Tekken Popularity in Pakistan Surprises Director Katsuhiro Harada
Pakistan Dominates Global Tekken Rankings
Pakistani players are among the best globally. They excel in the fighting game Tekken. The game director recently expressed his surprise. Tekken Popularity in Pakistan has grown tremendously. Pakistani players are second to none in professional play.
The Rise of Pakistani Esports Giants
Tekken was introduced in Japan 30 years ago. The seventh edition was released recently. Far East players used to dominate this game. Now, four players in the current top 10 are from Pakistan. This is a massive shift in the global rankings.

Arsalan Ash Leads the Charge
Arsalan Ash Siddiqui gained global recognition. He won the EVO fighting game tournament in 2019. He has won the title four more times since then. Arsalan Ash quickly became a fan favorite. His success highlighted Tekken Popularity in Pakistan.
Recent Tournament Highlights
The Red Bull Golden Letter tournament is ongoing. It is currently being held in Great Britain. World number 10, Arsalan Siddiqui, was eliminated early. However, Pakistan still performed strongly. Atif Butt secured the second position globally. Video game tech giants are now emerging from Pakistan.
Director Expresses His Astonishment
Game directors remain curious about this success. They wonder how the game became so popular locally. Tekken Director Katsuhiro Harada spoke to the BCC. “We didn’t know Pakistanis play Tekken,” he admitted. “We haven’t even been to Pakistan yet.” He is very interested to know why this happened.
Game Producer’s Reaction
Harada wants to know why Pakistanis love the game. He wonders how they play so skillfully. Game Producer Michael Murray shared his excitement. “When Arsalan Ash Siddiqui won, I was very happy,” he said. He added, “Nobody knew him then.” Now others are excelling too. “It’s very exciting for us,” Murray concluded.


