Namco Bandai Games America announced the release date for the next installment in its highly popular Tekken fighting game franchise, Tekken 6, today. The game will hit the shelves of North American retailers on October 27^th, with the European, Japanese and Asian releases following shortly thereafter.

Tekken 6 is a game fighting game aficionados – that's right, they're not just your standard fare fans – have been waiting for, for quite some time. It will include many familiar faces, as well as new characters, thus creating the largest lineup in the history of the Tekken franchise. Players will be able to bring the pain like never before, as more dynamic and destructible environments have been added to the experience. Slam your opponents through walls or have fun making holes in weak floors by stomping your adversaries into them. Better yet, doing so will open up new areas in the battlegrounds.

Tekken 6 also includes a complete online competition feature set, so you can battle against friends, or anyone else, worldwide. The development team also included a band new motion blur system to provide “the richest visuals the series has ever seen”. It also includes an all new Scenario Campaign (see: story) mode, in which you'll be introduced to “a unique hybrid control system that combines conventional fighting game controls with free movement”. Basically, the system will allow you to move freely through the story environments, while still enjoying the fighting game action, either playing solo or cooperatively online. Moreover, for the first time ever in the franchise's history, you'll have a small arsenal of weapons at your disposal, including staffs, machine guns, flame throwers, and even giant robots.

Tekken 6 will be available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in two different versions. It will be available in a standard version for $59.99 USD/$69.99 CAD or, as pre-order, a premium fight stick bundle, with a HORI wireless fight stick and detailed art book, for $149.99 USD. No details yet if the premium fight stick bundle will be available in Canada.

Namco Bandai Games America also announced another, GameStop exclusive, pre-order for the game. This exclusive pre-order will give buyers a 2009-2010 Tekken 6 collectable calendar as well as downloadable content designed by the creators of Penny Arcade. Inspired by the “Cardboard Tube Samurai”, Jonathan “Gabe” Gabriel's in-comic alter-ego, the downloadable Penny Arcade Samurai Pack will allow Yoshimitsu to don the “Cardboard Tube Samurai's iconic garb. The pack also contains limited edition Samurai Battle Banners which can be used to customize each of the 40 unique fighters in the game.

Tekken 6 will be releasing for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on October 27^th in North America and is not yet rated. A PSP version, with additional stages, content, items and an ad-hoc multiplayer mode, will also be releasing some time this fall.