Following the playtest listing on Steam, Bandai Namco announced today that a Tekken 8 Closed Network Test (CNT) will take place between July 21st and 24th on PlayStation 5. A few days later, from July 28th to 31st, the gates of the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test will also open up for PC and Xbox Series S|X users.

　　Registration is open now on the official website. Interested fans can sign up until June 28th; do note that selection is based on a first-come, first-served basis, so signing up sooner than later seems like a good idea.

　　According to Bandai Namco, the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test is primarily aimed at evaluating the online network infrastructure. Players are encouraged to fill out the survey after playing the game to provide valuable feedback.

　　Feature-wise, the CNT includes 1vs1 ranked matches with cross-platform matchmaking (in the second test). A roster of the following sixteen characters will be available:

　　JinKazuyaPaulLawKingLarsJack 8XiaoyuNinaLeroyLiliAsukaHwoarangBryanClaudio (just announced)Five stages will be available in the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test: Urban Square, Yakushima, Rebel Hangar, Sanctum, and Arena.

　　Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 makes sweeping changes to the gameplay. The new installment in the fighting game series delivers a more aggressive combat system that encourages players to constantly stay on the offensive. You can read more about that here.

　　After trying a preview build of Tekken 8, our editor Kai Powell explained:

　　With the new changes Bandai Namco is implementing to create their most ‘aggressive’ fighting game to date, Tekken 8 has plenty to excite me for what’s to come on the horizon. Implementing adaptive playstyles that can be swapped on the fly, players can experiment with what makes their chosen character unique while still learning the all-important fundamentals. Whether the overhaul to Rage and Heat systems will take some time to explore the full importance of the mechanics, the lines that separate Tekken x Street Fighter are starting to erode little by little. 

　　There's no release date for Tekken 8 yet, but with Street Fighter 6 just released and Mortal Kombat 1 on the horizon, 2023 may be the most exciting year ever for fighting game fans.