Arslan Ash holding his TWT Final 2023 trophy (Picture by redbullgaming)
Tekken 8 is priced at a hefty $69.99 on Steam in the South Asia region, which includes Pakistan. The game lacks regional pricing for South Asia. This is a problem, especially considering that Pakistan has remained a significant focus throughout Tekken 7’s reign.
This Friday, Tekken 8 will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Bandai Namco has ramped up the marketing with exciting trailers, showcases, and exhibition matches.
With the Tekken 7 era over and Arslan Ash becoming the most accomplished player of the game, the Tekken community is ready to transition into the sequel on January 26. Everything seems to be going well, but there is a problem when it comes to the pricing of Tekken 8 in the South Asian region.
The Pricing on Steam
Tekken 8, priced at a staggering $69.99 on Steam, lacks regional pricing in the South Asian region. While regional pricing is available in some areas, its absence in South Asia suggests that the game fails to acknowledge this region. This is surprising given the region’s prominence in Tekken 7, thanks to the achievements of numerous skilled Pakistani players.
The following screenshot shows Tekken 8 pricing in South Asia for the base version, Deluxe and Ultimate edition cost $99.99 and $109.99 respectively.
Tekken 8 price in different regions on steam (Screenshot from SteamDB)
Emergence of the Pakistani Tekken scene
Before 2019, the Pakistani Tekken scene was not known to the world. It only gained fame after Arslan Ash put Pakistan on the map with his EVO Japan 2019 win. After that, he became the only player to secure 4x EVO wins in Tekken 7.
He finished it off with his most recent victory at the TWT Finals 2023, the last major Tekken 7 tournament. During this time, many other Pakistani players also got opportunities to compete internationally and achieved many great things.
All of this made Pakistan a very relevant and talked-about country among the Tekken community. It has become a well-known place for great Tekken players. Given such notable recognition, the absence of regional pricing for Pakistan reflects poorly on Bandai Namco Studios.
This issue extends beyond Pakistan, affecting the affordability of Tekken 8 in the entire South Asian region. A $70 price tag is simply unaffordable for the majority, potentially exceeding the average salary in some of these countries.
A Request to Harada-san
In other instances, the lack of regional pricing isn’t as shocking, especially when the region isn’t well-known or a major hub of gaming audience. However, in this case, the developers are aware of the significant impact that Pakistan has made on the Tekken scene.
I hope the team at Bandai Namco reconsiders the pricing in this region. It would be fitting to provide a deserving regional price for Tekken 8, allowing the majority of players in Pakistan, where Tekken’s popularity is on the rise, to enjoy this sequel.
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