Three legacy challengers join the game. The update direction has been described as “back to basics.”
TEKKEN 8 promises a fresh start for its fighting balance in Season 3. That message was one of the main ones in the reveal trailer. The developers are clearly aware of how they misdirected Season 2, and want to address that in the following patches.
Alongside this promise, the Season 3 reveal trailer shows three new characters coming to TEKKEN 8 throughout 2026. The next competitive circuit is also right around the corner.
Season 3 DLC characters in TEKKEN 8
There will be four new characters in TEKKEN 8 Season 3. We already know three of them, and all come from previous games.
Kunimitsu, late Spring 2026
The original version of Kunimitsu was present in two first TEKKEN games. After a break, a similar ninja returned to TEKKEN 7, but that was the daughter of Kunimitsu I, following the same fighting style. The character was also in the roster of spin-off games, TEKKEN Tag Tournament.
Kunimitsu is a ninja who focuses on weapons and gadgets. She can do some elemental magic, too. The character is known for her speed and zoning tools.
Bob, Summer
The big guy returns to the TEKKEN series. Robert Richards, or just Bob, is pretty popular among the game's fans. He was introduced in TEKKEN 6. Previously, Bob was slim, but he wanted to gain weight to defeat heavier opponents — while keeping his speed.
It worked, and Bob is an agile rushdown fighter with a nice selection of heavy hits.
Roger Jr., Autumn
Well, he is a kangaroo, one of the most unique joke characters in fighting games. In TEKKEN 8, we have the son of the original kangaroo fighter, Roger from TEKKEN 2. After Roger was kidnapped, he went to live a luxurious life and abandoned his family. Mother of Rojer Jr. discovered that, divorced, and became a fighter — in a team with her son.
In matches, players control the mother, while Roger Jr. appears in some moves to land a hit. As for the fighting archetype, Roger Jr. used boxing and wrestling. He has grappler tools and a quick rushdown offense.
A new mysterious character, Winter
An unknown challenger completes TEKKEN 8 Season 3 in winter 2026. We know nothing about this character yet. Perhaps it will be someone new to the series or a guest from another franchise.
How to Unlock Season 3 characters in TEKKEN 8
Alongside a new battle stage, four DLC characters are part of the TEKKEN 8 Season 3 Pass. You can unlock this content by purchasing the Pass, starting from Feb. 9, 2026.
TWT 2026 starts at Evo Japan
With the conclusion of the TEKKEN World Tour (TWT) 2025, we already have info on the next official esports circuit.
- The first qualifier of TWT 2026 happens at Evo Japan 2026, from May 1 to May 3.
- The series will continue until the Thaiger Uppercut event in November 2026.
TEKKEN 8 balance in Season 3
Many players think that TEKKEN 8 went astray in Season 2. Even before it, some pros were complaining about the offense-heavy nature of the game, especially with the Heat mechanic, and then, the developers intensified this basic style even more. Those changes were reversed soon after the Season 2 release, but the effect was still drastic for the number of active players and for the game's reputation.
The Season 3 trailer makes big promises about the refined balance: more conventional, focused, and deliberate.
The community's reaction to the Season 3 reveal is cautiously optimistic. People are not extremely happy about having only legacy characters, but they still enjoy Kunimitsu and Bob. The feedback on Roger Jr. is mixed: however fun this joke character is, he takes the spot of someone new to TEKKEN 8 or highly requested Miguel and Julia.
The rebalance promises were greeted positively. Still, the common opinion here is that we have to wait and see what really happens in the game and not build expectations on slogans in a splashy trailer.
