The Tekken 8 roster is set to be a massive one that includes a variety of series staples, returning fan favorites, and new characters.
Tekken 8 has been a steady presence at major gaming events in 2023. Characters have been revealed randomly on social media, at tournaments like Evo, and at general gaming shows. Among the biggest appearances so far was a Gamescom trailer that confirmed the release date of Tekken 8 and the total number of fighters that will appear in the base version of the roster.
The explosive trailer also revealed other gameplay details. Included in the game is a new online mode called Arcade Quest, letting players relive the era of gaming arcades online. Players can make their own avatars and hop into a shared arcade space with friends and other gamers. The game will also have a separate single-player story mode that will expand on the Mishima legend.
That said, the biggest question regarding a fighting game sequel is which characters will be included in the game. Here are all the confirmed characters on the Tekken 8 roster and what fans can expect when it comes to DLC.
All confirmed characters on the Tekken 8 roster
Namco Bandai has confirmed that Tekken 8 will have 32 playable characters at launch.
The fighting game is slowly releasing info about each returning and new character. However, leaks regarding the game have happened almost non-stop. Some of the leaks were later confirmed and there are several characters that have not yet been confirmed. Here is the full list of characters that have been confirmed for Tekken 8:
Tekken 8 confirmed characters | ||
Asuka Kazama | Azucena | Bryan Fury |
Claudio Serafino | Dragunov | Hwoarang |
Jack-8 | Jin Kazama | Jun Kazama |
Kazuya Mishima | King | Lars Alexandersson |
Leo Kliesen | Leroy Smith | Lili |
Ling Xiaoyu | Marshall Law | Nina Williams |
Paul Phoenix | Raven | Shaheen |
Steve Fox | Kuma | Yoshimitsu |
Usual mainstays like Paul Pheonix, King, Jin Kazama, Nina Willams, and Marshal Law are all officially confirmed for the Tekken 8 roster. Namco has released character-specific trailers highlighting the changes in looks and moves. For the most part, the characters are staying true to their original styles with added moves to bring them up to speed with new fighters.
The full roster will likely be revealed ahead of the game’s official release next year.

Five more Tekken 8 characters revealed at Gamescom 2023
Steve Fox, Yoshimitsu, Shaheen, Leo, and Kuma are included on the Tekken 8 roster.
The trailer showed glimpses of several returning characters in action. Steve Fox is a boxer who is focused on chaining together punches and dodging attacks. Yoshimitsu is the leader of a space pirate clan and uses both otherworldly powers and a katana to deal damage.
Shaheen is the only Arab character and was first introduced in Tekken 7. He has a military fighting style and has above-average agility. Leo Kliesen is a German who uses the fighting style of Baji Quan.
Finally, Kuma the bear is making a return. Kuma first appeared in Tekken 1 and 2 and then passed away, with his son taking his place as Heihachi Mishima’s bodyguard.
Will Tekken 8 have DLC characters?
Tekken 8 is confirmed to be adding new characters via DLC. The game takes the same approach to DLC as Street Fighter 6 and Guilty Gear Strive.
Tekken 8’s premium editions include a “Year One Pass” that adds new DLC characters to the roster and offers alternate costumes. It is unknown which characters will be released. Tekken 7 saw new additions revealed by surprise throughout its lifespan, unlike Street Fighter 6 which revealed DLC characters in advance.