Tekken 8 | S2 Upcoming Updates & Fahkumram

[Mr EliteL]

I'll just quickly break down in text form what that trailer entailed.

Version 2.01 Update - May 13th

• Tekken Ghost Showdown
  
• Tekken Shop: Cyber Phantom Pack & Vigilante Tech Pack
  
• Balance Adjustment #1
  

Version 2.02 Update - June 3rd

• Karate Kid Legends collaboration - promotions for movie in-game + customisation Hoodie
  
• Tekken Shop: Kuma Costume 01 Tiger, Panda Costume 01 Calico, Dragunov classic costume
  
• Free: Kuma & Panda colour costumes
  
• Balance Adjustment #2
  

Version 2.03 Update - Coming Soon

• Pac-Pixels Stage (DLC)
  
• Fight Pass Round 6: Free tier includes Pac-Man Hit Effects, 45th Anniversary T-Shirt, Plushie Ghost
  
• Tekken Ball - Pac-Man Ball
  
• Fight Pass Round 6: Paid tier includes Pac-Man Head, Avatar emote Ready [Pac-Man] & Play [Pac-Man]
  
• Balance Adjustment #3
  

Summer DLC Character: Fahkumram

---

I knew Evo Japan was happening but forgot it was going to finish overnight last night, thus forgetting there was likely going to be an announcement for Tekken 8. So I only saw the trailer during my break at work, and well I wasn't so hyped for it really. I did only just realised I actually have another year worth of PS Plus as I forgot to cancel the subscription (already down 3 months), so I want to try and get back to playing online at some point but man, Fahkumram returning so isn't what the game needs after the state Season 2 has been in. I want to say I hope the balance adjustments aid the game, saves my guy Lee and brings Tekken back to maybe the hype T7 Season 2 had because definitely enjoyable watching tournaments back then, but ahhh....

[Moonface]

...I want to try and get back to playing online at some point but man, Fahkumram returning so isn't what the game needs after the state Season 2 has been in.

Yeah the Tekken subreddit had a video compilation of notable Tekken streamers reacting to the reveal and all of them were disappointed.
I know very little about Fahkumram since I didn't play T7, but the one thing I've never liked about him is his appearance. He has to be one of the most atrocious character designs of any fighting game.

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah he's not all that, I don't mind his backstory although it's very limited. His family is taken hostage, so he is forced to fight for whoever (can't remember if it's the same people who have his family or a linked party) and as he's strong he pretty much takes opponents out quite brutally. However because he's so disliked as a DLC character both in his introduction to T7 and now here, he would've been slightly better received in base roster but I also believe Leroy may have also gotten a similar disappointed reaction if he was DLC, so he was at least saved from this. Hell I think Lucky Chloe would be better received than Fahkumram at this point.

What would've made his trailer infinitely better is after he says "You're my next victim" it pans over to Bruce as his opponent who proceeds to whoop his ass, then is revealed to be the true DLC character. Even better if Bruce does his "I'm you worst nightmare" in response.

[Moonface]

You mentioning Bruce reminded me that I saw so many comments questioning why Fahk needed to be made when there's already an established Muay Thai fighter on the roster. Looking up Bruce's backstory real quick, he even works for Kazuya so he would have fit perfectly into the story of Tekken 8 as someone working with Kazuya.

I also think it's a bad approach to introduce new characters as DLC in Tekken 7, and then of those now in Tekken 8 they made 2/3 of them also be DLC for that game. All of the newcomers should have either been base roster in Tekken 8, or cut entirely. Heck, if we view Noctis and Clive as being the same character due to both being guest characters from Final Fantasy, there has been one character from every Tekken 7 Season Pass used as DLC for Tekken 8 (Noctis/Clive from S1, Anna from S2, Fahkumram from S3, and Lidia from S4) which just seems ridiculous, particularly when it means out of the 6 characters currently available as DLC for T8, 4 of them were DLC for Tekken 7 too. Clive I understand because he's a guest character, but I don't think Anna, Fahkumram or Lidia should have been DLC for this game.

