All Tekken 8 characters including DLC fighters

Guides & TrophiesBy Dev Malhotra · Nov 12, 2026Fact-checked by Harriet Vance

Tekken 8 launched on January 26, 2024 with 32 fighters. Eleven DLC characters have been added since, so the roster reaches 43 when Roger Jr. opens to all players on November 16, 2026. Yujiro Hanma from Baki is due between January and March 2027 as fighter number 44, and this guide lists every one of them with release dates, how to get each character on PS5, and who is strongest on the current patch.

Tekken 8 characters: the full roster at a glance (November 2026)

The full Tekken 8 roster has 44 confirmed slots: 32 launch fighters, 11 DLC fighters released from April 2024 to November 2026, and Yujiro Hanma, who is still to come. The table below covers all of them. Dates are general release dates in Pacific time, because Bandai Namco Entertainment announces its DLC schedule in PT.

Last updated: November 13, 2026, after Roger Jr.’s early access launch.

How many characters are in Tekken 8?

There are 43 Tekken 8 characters once Roger Jr. goes on sale to everyone on November 16, 2026. That figure is 32 base fighters plus 11 DLC fighters. Season 3 Pass owners have been able to play Roger Jr. since November 11, so on November 13 the count is 43 for pass holders and 42 for everyone else. Yujiro Hanma brings the total to 44 in early 2027. The Season 3 Pass patch notes point the same way, because they describe exclusive costume items made for 44 characters, including the fighters planned for Season 3.

Some searchers ask whether there are only 8 characters in Tekken 8. There aren’t. The 8 is the game’s number in the series. Even the launch roster of 32 was larger than many fighting games manage after several years of updates.

What changed most recently

Roger Jr., the boxing kangaroo, is listed as a Season 3 fighter. He entered early access for Season 3 Character Pass owners on November 11, 2026, after server maintenance that started at 13:30 PST, and goes on general release on November 16 (PT). Bandai Namco Entertainment’s European news page says he arrives with King-inspired Nike in-game items, so his launch also brings a real-world brand tie-in to the customization shop. Kunimitsu and Bob came before him in 2026, which means Season 3 now has three of its four fighters out.

All 32 base roster characters

Every launch fighter is included in the base game on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and none of them have to be unlocked. Twenty-nine are returning series veterans and three, Azucena, Reina and Victor Chevalier, were brand new in Tekken 8. The groups below follow how the story and community sort them, which also makes the roster easier to learn.

New to the series at launch: Azucena, Reina, Victor

Tekken 8 introduced three original fighters at launch. All three now have complete movesets that have been known since January 2024, so any page that still lists Reina’s country or style as “Unknown” is quoting pre-launch placeholders.

• Azucena Milagros Ortiz Castillo is a Peruvian mixed martial artist and coffee heiress. Her name is often misspelled online. Her signature mechanic is an evasive “Libertador” stance that lets her slip under or around attacks and counter-hit straight away. She has a strong offence and a cheerful personality.
• Reina is a student at the Mishima Polytechnical School who fights with Mishima-style moves, including electric strings that reward precise inputs. The story mode ties her directly to the Mishima bloodline, and she is one of the most plot-heavy additions in the game.
• Victor Chevalier is a French veteran who commands the UN covert operations unit that Raven works for. He fights with a sword, a pistol and a stylish stance-based kit. He was immediately effective, and he is still in RankedBoost’s S tier more than two years after launch.

The Mishima and Kazama bloodline

The bloodline group is the core of Tekken’s story, which centres on the feud between Kazuya Mishima and his son Jin Kazama. These characters share karate roots, electric wind god fists and the Devil Gene.

Heihachi Mishima, the clan’s patriarch, was not in the base roster. He came back as the third Season 1 DLC fighter in October 2024.

Jun Kazama’s return needs a correction, because some pages say “Jin Kazama returns after 25 years”. Jin has been in every mainline game since Tekken 3. The long return belongs to Jun, his mother, who had not been playable in a mainline numbered game since Tekken 2. Asuka Kazama also appears twice on at least one major outlet’s roster list. She is one character with one slot.

Returning veterans

The other 21 base fighters are returning veterans, most of them from the PlayStation era. Several of them are now the main recommendations for new players and for competitive play.

