Tekken 8 has made a crucial organizational change by reinstating its original balance team after the controversial Season 2 update, as confirmed by game director Katsuhiro Harada. This decision comes after significant player dissatisfaction with the new team's approach to Season 2 balancing, particularly regarding the throw system and character power dynamics.

Since its February release, Tekken 8 has been a commercial triumph for Bandai Namco, surpassing sales projections by moving more than 2 million units in its initial three weeks. The first mainline entry in nearly a decade brought back beloved fighters like Nina Williams and Jin Kazama while introducing exciting newcomers such as the dynamic Reina.

The massive Tekken 8 season 2 update in early April created significant balance issues, particularly with its revised throw mechanics and character buffs. Responding to community feedback, Harada announced on Twitter that Kohei Ikeda (known professionally as Nakatsu) would resume complete control over all balance decisions. Nakatsu previously handled balancing for Tekken 7 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2, bringing decades of series experience to his role.

Bandai Namco has implemented several corrective measures beyond the team restructuring. Within two weeks of Season 2's launch, Tekken 8 began deploying emergency patches. The initial April update focused primarily on addressing excessive damage output, implementing changes like increased character health pools and adjustments to overpowered combos.

Harada maintains an active social media presence and quickly responded to player concerns about Season 2 balancing. With Nakatsu's return and the original team reassembled, the director expresses confidence in the game's future direction.