2017's Tekken 7 has been a huge success for Bandai Namco, lauded for its intricate mechanics and roster, with favorable views from the competitive side of the fighting game community. This can be seen with the game getting continued support for the last couple of years, including four seasons of DLC, with the latest Tekken DLC fighter being added earlier this year. While it's unknown if a Tekken 8 is in the works, a patent from Bandai Namco suggests that there is some groundwork being laid for a new feature that can benefit players looking to play competitively.
The competitive side of the game has been supported through various events like the competitive Tekken 7 Online Challenge that took place earlier this year, giving the community a chance to compete in an online setting. It's also a game that has made appearances at EVO, one of the biggest fighting game tournaments, ever since it was released. This patent from Bandai Namco is looking to capitalize on its success in this market by introducing a feature that will bring help teach a new player techniques similar to those who play competitively.
The mechanics of this patent have recently surfaced online, with images and documents being found on the United States Patent and Trademark Office under the company's name. It details the system being able to investigate when players are pressing buttons during combos at the right and wrong timings, with a suggestion on the right times to do so. This allows for a Tekken player to develop and strengthen muscle memory during play sessions, which can teach them the appropriate attack sequences and perfect ways to counterattack, due to the data it's collecting.
The patent then further details a system that would provide another way a new player can get to grips with Tekken competitively. This includes a system where competitive players are able to teach newer ones. This is further showcased through the system recommending characters based on the player's reaction time, which can help them hone their skills based on how fast they respond to incoming attacks. While there plenty of great Tekken characters, choosing the right one for a player is crucial to understanding the game and determining their playstyle.
While this patent is a good thing for Tekken 8, it might lock other fighting games out of pursuing the same kind of technology and system for its own titles. With a powerful system like this, it can help bridge the gap between competitive and casual fighting game fans, and help bring them all on the same skill ceiling. This currently is all speculation until the official announcement of Tekken 8, however.