Bandai Namco Europe used a stage presentation and livestream at EVO 2024 to reveal an extensive collaboration with Nike, Inc. for TEKKEN 8, bringing the world’s largest athletic footwear and apparel brand into the legendary fighting game universe. The partnership encompasses digital in-game content coming this Autumn including digital Nike Air Foamposite One sneakers inspired Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima. Bandai Namco and Nike also made the surprise announcement that a limited-edition physical Nike Air Foamposite One ‘Kazuya Mishima’ was available for purchase by show attendees.
At EVO, TEKKEN Project Director Katsuhiro Harada, TEKKEN 8 Game Director Kohei Ikeda, and Producer Michael Murray took to the stage to announce the collaboration with Nike. Fans were given hints of what to expect with Nike content coming to the game, with a trailer highlighting various characters showing off distinctly styled Nike Air Foamposite One sneakers and the iconic Nike swoosh adorning background billboards in a special version of the Times Square inspired game level Urban Square.
As a finale, Harada, Ikeda, and Murray were joined on stage by Juan Huerta, Senior Designer – Graphic Design at Nike and the presenters pulled the ultimate mic drop. They dropped shoes, surprising fans by unveiling the physical Nike Air Foamposite One ‘Kazuya Mishima’ sneakers.
The slick and shiny black sneakers, a clear stylish extension of the character who inspired them, were available in very limited quantities and could only be purchased via the Nike app by people geolocated as being at EVO. Bandai Namco and Nike will reveal more information this Autumn on the ‘Nike x TEKKEN’ collaboration including planned in-game content.
TEKKEN 8 is the sequel in the legendary fighting game franchise available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Developed on Ureal Engine 5, the game is the most visually stunning and visceral fighting game in the series yet featuring stunning visual effects and character models and moves built from the ground up. In TEKKEN 8, every moment of impact is a spectacle, and every victory an epic story.