• Alisa Bosconovitch: android with chainsaw arms and rocket-boosted mobility (Russia).
• Bryan Fury: cyborg kickboxer who hits extremely hard on counter-hit (USA).
• Claudio Serafino: Italian exorcist whose Starburst power-up strengthens key moves. His name is often misspelled “Sefarino”.
• Feng Wei: Chinese God Fist kenpo master with simple, strong tools.
• Hwoarang: South Korean taekwondo fighter with stance-heavy kick pressure (also misspelled “Hworang” on some pages).
• Jack-8: the newest model in the Jack android line, a big-bodied character with long range.
• King: masked jaguar wrestler from Mexico, known for chain throws.
• Kuma and Panda: the bear pair, who share a moveset with their own taunts and quirks.
• Leo (Eleonore Kliesen): German bajiquan practitioner. Leo is officially a woman, so pages that list her under male characters are wrong.
• Leroy Smith: American wing chun master with parries and a cane.
• Lili: acrobatic street fighter from Monaco.
• Ling Xiaoyu: evasive Chinese martial artist with the Phoenix stance.
• Marshall Law: American martial artist with fast pokes and backflips.
• Nina Williams: Irish assassin with an enormous toolkit and a high skill ceiling.
• Paul Phoenix: American judoka with the famous Deathfist.
• Raven: ninja agent who works for Victor’s UN unit.
• Sergei Dragunov: Russian commando sambo fighter, a fixture of top-tier lists.
• Shaheen: Saudi Arabian fighter with a clean, honest moveset.
• Steve Fox: British boxer who mostly uses his hands, with no kicks.
• Yoshimitsu: cyborg ninja with a sword and very unusual tools.
• Zafina: Egyptian tomb guardian with three stances and odd move angles.

Every DLC character, season by season

Tekken 8 has added DLC fighters in three seasons of four characters each. Seasons 1 and 2 are complete, and Season 3 has released three of its four. Each fighter has opened first to pass owners as early access, then to everyone a few days later.

Season 1 (2024): Eddy Gordo, Lidia Sobieska, Heihachi Mishima, Clive Rosfield

The first season gave players two of their most requested returns, a political fan favourite and the game’s first crossover guest. Season 1 also added the Genmaji Temple stage.

Eddy Gordo led the DLC on April 4, 2024, after early access from April 1. He brought the Brazilian capoeira style back, with its rhythmic stances and handstand kicks. He is often called a “button-masher’s friend”, but his strongest play needs good knowledge of his stance transitions.

Lidia Sobieska came in late July 2024. She first appeared as Tekken 7 DLC, and she is the karate-practising Prime Minister of Poland, with a sharp, punishing moveset that hardcore players loved in the previous game.

Heihachi Mishima had apparently died in Tekken 7’s story, which made his return the biggest headline of Season 1. He arrived on October 3, 2024 with a fully reworked moveset that added a new Warrior Instinct mechanic to his electric wind god fists.

Clive Rosfield, the hero of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI, closed the season on December 19, 2024, with early access from December 16 and the Phoenix Gate stage. He uses his sword and Eikon abilities, and his reach is a big part of why he sits at the top of the V3.02.02 tier snapshot.

Season 2 (2025): Anna Williams, Fahkumram, Armor King, Miary Zo

Bandai Namco Entertainment’s Season 2 roadmap opened with Anna Williams on April 3, 2025, after early access from March 31. Nina’s younger sister returned with a more aggressive kit and her trademark taunting. She is now the villain-leaning half of the Williams rivalry.

Fahkumram, the Thai Muay Boran giant, arrived on July 10, 2025 for everyone after pass owners got him on July 7. Like Lidia, he first appeared as Tekken 7 DLC. Some pages call him an all-new Tekken 8 fighter, which is wrong, because he was a returning character.

Armor King, King’s masked rival, followed on October 16, 2025 with early access from October 13. He gives grappler fans a darker, more rushdown-focused alternative to King.

Miary Zo finished Season 2. She is the only completely original fighter added through DLC so far. Season 2 Character Pass owners got her on December 1, 2025, and everyone else on December 4 (December 2 and 5 in Europe). Her new stage, Baobab Horizon, is set in Madagascar.

Season 3 (2026–27): Kunimitsu, Bob, Roger Jr., Yujiro Hanma

Season 3 was announced in February 2026 with three returning fighters and a fourth, unnamed character. Gematsu’s report said Kunimitsu, Bob and Roger Jr. were confirmed at that point. The Season 3 Pass went on sale on February 10, 2026, and a major balance update with a rank reset was scheduled for March 16, 2026, before the first new fighter launched.

