Bandai Namco announces plans for closed beta testing of TEKKEN 8 next month on PC and consoles. Everyone has a few weeks to sign up on the TEKKEN Website, where registration closes on October 11th. Those who participated in the closed test in July are already signed up, but if you didn't get in you must register again. The test will run for the weekend of October 20th to pave the way for the game's launch in January. Here's a new trailer and more on the goals of testing:

The TEKKEN 8 CBT will let players test online head-to-head competitive play with cross-platform matching, raising the level of competition by letting them pair with others regardless of where they play. They will also be able to test the TEKKEN™ Fight Lounge, an immersive lobby where players can interact with one another and access new features and game modes. In the lounge, players can create custom Avatars, communicate with other players with chat and emotes, set up matchmaking, and experience the deep customization and variety of game modes via four distinct areas called Battle Area, Customization Shop, TEKKEN DOJO, and Beach Area. The lounge will also feature the return of Tekken Ball, the beloved mini game that first appeared in TEKKEN 3 where epic battles are “fought” on a beach volleyball court. The TEKKEN 8 CBT will let testers try out features in the Battle Area and Customization Shop. More features for the TEKKEN Fight Lounge will be announced soon.

The CBT will have 19 characters that include many returning favorites as well as new fighters. Jin, Kazuya, Jun, Paul, Law, King, Lars, Jack-8, Xiaoyu, Nina, Leroy, Lili, Asuka, Hwoarang, Bryan, Claudio are coming back to this beta test, while Azucena, Raven, and the newly announced Feng will join the playable roster. There will also be a variety of environments that highlight the rich detail and dynamic sets in the game, some of which players may recognize from the many gameplay and character reveal trailers released so far. These include Urban Square (Evening), Yakushima, Rebel Hangar, Sanctum, Arena, and Ortiz Farm, a new stage that has been added since the Closed Network Test.