Summary
Tekken 8was released at the start of 2024 to critical acclaim. From incredibly deep combat that has evolved over 30 years to its unique character customization, there is a lot thatTekkendoes to stand apart from its peers. One of its most defining traits, however, is its labyrinthian and often goofy lore.Tekken 7andTekken 8did a lot to wrap up many of the series' longest-running story arcs, but understanding all the context behind events still requires players to be knowledgeable of past games' events.Tekken 9could solve this by borrowing a storytelling technique fromMortal Kombat.
Mortal Kombatfirst began in 1992, and likeTekken, the series has weaved an incredibly intricate story with dozens of characters. WhileTekken’s story has relentlessly moved forward,MKhas taken a different approach.Mortal Kombat 1is a soft reboot, just likeMK9before it.MK1’s reboot is the result of an in-universe event at the hands of Liu Kang, and the game often references past events, but by restarting the core timeline in that manner, the series can welcome new fans into the story without requiring that they learn about previous entries. Of all the ways that long-running franchises have tried to make their stories more accessible for newcomers,Mortal Kombat’s reboots have been among the most elegant.
Tekken 8 Opens The Door for a Reboot
Tekken 8features the conclusion to the long-running Mishima Saga, at least as fans know it.Tekken 7finally saw the defeat of Heihachi Mishima, leaving the Mishima Zaibatsu corporation to Kazuya. In this most recent entry, Jin battles to take down his father and remove the Devil Gene from the Earth. As the game concludes, Reina pledges to avenge her father, Heihachi, and transforms into her devil form. Jin’s defeat of his father brings about the end of the series' longest-running arc, but the reveal that Reina is a secret Mishima means that the family will seemingly remain central to the series' future.
Tekken 9 Could Be a Soft Reboot
Reina is set to be a big part ofTekken 9. For the first time sinceJin Kazama’s addition inTekken 3, the conflict within the Mishima family will have a new key player. It seems that, without his Devil powers, Jin will have to take on a new enemy whose abilities rival those of his father and grandfather. The introduction of a new antagonist and the flattening of Jin and Kazuya’s powers could function as something of a soft reboot while still honoring the series' long-running lore.
With a new conflict set to take center stage,Tekken 9will likely be one of the series' best entry points for newcomers to the story.
How Could Tekken Reset Its Timeline?
As of the end of its story, the sole living character who is known to possess the Devil Gene isTekken 8’s Reina. If she succeeds in taking over the Mishima Zaibatsu, she will control a massive amount of wealth alongside her god-like powers. Given her love for her father, it would be unsurprising to see her attempt to bring him back in a futureTekkenplot. If Bandai Namco wanted to reboot the series, they could have Reina use her momentous power and resources in order to return to the past or reset the timeline in an attempt to save Heihachi.
Tekken 8’sending sets up a soft reboot of sorts, and the series' propensity for over-the-top lore and world-building means that nothing is impossible.IfTekkenwanted to pull aMortal Kombat 1and start fresh with an in-universe reboot, its story and world-building provide more than enough room for it to happen.Tekkenhas some of thedeepest lore in the fighting game genre, so a timeline-bending in-world reboot like that ofMortal Kombatcould be the perfect way to revisit iconic characters and events without discarding the lore that it has already established.