Kunimitsu, billed by Bandai Namco as “The Enchanted Thief”, came first. Her date was announced at EVO Japan 2026. Pass owners played her from May 27, 2026 and everyone else from June 1 (PT). She is a fox-masked ninja whose roots go back to the original Tekken.

Bob, whose full name is Robert Richards, followed after his date was revealed at EVO 2026. He arrived in early access on August 19, 2026 with Ver. 3.02.01, and general release came on August 24. Bob is the heavyset freestyle karate fighter who debuted in Tekken 6. His mix of speed and weight still surprises opponents who don’t know the matchup.

Roger Jr. is listed as the third Season 3 fighter. The kangaroo’s kicking-heavy moveset is the focus of Bandai Namco’s trailer, which calls Roger Jr. a “kicking powerhouse”. The Roger line goes back to Tekken 2, where the original Roger was a hidden joke character.

Yujiro Hanma from Baki completes the season in early 2027. He has his own section below.

Is Tekken 8 adding more characters? Yujiro Hanma and what comes next

Yes. One more character is officially confirmed. Yujiro Hanma, the “Ogre” of the Baki manga and anime, is the name attached to the fourth and final Season 3 slot. He is scheduled for an early 2027 release, and store pages give the window as January to March 2027. Anime News Network reports that more details will be shown at the Tekken World Tour Finals on January 17, 2027.

Who is Yujiro Hanma?

Yujiro Hanma is the antagonist of Keisuke Itagaki’s Baki series, the strongest fighter in that world and Baki’s father. He is famous for his demonic back muscles and the “Ogre” nickname. The reveal at Combo Breaker was a CG cinematic only. No gameplay, moveset details or standalone price have been shown yet, so treat any “leaked moveset” clips you see as unverified. His stage is called Subsea Lockdown, and it is also planned for early 2027.

Some readers have asked whether Baki is really in Tekken 8 or whether that was fake. Both have happened. The Yujiro announcement is official and comes from Bandai Namco Entertainment, which ranks as the most reliable kind of source. In 2024, though, a fan-made Baki Hanma trailer looked convincing enough that parts of the community took it for a real reveal. If a clip about Yujiro is not on Bandai Namco’s or Tekken’s official channels, treat it as fan content.

A few outlets have described Yujiro’s arrival as “winter 2026”. The official wording from Bandai Namco’s announcement is early 2027, so January to March 2027 is the window to plan around. No exact day has been announced.

Will there be a Season 4?

Bandai Namco Entertainment has not officially confirmed a Season 4 as of November 13, 2026. What is confirmed is narrower: Yujiro is the final character in Season 3, and the January 17, 2027 TWT Finals will include more on him. Tekken World Tour Finals have historically been a common stage for Tekken announcements, so that date is worth watching. Until there is an official announcement, though, any Season 4 character list is speculation. That includes posts from anonymous accounts with mixed track records, which should be treated as rumor, not roster news.

How to get every character on PS5

On PS5, all 32 base characters come with the game. Every DLC fighter is a paid add-on, which you can buy individually, as part of that season’s character pass, or through an edition of the game that bundles a pass. Pass owners also get early access to each new fighter before general release.

Do you need to unlock characters?

No. Every base roster character in Tekken 8 is available from the first time you start the game, with no arcade grind or unlock condition. DLC fighters only need to be owned. Once you buy them and the game has the matching update installed, they appear on the select screen in every mode. In online matches you can also fight against DLC characters you don’t own, which is useful for learning matchups before you decide to buy.

Season 3 Character Pass vs buying characters one at a time

Buy the Season 3 Pass if you want all four Season 3 fighters, early access and the pass-exclusive cosmetics. Buy individually if you only want one or two of them. The pass is listed at $34.99 on the US PlayStation Store, £28.99 on the UK store and €34.99 on Bandai Namco’s European store. Season 3 fighters have sold individually at $7.99 in the US. Kunimitsu is listed at that price, for example.

The calculation is simple. Compare the pass price on your regional store with the cost of four single characters, keeping in mind that the pass also adds early access to each fighter. Bought separately, Roger Jr. and Bob cost $15.98, which is less than half the pass price.

