You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here
Fighting game fans are in for a treat with the arrival of Bandai Namco’s latest action-packed installment in the Tekken franchise, Tekken 8. Much like previous series entries, this newest addition to the ever-popular franchise contains an iconic set of characters that fans can play as.
If you want to know who exactly Bandai Namco is including in the game’s roster when Tekken 8 releases, then you’re in luck. We’ve covered all of the names involved in the latest iteration of this classic martial arts series, so all you’ll need to do know is to keep reading on to find out.
All Tekken 8 confirmed characters so far
Here is a list of all of the confirmed Tekken 8 characters so far:
- Jin Kazama
- Kazuya Mishima
- Paul Phoenix
- Marshall Law
- King
- Lars Alexandersson
- Nina Williams
- Jack-8
- Jun Kazama
- Ling Xiaoyu
- Leroy Smith
- Asuka Kazama
- Lili (Emilie de Rochefort)
- Hwoarang
- Bryan Fury
- Claudio Serafino
- Raven
- Azucena Castillo
- Yoshimitsu
- Sergei Dragunov
- Steve Fox
- Leo Kliesen
- Shaheen
- Kuma
- Reina
- Zafina
- Lee Chaolan
- Victor Chevalier
- Devil Jin
- Alisa Bosconovitch
- Panda
- Feng Wei
Jin Kazama
The poster child of the Tekken series since Tekken 3, Jin is making a return as one of the main characters in the series. Having seemingly gained control over his devil gene as shown in his rage art, his story in Tekken 8 will centre around his quest to finally kill his father Kazuya and eliminate the devil gene for good.
Kazuya Mishima
With his father Heihachi out of the picture, Kazuya is intent on using his strength and his role as the leader of G Corp to take over the world. After coming out on top over the Mishima Zaibatsu, Kazuya appears set to fulfil his goal, with only Jin capable of stopping him.
Paul Phoenix
It’s easy to forget that Paul once fought Kazuya to a draw, as he’s become somewhat of a laughing stock in recent entries. With Heihachi’s apparent death, Paul failed to receive any prize money from the previous King of Iron Fist Tournament and has been left destitute. The eighth tournament will be a chance for him to finally claim the crown and take home his deserved winnings.
Marshall Law
Following his son Forrest’s motorcycle accident, Law struggled to pay back the debt he accrued through his medical bills. This caused him to neglect his dojo as he sought to find someone to take over, eventually having the dojo repossessed altogether as collateral. Like Paul, Law seems perpetually broke, and will no doubt be entering the eighth King of Iron Fist Tournament to try and make some of that money back.
King
Technically the second King after the first one was killed, he is a Mexican professional wrestler and benefactor of the orphanage where he grew up. Thanks to the war between the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corp, more children than ever are in need to his help, and winning The King of Iron Fist Tournament will give him the money he needs to help them.
Lars Alexandersson
One of Heihachi Mishima’s illegitimate children, he was previously an officer of the Tekken Force, a military unit of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Following a coup d’état, he took much of the Tekken Force with him to form the rebel army Yggdrasil, and teamed up with Jin to take down Kazuya and G Corp.
Nina Williams
Despite being largely known as an assassin by trade, Nina was also previously a commander of the Tekken Force of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Following a failed attempt to capture Jin, she left the Force, returning to her assassin roots. Much later, Kazuya hired her as a direct subordinate to head up G Corporation’s forces as commander.
Jack-8
The latest iteration of G Corp’s humanoid weapons known as the Jack series. One of the lead developers of Jack-8, Jane, once had her life saved by a Jack, and devoted her life to perfecting the Jack. The latest model features a vastly improved AI, capable of learning far faster and more accurately than the previous Jack-7.
Jun Kazama
Thought to be dead since way back in Tekken 3, Jun is the mother of Jin Kazama, and taught him the Kazama-style martial arts that she specialises in. After only appearing in Tekken 2 and Tekken 3, her return in Tekken 8 was a major surprise, and fans are excited to try her out again in a modern setting.
Ling Xiaoyu
A Chinese martial arts specialist, her feelings for Jin lead her to travel around the world looking for him, even infiltrating the Mishima Zaibatsu to find clues as to his whereabouts. Despite six months without a trace of him, she is unwavered, and continues to look for him, no matter how long it takes.
