Bandai Namco responds after hackers crack Tekken 8 CNT demo

Published , by TJ Denzer

The Tekken 8 Closed Network Test took place over the last couple weeks, but this last weekend was the one that opened the test up to PC and Xbox players. Unfortunately, someone decided to be naughty and crack the demo so that they could play past test times and dig around in the game’s files. Some leaks were pulled from the Tekken 8 CNT and the breach of terms and access prompted Bandai Namco to lay out a response: it won’t be tolerated, especially when it comes to competition.

Bandai Namco officially addressed the breach via the Bandai Namco Esports Twitter channel on July 31, 2023. It was there that Bandai Namco revealed that it was aware of players that had accessed the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test after designated test period. Bandai Namco warned that players that were found to have accessed the demo outside of test periods would risk being banned from the Tekken World Tour and official Tekken tournament events.

Bandai Namco suggested that it will bar players from the upcoming Tekken World Tour and Tekken tournaments if it finds they accessed beta demos outside of official test times.
Source: Bandai Namco Esports

Tekken 8 developers warned that not only is the breach a violation of fair competition, but it’s also against various laws:


It wasn’t just unauthorized playtime that drew Bandai Namco’s attention, but also the spread of leaks regarding the roster from players that dug around in the game’s files. PC Gamer has reported that hackers used Cheat Engine to access the game without permission and dig around.

With this in mind, we may see Bandai Namco play its cards closer after the Closed Network Test. As we await further betas for the Tekken 8 and its eventual full release in 2024, it will be interesting to see what the developers do to ensure this doesn’t happen again.