Players have also asked whether it is worth paying now for Yujiro when he doesn’t come out until 2027. The honest answer depends on you. Kunimitsu, Bob and Roger Jr. are already out, so about a quarter of the pass price pays for a character you can’t play for at least two months, and whose gameplay has not been shown. If you are a Baki fan and know you’ll want him on day one of early access, the pass is good value. If you’re unsure, buy the three released fighters you like now and decide on Yujiro once he has been shown at the TWT Finals.

How early access works

Early access is a pass-holder perk that unlocks new DLC fighters before general release. In Seasons 1 and 2 the head start was 72 hours, which is why Eddy, Lidia, Anna and the others all show a three-day gap. The Season 3 Pass extended it to 120 hours, or five days, which explains Kunimitsu’s May 27 to June 1 gap, Bob’s August 19 to 24 and Roger Jr.’s November 11 to 16. Individual buyers get the character on the general release date.

After a DLC patch like Roger Jr.’s November 11 maintenance, update Tekken 8 on your PS5 before you queue for ranked. That downloads the new character data and the shop items, so you aren’t stuck with an outdated version message during matchmaking.

Why some sites say November 11 and others say November 12

Different sites give different dates because Bandai Namco’s announcements use Pacific time, and Tekken 8’s DLC launches in the afternoon or evening in PT. Roger Jr.’s maintenance started at 13:30 PST on November 11. By the time early access opened, it was already November 12 in much of Europe and in Japan. In the same way, general release on November 16 PT is November 17 CET. So a European outlet writing “November 12” and an American one writing “November 11” both describe the same moment. The same applies to Miary Zo, whose dates were listed as December 1 and 4 in the US and December 2 and 5 in Europe.

Who is the strongest character in Tekken 8 right now?

On version V3.02.02, the S tier in RankedBoost’s list, last graded on September 29, 2026, is Clive Rosfield, Jin Kazama, Marshall Law, Nina Williams, Sergei Dragunov, Victor Chevalier and Jun Kazama. That is one site’s grading, not a consensus. Law and Nina also show up at the top of most pro lists from 2026, and that overlap is the strongest signal that they are among the best.

Tier lists in this guide are weighed by three things: how recent they are, whether they are tied to a specific game version, and whether they come from top-level players or from consistent site gradings. A list that predates the March 16, 2026 balance update or Bob’s Ver. 3.02.01 update is history, not guidance.

Characters that show up in most top-tier lists

Marshall Law is the one name that appears in all three lists. His fast pokes, strong frame advantage and simple but lethal combos keep him at the top. Nina Williams appears in two lists. She rewards execution more than almost anyone, so her tier placement assumes strong play. Sergei Dragunov is the other repeat pick, a sambo fighter whose pressure and throws have been strong for most of the game’s life.

Someone asking “Is Law/Nina still busted?” is asking the right question. As of September 2026, both remain at the top of RankedBoost’s V3.02.02 list. Whether that survives the next balance patch is what to check after each update.

Where the DLC characters sit

Clive Rosfield is the only DLC fighter in RankedBoost’s V3.02.02 S tier, which makes him the safest “strong” DLC buy right now. Heihachi and Eddy have long been popular buys for how much fun they are to play, and Anna and Armor King appeal to players who already like Nina or King. Roger Jr. has been out in early access for only two days, and no reliable tier placement exists for him yet. Expect rankings for him to settle a few weeks after November 16.

Which DLC characters are worth buying? Raw strength matters less than you might think. Below the top ranks, how well you know your character beats tier placement. Buy the fighter whose style you enjoy: Eddy for flow, Heihachi for Mishima power, Clive for range, Miary Zo for something original, and Roger Jr. for kicks.

Best Tekken 8 characters for beginners

The best beginner characters in Tekken 8 have a small set of reliable moves, simple combos and clear game plans. Across guides, Alisa, Feng, Jack-8, Paul, Claudio, Victor, Reina and King come up most often. Players also ask whether any character you like counts as a beginner character. Mostly, yes. Liking your character keeps you playing, and that matters more than an easy kit. Still, a few picks make the early hours much smoother.

There is also a counter-argument. Some coaches tell new players to start with Mishimas like Kazuya or Jin because they teach fundamentals that apply to the whole roster. That works if you’re patient. If you want early wins to stay motivated, the table above is the better start. Avoid Zafina, Yoshimitsu and Lee as your first main unless you love them, because each has unusual stances or inputs that hide the basics.

