Roger Jr. Joins the Fight in Tekken 8: Early Access for Season Pass 3 Holders

Roger Jr. is now in Tekken 8. One of the series' classic fighters is back in the ring, though not for everyone just yet: according to a report from Vandal, the character is available in early access for Season Pass 3 owners, just as Bandai Namco had announced. Everyone else will have to wait until November 17, when he goes on sale separately.

The news matters for two reasons. The first is obvious: every new character shakes up the game, forces players to study matchups and gives the community something fresh to dig into. The second is less pleasant: early access once again splits players between those who can already train with the newcomer and those who will only see him from the other side of the screen. The update also brings a second collaboration between Tekken and Nike, this time with King in the spotlight.

What you need to know

• Roger Jr. is now playable for anyone who owns the Tekken 8 Season Pass 3.
• On November 17, he will be available as a standalone purchase for all other players.
• His style combines strikes and holds inspired by pro wrestling.
• A second Nike collaboration kicks off, with King-inspired items and a special theme for the Arena stage, for a limited time.
• The King items, based on his appearances in Tekken 3 and Tekken 8, arrive in the Fight Pass - Round 12.

Who can play him, and when

The schedule is simple, but it's worth getting straight before you jump into online matches, because it determines who has the edge during these first few days.

It's the standard formula in today's fighting games: the pass doesn't just give you the characters, it also lets you play them before anyone else. For casual players, that's a minor detail; for competitors, it's lab time you can't get back.

Wrestling, family drama and sneakers

On the story side, Tekken stays true to its love of soap opera. As Vandal reports, Roger Jr. appears in Tekken 8 wrongly accused of destroying a G Corporation building after confronting his father, Roger, who has been unfaithful to his mother. From there, mother and son fight their way through to defeat those who took down the leader of G Corporation. All of it through professional wrestling with an exotic twist.

The other half of the update is commercial. The new Nike collaboration revolves around King and brings back the Tekken 3 aesthetic, with items inspired by the masked wrestler's various appearances in that game and in Tekken 8. A new trailer showcases this content, which is part of the Fight Pass - Round 12. On top of that, there's a special Nike theme for the Arena stage, available for a limited time only.

Our take

At Underworld Lordz, we're happy to see a classic return, especially one with a grapple-based style, which always makes things interesting. A character like this forces you to rethink your defensive habits and punishes anyone playing on autopilot. For content creators, it's a gold mine: guides, combos, first impressions and hastily made tier lists are guaranteed an audience.

What we're less sold on is the model. Early access tied to the pass is, in practice, a paid competitive advantage. Those who already own it will reach November 17 with the character figured out, while everyone else starts from scratch and faces an opponent they haven't been able to try for themselves. It's not a scandal, nor is it anything new for the genre, but being common doesn't make it any less questionable in a game that prides itself on its competitive scene.

As for the Nike collaboration, the Tekken 3 nostalgia is a smart move, and King is the perfect choice to accompany a wrestling-style fighter. Even so, the combination of a battle pass and limited-time content points to the same old sense of urgency: jump in now or miss out. We'd rather the spotlight be on the game, not the storefront.

What do you think?

We want to hear from you in the team chat and on our Discord: do you think it's fair for new characters to arrive early for those who pay for the pass, or should everyone get to play them on the same day?