Tekken 8 Announces Heihachi Mishima's Arrival Date

Tekken 8 has officially confirmed that the legendary villain Heihachi Mishima will be playable starting October 1 for players who have purchased the Player Character Year 1 Pass. Those hoping to control Heihachi without the character pass will need to wait until October 4, Eastern Time, to assume the role of the Mishima Clan patriarch.

During the Evo 2024 tournament held in Las Vegas, Tekken 8 producer Katsuhiro Harada made a surprising announcement: Heihachi Mishima survived the intense showdown at the conclusion of Tekken 7. In a climactic battle against his son, Kazuya Mishima, Heihachi was thrown into a lava pit atop an active volcano, leading many, including Harada, to believe he was definitively dead. However, the leader of the Mishima Clan is making a comeback in Tekken 8 as one of the Autumn 2024 fighters in the Player Character Year 1 Pass.

Fans won’t have to wait long to play as this iconic character. On October 1, players holding the Year 1 Character Pass will gain early access to Heihachi as a playable fighter following a content update. Those who did not purchase the character pass will still get to play Heihachi just a few days later, as he will be officially released as a DLC fighter on October 4. The announcement of Heihachi's return was showcased in a thrilling gameplay trailer, where he faced off against various characters from the series. True to form, the banter between Heihachi and Kazuya referenced their past conflicts, with Heihachi quipping that it would take more than lava to keep him down.

Heihachi Mishima Release Schedule

- Early Access: Tuesday, October 1 (via Year 1 Character Pass DLC)

- Official Release: Friday, October 4

In the gameplay trailer, Heihachi demonstrated an array of combos against fighters like Lidia Sobieska and Eddy Gordo, who are also part of Tekken 8’s character pass. Players can choose from four different costumes for Heihachi, including his iconic black gi as the default look. Additionally, a new battle stage named Genmaji Temple will be introduced as DLC, alongside a free story update titled "Forgotten Echoes," which will be available when Heihachi makes his early October debut.

With Heihachi back in the fray, the current character pass for Tekken 8 now awaits the unveiling of its Winter character. It will be interesting to see how Heihachi reintegrates into the game’s meta, especially against a roster of formidable opponents.