It’s been a long path to the top this year for competitors in BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s latest installment of the hit fighting series, TEKKEN 7. Starting in June with the CEO fighting game championship and continuing throughout the summer before culmination with the Global Finals. Players from across three different regions, Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, had events both on and offline in which they could earn ranking points to move up their regional leader board. These events were open brackets however they were either region locked or required you to be from that region to earn ranking points. Additionally, the winner of the 2017 Evo championship series received an automatic place in the World Tour Global Finals.
The World Tour Global Finals
On November 12 fans and competitors alike gathered in the city by the bay to find out who would be the champion of the TEKKEN World Tour. San Francisco hosted this final tournament. In doing so they became the first location outside of Japan to hold a tournament at this level for the franchise.
The tournament hosted 16 players; the top five from each regions leader board (Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific) and the winner of EVO 2017. Starting with pool play the players were grouped into four groups based on performance during the world tour. The top four ranked players, the first from each region and the winner of EVO, were placed into separate groups.
Following the round robin style pool play eight players advanced into a bracket stage. Here the format was double elimination. Except for the winners, losers, and grand finals all bracket matches were best of three. These final contests were best of five.
When the dust had settled Qudans had won. He had defeated the current Champion, Saint, in the appropriate place, the grand final match. Qudans got to take home the $15,000 first prize as well as a pretty sweet trophy.
This was the first year of the TEKKEN World Tour and the event was broadcast on Twitch. Congratulations to Qudans. It was a hard-fought victory and you earned it.