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah I'd leave Clive out of the group, but there's bound to be a 4th T7 DLC for T8 as most people are betting on Armor King to become one either the last returning character for this Season 2, or be in Season 3. I agree Anna and Lidia should've been in base, it was quite stupid to leave Anna out when Nina literally took her job working for Kazuya, making Nina cycle from Jin to Heihachi to Kazuya...I get she's a hired assassin but GEEZ, would've been good to see their interaction actually in the story instead of simply an intro to a fight. Instead Nina was used as an opponent for Reina, then leaves for a vacation.

Fahkumram should've either been in base, hell he would've made a great enemy working for Kazuya, make Kazuya dealing with his family's captors or something for use of Fahkumram, or just be cut. Though I partly understand why he's back as he did sell well or at least had high usage, he was at his best the 5th highest used character, just under Armor King at 4th, but again should've been base not DLC. He did get a nerf later on towards the end of T7 which likely affected his final usage placement but there's no info on that as far as I'm aware.

[Moonface]

Tekken 8 | Armor King Reveal
You could watch gameplay of Fahkumram, or you could just skip to the good part at the end and see a character reveal people actually wanted.

[Mr EliteL]

I didn't fully watch Combo Breaker, and didn't really anticipate a trailer to be shown at the end of the tournament. I did check out the trailer on my break at work today, but literally stopped like three quarters of the way through because I really didn't care anymore, and that was a mistake.

That may have been very brief showing of Armor King, but GODDAMN what a new design! Now he breathes fire instead of the random green poison mist or whatever it was (I usually took it as bad breath instead ), a move I never liked using and I know Yoshimitsu and Nina have a move like that too, but now fire makes all the difference.

Anyway yeah I feel like they sped up Armor King's reveal a bit earlier because of the Fahkumram reaction everyone was giving. It's quite a while for Fahkumram to even release, early-ish July so there's like 2-3 months after that for AK. I saw the positive audience reaction and Harada and Murray seemingly pleased so finally there's something to look forward to. Apparently the tournament was good too, so I may need to watch the next notable one live, as long as the timing is good for me.

[Moonface]

Yeah between Fahk's reveal and the reception to Season 2 causing the games rating to plummet like a Mishima off a cliff I definitely think they put Armor King into the end of that trailer to try and generate some positive discussion about the game.

Also I can't say my impression of Fahk really improved much when he repeatedly brought up his family in the trailer. I get it's an important subject for him but at the same time it feels shallow and gives me the impression he wouldn't have much personality or character left if that was resolved. However, it may just be because I know nothing of his back story before his family got kidnapped and a trailer for him in this game would have little reason to cover any of that.

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah everything about him really is just so empty, he's literally just a random add on no one ever saw any story about in-game. I don't remember him even bringing up his family in T7 intros/wins. If only they actually gave him a story, though I suppose they might when he drops to have one for him then. If only the T4 character stories were still a thing, that could've perhaps helped him a bit too.

When reading comments I did come across a decent theory about Fahkumram though, he could've started out as the model for Street Fighter's Sagat character, but as Tekken x Street Fighter never happened he was a leftover they didn't want to get rid of. Also he could've been a test for the new T8 system in late T7, with his powerup stuff and being able to guard break. Unfortunately hasn't gone too well though.

[Moonface]

I'd like to know who he works for. Clearly it isn't Kazuya going by the recent trailer, but there's no one else in the game I feel would be a bastard to do that to a character yet has zero presence in the games or story themselves.

[Mr EliteL]

Everyone else wants to know as well really...or perhaps not. Heck doubt the devs even know at this point who Fahkumram is working for. OK perhaps they do but feels like they don't. Kazuya did mention "those weaklings" but I got no clue who he's referring to. If it were the opposition (Lars' resistance or whatever Victor is under) surely he would've been sent out against Kazuya but that likely isn't them either.
Now thinking about it whoever the new party is, they could be out for the Devil Gene and need someone strong to take out other strong opponents that could stop them, thus getting Fahkumram to do their dirty work and opening up a way to continue the Tekken story.