Bandai Namco recently revealed that Nina Williams would be joining the roster of its upcoming fighting game, Tekken 8, also confirming a closed alpha test set to take place soon. However, some new developments might hint at the game receiving rollback netcode which has been highly requested in the fighting game community.
Arika has partnered with Bandai Namco to develop Tekken 7 updates as well as work on online services for Tekken 8. The company announced in a recent press release that it has been contracted to oversee “any update of the Software including improvements, bug fixes, and usability improvements for online matches.”
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Arika stated that it’s also offering “advice on our developed online battle algorithms and game response, as well as undertake production work to improve the user experience.” This might be an indication that Tekken 8 will receive rollback netcode.
Rollback is essentially a type of communication system primarily used for online play which reduces latency in the game, resulting in much more responsive inputs for smoother multiplayer experiences. Several fighting games have since adopted rollback netcode, but Tekken 7 was never given the proper treatment for some reason. Series director Katsuhiro Harada stated that rollback technically already exists in Tekken 7, but it’s implementation is difficult to notice and most players find the online experience rather messy.
With Arika working on Tekken 8‘s online services, this might be a good sign that the sequel will receive some proper rollback netcode. Arika previously worked on implementing rollback for Fighting EX Layer, which boasts some relatively smooth online play according to fans.
Tekken 8 was first announced last year at a PlayStation State of Play event, showing father and son Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama clashing amidst a coastal storm. Since then, Bandai Namco has confirmed several fighters joining the starting roster including Paul Phoenix, King, Jack, Marshall Law and many others.
Tekken 8 is currently in development for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Source: Arika
