Heihachi announced as the next DLC character for Tekken 8

As part of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of Tekken, Bandai Manco Entertainment has dropped the trailer for Tekken 8, with a surprise appearance from fan-favorite character Heihachi that has shocked some players. 

The trailer for Heihachi was revealed at EVO 2024, along with a new story mode chapter called The Dark Awakens. Sporting impressive visuals, stunning fight locations, and many beloved characters returning, the Heihachi Mishima trailer has made quite the splash. In under 24 hours of its release, it has garnered over a million views and 51,000 likes.

The trailer suggests that Heihachi has been training a group of warriors called “Tekken Monks,” who have been plotting to murder the remaining members of the Mishima Zaibatsu. 

Related | Tekken pros argue if Tekken 8 is a good game or nah

Is Heihachi dead?

Towards the end of the 3-minute trailer, it is revealed that Heihachi is actually alive. While he was initially confirmed to be dead at the of Tekken 7, he is back for the latest game. Not just that but he will be one of the DLC fighters in Tekken 8.

This revelation has caused a bit of controversy in the Tekken community. On the one hand, some fans are happy to see him back and are excited at the prospect of him being the tiger-masked warrior. Heihachi is a favorite of many and will certainly have an impact on the game.

On the other hand, some players feel betrayed by this development. Heihachi’s death at the end of Tekken 7 was a major plot point and bringing him back from the dead thus feels like a betrayal. There is also what impact his being alive will have on the characters. Reina, his daughter, for example, had vowed to avenge him, but that motivation is lost since he isn’t dead. 

Heihachi Mishima will be joining Tekken 8 as a DLC fighter in Autumn 2024.