openly distributed that allow players to automatically dodge attacks, block combos, and even avoid losses. Surprisingly, these players continue to freely participate in ranked matches, and Bandai Namco has yet to take any action, despite public exposure.

The only relatively safe way to play is by using consoles with crossplay disabled. However, even this does not guarantee complete protection from dishonest players. Some users create "smurf accounts" — secondary profiles to play against less experienced opponents, which also disrupts the balance. Others exploit control bugs to gain an unfair advantage.

Bandai Namco has announced the second season of Tekken 8, set to begin in April, but the developers still lack a clear strategy to combat cheaters. The community fears that the priority will be given to new DLCs and cosmetic updates rather than fixing critical online issues. If the situation does not change, players may lose interest in the game en masse, jeopardizing its future.

Main image: reddit.com

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