Tekken 8 PC playtest spotted on SteamDB, hints at a beta stress test coming soon

So far 2023 seems to be a great year of fighting game fans, with three major titles scheduled to release this year, including Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1, and Tekken 8. Bandai Namco's Tekken 8 is easily one of the most anticipated fighting games of the year. And with its looming release window, it looks like fans are finally going to get to experience the game for themselves very soon via a beta stress test.

A Tekken 8 "Beta" playtest entry has showed up on SteamDB, the platform which compiles information regarding games that have released or are yet to be released on Valve's PC platform, Steam. While Bandai Namco Entertainment has yet to confirm any such plans regarding the game's beta stress test, the SteamDB entry points towards an imminent playtest.

Bandai Namco has been actively marketing the game in the last few weeks, with multiple character trailers and extended gameplay previews. Although the Japanese publishing giant is yet to disclose a confirmed release date for the game, it can be speculated that a release date announcement is coming soon.

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Tekken 8's newly added "Beta" entry on SteamDB hints towards a potential playtest ahead of its release

The "Beta" entry that showed up on SteamDB is usually reserved for games that will get an open or closed beta test or a stress test of some kind, which isn't uncommon for competitive fighting games like Tekken. With the recent marketing push that Tekken 8 has been getting, it can be speculated that Bandai Namco is planning to finally announce a release date for the game alongside the playtest.

Tekken 8, much like NetherRealm Studios' upcoming Mortal Kombat 1, is a current-generation exclusive title. This means the game will skip the previous generation of consoles, i.e., PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, in favor of delivering a truly "next-gen" fighting game experience built for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.

Being built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5, the game will take full advantage of the power of the current-generation hardware to deliver a fast-paced and fluid gameplay experience while also maintaining the series' high standards when it comes to visual fidelity. Bandai Namco has put out multiple trailers showcasing multiple different aspects of the game while also giving fans a glimpse of the roster.

From the gameplay trailers that Bandai Namco has released so far, the upcoming Tekken title seems to be a significant step up from its predecessors in terms of its visuals and gameplay.