Bandai Namco has officially unveiled new details for Tekken 8 during its EVO 2025 showcase, confirming the arrival of Armor King as a returning fighter and introducing a completely new character, Miary Zo. The announcement forms part of the game’s Season 2 Character & Stage Pass, which also features returning faces and a brand-new stage, with early access options for each piece of content.
The major highlight of the announcement was the in-depth gameplay presentation for Armor King, a fan-favorite wrestler whose fighting style blends power moves with brutal throws. His updated character arc delves deeper into his motivation for vengeance. This time, he fully embraces his darker side, unlocking a forbidden move as he prepares to take down his longtime rival, King.
Armor King’s updated gameplay highlights his powerful grappling techniques and introduces several new moves that align with Tekken 8’s aggressive Heat system. While longtime fans will still recognize familiar wrestling mechanics, the enhancements clearly show that Armor King has evolved significantly to keep up with the game’s new design. He will be available in early access on October 13, with the official release scheduled for October 16.
After the gameplay trailer, Bandai Namco offered a brief teaser for a new fighter: Miary Zo. A native of Madagascar, Miary Zo is a young martial artist who draws inspiration from the animal kingdom. According to the provided character profile, she discovered martial arts by mimicking the movements of animals she observed in the wild. Her unique fighting style blends Moraingy—a traditional Malagasy martial art—with other African disciplines, giving her a distinctive and fluid combat approach.
Miary Zo is described as deeply connected to nature, accompanied by two ring-tailed lemurs named Vanilla and Cacao. At just 18 years old and standing at 158 cm (5.2 ft), she brings an agile, nimble presence to the cast, with animations and design heavily inspired by wildlife. While full gameplay has not yet been shown, her introduction signals Bandai Namco’s continued efforts to diversify its cast, both stylistically and culturally.
The Season 2 pass includes returning fighters Anna and Fahkumram, a stage called Baobab Horizon, and a guest stage named Pac-Pixels. Season pass holders will have access to each piece of content up to 72 hours early.
Tekken 8 launched in January 2024 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows, and is the first title in the series built entirely on Unreal Engine 5. It introduced new gameplay systems such as the “Heat” mechanic and “Tornado” attacks, designed to push the franchise into a more aggressive play style.