Your hardware matters too. Most Tekken 8 players on PS5 use a standard DualSense, and setting the controller layout before you start practising is worth five minutes. Our PS5 controller guide covers button remapping and settings if you want help.

Tekken 8 female characters

Tekken 8 has 15 female fighters on the released roster: 11 in the base game and 4 added through DLC. The search for “Tekken 8 characters girls” usually comes from players who want this list.

Two rows correct mistakes that still circulate. Leo is a woman. Her full name is Eleonore Kliesen, and Bandai Namco has said so, so she belongs on this list rather than among the men. Panda, Xiaoyu’s giant panda bodyguard, is also female, and she is listed here for completeness, although many players would not count her as one of the “girls” of the roster. All four female DLC fighters were bought by pass owners from early access. Nobody needs to pay twice to play them.

FAQ

What characters are in Tekken 8?

The base roster has 32 fighters: Alisa, Asuka, Azucena, Bryan, Claudio, Devil Jin, Dragunov, Feng, Hwoarang, Jack-8, Jin, Jun, Kazuya, King, Kuma, Lars, Lee, Leo, Leroy, Lili, Xiaoyu, Law, Nina, Panda, Paul, Raven, Reina, Shaheen, Steve, Victor, Yoshimitsu and Zafina. The DLC fighters are Eddy, Lidia, Heihachi, Clive, Anna, Fahkumram, Armor King, Miary Zo, Kunimitsu, Bob and Roger Jr., with Yujiro Hanma due in early 2027.

How many characters are in Tekken 8?

There are 43 Tekken 8 characters once Roger Jr. goes on general sale on November 16, 2026: 32 base and 11 DLC. Yujiro Hanma brings the total to 44 in the January to March 2027 window.

Are there only 8 characters in Tekken 8?

No. The 8 refers to the game being the eighth main entry in the series. The game launched with 32 characters and has added 11 more since.

Who is the strongest character in Tekken 8?

No single character is clearly the best. On version V3.02.02, RankedBoost’s S tier includes Clive, Jin, Law, Nina, Dragunov, Victor and Jun. Law shows up at the top of the most lists, ahead of Nina and Dragunov.

Is Tekken 8 adding more characters?

Not officially yet. Bandai Namco has not confirmed a schedule for further fighters. A Season 4 has not been officially announced.

When does Roger Jr. come out in Tekken 8?

Roger Jr. entered early access for Season 3 Pass owners on November 11, 2026 (PT), which is November 12 in Europe and Japan. General release for everyone is November 16, 2026 (PT), or November 17 CET.

When is Yujiro Hanma coming to Tekken 8?

Yujiro Hanma is scheduled for early 2027, within a January to March window. No exact date has been given. Bandai Namco will show more at the TWT Finals on January 17, 2027.

Who are the new characters in Tekken 8?

Azucena, Reina and Victor Chevalier were new at launch, and Miary Zo is the only all-new DLC fighter. Clive Rosfield (Final Fantasy XVI) and Yujiro Hanma (Baki) are guest characters. Lidia and Fahkumram are returning Tekken 7 DLC fighters, not newcomers.

Who are the female characters in Tekken 8?

The female fighters are Alisa, Asuka, Azucena, Jun, Leo, Lili, Xiaoyu, Nina, Panda, Reina and Zafina in the base game, plus Lidia, Anna, Miary Zo and Kunimitsu as DLC.

Do you have to unlock characters in Tekken 8?

No. All 32 base characters are playable from the start. DLC fighters only need to be bought and installed with the latest update.

Is it better to buy the Season 3 Pass or single characters?

Buy the $34.99 pass if you want all four Season 3 fighters and five-day early access. If you only want one or two of Kunimitsu, Bob and Roger Jr., buy them for $7.99 each, and wait on Yujiro until he has been shown in January.

What to do next

If you’re choosing a main, pick two or three fighters from the base 32 that look fun and play some casual matches with each before you spend anything on DLC. Then add the DLC character whose style you enjoy, buying it on its own unless you’re sure you want the whole season. Keep January 17, 2027 in mind, because the TWT Finals are where Yujiro Hanma’s gameplay should finally be shown, and that is the right time to decide whether the rest of the Season 3 Pass is worth it to you.