LikeMortal Kombathas been doing for quite some time now, Tekken 7 in 2017 added licensed guest characters as DLC to its default roster of fighters. Though there’s been no clear sign yet whetherTekken 8will follow in its predecessor’s footsteps, there are plenty of worthy and deserving characters from other media to consider.
Guest characters are always exciting, especially when they come from iconic movies, games, or television series, and you get to see them in a whole new creative light like you wouldn’t have in their original forms. Might the following be among them?
8William Adams
Nioh
William Adams would make a fine addition to Tekken 8’s roster. He’s no stranger to fighting supernatural beings and is probably one of the most underrated protagonistsin a Soulslike game not made by FromSoftware. It would be a pleasant surprise if you got to reunite with him in a fighting game.
A stubborn Irishman and demon-slaying samuraialready sounds like a terrific fighter option. Since parries are ingrained in his character, defensive maneuvers should be a breeze if you use him. Plus, the opponents are much smaller and far less terrifying than he’s used to in theNiohgames, and that dialogue can be excellent to explore.
7Johnny Cage
Mortal Kombat 1
Can you just imagine what this crossover could bring? Tekken Easter eggs, Mortal Kombat Easter eggs,endless pop culture referencesand entertaining one-liners, and finishing animations that bring out the classic charm of actor-turned-champion Johnny Cage in Tekken 8’s arenas.
Out of all the Mortal Kombat fighters, Johnny makes the most sense for his strict hand-to-hand combat that doesn’t rely on projectiles or special weapons, and it would be cool to see him go up against a different universe of fighters. But also, we really want to see what jokes he has lined up for the Devil Gene.
6Zoe Rayne
Palworld
Palworldis all the craze, selling millions of copies in just days and garnering a large player base, so when considering a female fighter to add as a guest character, the developers may want to lookto this unpredictable phenomenon of a game. While Palworld is mainly about collecting battle-hardened Pokemon-esque creatures, there are some humans in its world too.
One of those is Zoe Rayne, the leading member of the Rayne Syndicate who battles players with her companion Pal called Grizzbolt. While she doesn’t go toe-to-toe per se in Palworld, Tekken 8 is her opportunity. Zoe’s character design has all the makings of a powerful fighter to be welcomed in a genre like this.
5Raphael
Baldur’s Gate 3
One of the core aesthetics of the Tekken series is thatit incorporates the Devil Gene, which essentially allows certain characters to transform into winged devil forms due to their genetics. Well, there’s probably no better match for that in this game than another devil-shape-shifting character fromBaldur’s Gate 3.
Of course, we mean to nominate none other than the cambion Raphael from Larian’s D&D fantasy-inspired CRPG world for Tekken 8’s roster. Raphael is one of the most intriguingand difficult bosses in Baldur’s Gate 3, and his parallels with some of the lore and characters present in Bandai Namco’s game would be fun to play off of.
4Jack Krauser
Resident Evil 4 Remake
When considering the remake ofResident Evil 4, the most obvious choice here would be to volunteer Leon S. Kennedy as tribute to join Tekken 8 as a guest. But sometimes the guests just need to be a compelling villain. The previous installment did that withThe Walking Dead’s Negan andStreet Fighter’s Akuma, so Jack Krauser is not too farfetched.
Jack Krauser is a hardened army veteran and mercenary who’s pretty great with a knife, as his infamous fight with Leon demonstrates, and he’s also got a Bayman quality from theDead or Aliveseries. Since Krauser’s got a lot going for him and Resident Evil 4 Remake was one of the biggest games of 2023 (nominated for multiple Game Awards), there may be hope yet.
3Dante
Devil May Cry 5
HadDevil May Cry 5launched just a couple of years earlier to come before Tekken 7, this would’ve been a perfect collaboration for the two games. DMC is all about hacking and slashing devils, and Tekken is largely the same, just within the scope, mechanics, and design of a fighting game.
With Tekken 8, it’s a second chance to see Devil May Cry 5’s silver-haired protagonist Dante kicking some butt in a different way. And given the developers' history of using guest characters from Capcom properties, it’s safe to say this one can definitely be a contender.
2Kazuma Kiryu, Ichiban Kasuga, Or Goro Majima
Like A Dragon Series
This trio was also a missed opportunity the first time around and would fit perfectly in the world of Tekken 8, given the absurdity of their respectiveYakuza/Like a Dragonentries. Yes, you, Ichiban, who can apparently win in a fight against a Giant Shark inInfinite Wealth. These characters are made for beat ‘em ups, so throw some Devil-Gened individuals their way and watch what happens.
Seeing either Kiryu, Ichiban, or Goro Majima would make quite the crossover event. The Like a Dragon series from Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has only grown more and more popular and pleasingly wackier with each new release, so it’s ultimately time to see these icons in a new capacity.
1Vi
Arcane
Tekken is privy to having guest characters from prominent television series, as Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan Smith has shown. While Mortal Kombat 1 may have secured Homelander, Peacemaker, and Omni-Man for their roster, Tekken 8 shouldn’t shy away from Netflix and Riot Games’ success with the Arcane animated series.
Vi is a remarkable character in both the game and the show, and fighting like a badass is what she does best. It’s time her special gauntlets get to work on some of the main roster of Tekken 8. Imagine how impressive and stylish some of those Rage Arts will look, maybe even nodding to the episodes.
