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Bandai Namco revealed at EVO 2024 that Heihachi Mishima will be making his return to Tekken 8.
This announcement comes as a particular surprise given Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada’s previous statements. At the previous Evo Tekken 8 Showcase leading up to Reina’s reveal as the final base roster character, Harada had emphatically declared, “Heihachi Mishima is completely dead.” This statement seemed to confirm Heihachi’s absence from Tekken 8, following his apparent demise in Tekken 7’s storyline.
In an interview, Harada and game director Kohei Ikeda shed light on the decision to bring Heihachi back from the dead. They explained, “But then, after that happened, Tekken 8 was released, and we put a lot of effort into the story and the fans really seemed to be engaged with that. And as that was happening, we were kind of feeling that the players kind of missed him as well. Obviously, we did, too. So, it was kind of decided later on that we would do that.”
Interestingly, the developers had laid the groundwork for Heihachi’s return well in advance, despite earlier denials. Ikeda pointed out a hidden easter egg in the 30th anniversary logo, which subtly incorporates Heihachi’s silhouette. While details about Heihachi’s gameplay remain scarce, Ikeda teased that his fighting style will be as powerful as ever, with some new elements influenced by the mysterious monks hinted at in the reveal footage.
Heihachi joins Eddy Gordo and Lidia Sobieska as the third DLC character for Tekken 8. With Heihachi’s return, Tekken 8 continues to evolve, promising fans both nostalgic thrills and exciting new content in the months to come. Heihachi’s unexpected resurrection wasn’t the only surprise in store at EVO 2024.
Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco.