Leroy Smith
A master of Wing Chun from New York, he’s regarded as a hero for his work in saving the city from the gangs that had taken over. After learning that the war that has decimated the city was caused by the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corp, he entered the seventh King of Iron Fist Tournament. After G Corp takes over the world, Leroy is determined to take down its leader, Kazuya.
Asuka Kazama
Jin’s cousin, Asuka is a master of Kazama-style martial arts despite her young age. After defeating Lili at The King of Iron Fist Tournament, Lili developed a fascination with Asuka, following her around, and even buying her dojo.
Lili
Emilie de Rochefort, better known as Lili, is the heiress of a wealthy oil magnate from Monaco. Despite her upper class upbringing, she is a talented fighter, and travels around the world to fight strong opponents, hiding it from her father. After being defeated twice by Asuka in The King of Iron Fist Tournament, Lili develops a fascination with her, turning Asuka into a reluctant rival.
Hwoarang
A master of Taekwondo, Hwoarang and Jin have been rivals ever since their draw at the third King of Iron Fist Tournament. After meeting Jin in the Middle East, Hwoarang manages to defeat him, but intervention by the Union of Nations means Jin disappears again. Hwoarang returns home to train, waiting for the day where he can face Jin once again.
Bryan Fury
Something of a psychopath, Bryan is a genetically-enhanced cyborg who travels around the world waging acts of war. After overuse, the perpetual generator that gives him his endless energy overheated, giving him a surge of power. He is one of the most wanted men in the world due to his acts of violence, and is sought after by government organisations everywhere.
Claudio Serafino
The leader of the Sirius Marksmen, an ancient group of exorcists, Claudio initially cooperated with Heihachi in his quest to take down Jin and Kazuya, in order to eliminate the devil gene. After learning that Xiaoyu was searching for Jin, he decides to befriend her as a means of getting close to, and eventually defeating Jin.
Raven
Raven is a ninjutsu master and special ops agent of the UN’s independent forces. Previously using his powers to prevent conflicts before they began, he turned his attention to the war between the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corp. After failing to put a stop to this war, he returned to his ninjutsu master to train, returning to the field for the eighth King of Iron Fist Tournament. If you want to know more about him, check out our Tekken 8 Raven character guide.
Azucena Castillo
Azucena is new to the Tekken series, and is a champion MMA fighter and coffee enthusiast. Having developed her own award-winning coffee blend on her family’s Ortiz Farm, she travels the world fighting strong opponents to advertise her coffee, and the next step is The King of Iron Fist Tournament. Our Tekken 8 Azucena character guide goes more into depth on her character and gameplay, so check out to find out more.
Kuma
As the Master of Salmon patiently waits for Heihachi Mishima to return, the red headband-wearing grizzly returns to the squared circle. Though Kuma towers above normal human beings and is often seen as a threat, his strong work ethic and easygoing nature make him a beloved member of the populace, especially within the Southeast Asian communities he volunteers at.
How many characters are in Tekken 8?
There will be 32 characters on the roster in Tekken 8. During Bandai Namco’s announcement of the game’s release date at Gamescom Opening Night Live, they confirmed that there would be 32 characters in the base game of Tekken 8. While this is a much lower amount than the 50 fighters you can currently play in Tekken 7, many of those characters were added by the developers through post-launch DLC, and we expect to see the same here.
With eight spots on the roster still to fill, there are still a fair few iconic names missing from the list, such as Craig Marduk, Armor King, and more. One character whose fate is still up in the air is series mainstay Heihachi Mishima, who was seemingly killed off during the Tekken 7 storyline, so whether or not he will return is a mystery.
Players are especially excited to try most of the characters out with the new Heat system now integrated into the game. This new mechanic should make for some very interesting strategies as it is definitely a drastic departure from the combat elements of previous installments. Its inclusion now also encourages aggressive play, making fights more exciting than ever before.
While you wait for the game to launch, check out our pages on the best fight sticks for Tekken 8, the best graphics settings for Tekken 8 demo, and the Tekken 8 system requirements.
HORI Fighting Stick alpha Designed for Xbox Series X|S – Officially Licensed by Microsoft
Videogamer.com is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Last updated on 2023-07-05
Tekken 8
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): Fighting