Bandai Namco warns players to stop playing the Tekken 8 cracked test

Tekken 8 was originally announced in 2022, and a Closed Network Test was recently released on multiple platforms in July. To the dismay of the developers, some gamers have since cracked the CNT to play it in unintended ways. Bandai Namco is warning players against playing Tekken 8‘s cracked CNT, and those caught could face consequences.

Be patient or risk a ban

Players with the cracked CNT can not only play the game offline, but continue to play it beyond the test period. In a Twitter post, Bandai Namco warned that this violates its Terms of Service and the Tekken World Tour’s Code of Conduct.

An important reminder from the TEKKEN Project and Bandai Namco Esports Team. pic.twitter.com/0Fcke36yU5

— Bandai Namco Esports (@BNEesports) July 31, 2023

Unauthorized access to the CNT could result in a ban from the upcoming Tekken World Tour and other official tournaments. In other words, competitive players may want to heed this warning. It is understandable why developers would emphasis this penalty in particular. Those playing the cracked version would have a headstart on practice, which could affect the results of official tournaments.

This isn’t the only problem the CNT has caused, as it has also resulted in Tekken 8‘s partial roster leaking. Though Bandai Namco has officially announced 16 characters, the leak reveals a longer list of playable fighters.

It has certainly been a good time for fighting game fans. Street Fighter 6 launched to critical acclaim in June, and Mortal Kombat 1 will launch on September 19. Bandai Namco has not yet revealed a release date for Tekken 8.