In an unprecedented event, Hisako Sakai, a 92-year-old Japanese woman, was crowned champion of Tekken 8 during the Care Esports tournament held in November. This tournament is part of a series organized by Care, an entity that seeks to promote the social and mental well-being of the elderly in Japan by creating an environment where seniors can participate in esports competitions. The elderly are making a strong impact Since 2019, Care has been holding these tournaments in the prefectures of Mie, Gifu, and Aichi, bringing together senior competitors who compete in various video games. In […]
In an unprecedented event, Hisako Sakai, a 92-year-old Japanese woman, was crowned champion of Tekken 8 during the Care Esports tournament held in November. This tournament is part of a series organized by Care, an entity that seeks to promote the social and mental well-being of the elderly in Japan by creating an environment where seniors can participate in esports competitions.
The elderly are coming in strong
Since 2019, Care has been holding these tournaments in the prefectures of Mie, Gifu, and Aichi, bringing together senior competitors who compete in various video games. In this latest edition, the event was streamed live on Care’s YouTube channel, offering professional production and real-time commentary, allowing a global audience to enjoy the exciting matches. The competition included players up to 95 years old, highlighting both the technical mastery and the excitement experienced during the contests.
The tournament, whose matches were described as some of the most experienced of the King of Iron Fist Tournament, showcased moments of true climax, where Sakai demonstrated his skill by defeating seven rivals, earning him the trophy. After his victory, he expressed his happiness at receiving the recognition, an emotion that resonated among the enthusiastic spectators who applauded his gaming prowess.
The competition not only focused on technical skill but also highlighted the social aspect of gaming among older adults. With post-game sessions that included interviews and statistics, Care is setting a precedent in the esports universe, demonstrating that the passion for video games transcends generations. Although there is still a long way to go, the organization hopes to expand these tournaments nationally in the future.
Katsuhiro Harada, the iconic creator of the Tekken saga, has announced his departure from Bandai Namco, scheduled for the end of 2025, for personal and professional reasons. Harada has been the central figure of Tekken since its debut in 1994, revolutionizing gameplay mechanics and establishing a deep cultural connection with fans worldwide. His legacy has defined the identity of the game and evoked a unique style in modern fighting games. What will become of the Tekken saga without him? Harada shared his decision through social media, mentioning personal reflections stemming from the loss of […]
Katsuhiro Harada, the iconic creator of the Tekken saga, has announced his departure from Bandai Namco, scheduled for the end of 2025, for personal and professional reasons. Harada has been the central figure of Tekken since its debut in 1994, revolutionizing gameplay mechanics and establishing a deep cultural connection with fans worldwide. His legacy has defined the identity of the game and evoked a unique style in modern fighting games.
What will happen to the Tekken saga without him?
Harada shared his decision through social media, mentioning personal reflections stemming from the loss of friends and colleagues in the industry. The absence of significant figures, such as his historic rival Tomonobu Itagaki, led him to consider his own paths and futures, indicating that it is time to close this chapter of his life at the age of 55.
Starting in 2026, Harada will attend events related to Tekken as a guest, marking a new era for the franchise under new leadership. Despite his departure, his influence will endure in a game that has managed to balance innovation and tradition, an aspect that will now depend on Bandai Namco. The company has expressed its intention to continue expanding the franchise, reinforcing the competitive aspect of Tekken 8, which has been a success both in sales and popularity.
However, the transition raises questions about how Tekken will maintain its connection with its fan base, given that Harada has been a bridge between Japan and the global community. Bandai Namco will need to demonstrate that the essence of Tekken will be preserved, while future developments and content are expected to continue attracting players. As the saga progresses, the future of Tekken promises to be both a challenge and an opportunity to reinvent itself without losing the magic that has made this franchise a benchmark in video games.
Tomonobu Itagaki, a renowned Japanese video game creator, passed away at the age of 58. His death was announced through a heartfelt message on his Facebook account, where he expressed his pride in having fought until the end, lamenting that he could not offer new games to his followers. “I am filled with sadness for not having been able to provide new works to all my fans. I’m sorry,” he said in a message that resonated with the struggle of his life and career. Tomonobu Itagaki is a video game legend, famous for his contributions to video game culture, he was responsible […]
Tomonobu Itagaki, a renowned Japanese video game creator, passed away at the age of 58. His death was announced through a heartfelt message on his Facebook account, where he expressed his pride in having fought until the end, lamenting not being able to offer new games to his followers. “I am filled with sadness for not being able to provide new works to all my fans. I’m sorry,” he said in a message that resonated with the struggle of his life and career.
Tomonobu Itagaki is a video game legend
Itagaki, famous for his contributions to video game culture, was responsible for iconic franchises like Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden, which helped define the action genre and the aesthetics of the early 2000s. His provocative style made him a controversial figure, but undeniably influential in the industry. Throughout his career, he stood out for his ability to challenge his competitors, establishing a friendship and rivalry with Katsuhiro Harada, creator of Tekken. Harada expressed his sadness and surprise at Itagaki’s departure, recalling shared moments and the hope for a reunion.
Despite his success at Team Ninja, Itagaki drifted away from glory after leaving the company. His last major project, Devil’s Third, for Wii U, did not achieve the expected success and was a significant blow to his career. Subsequently, Itagaki founded Valhalla Games and worked on several projects, including an NFT-based game titled Warrior, of which there is not much information available.
The departure of Tomonobu Itagaki marks the twilight of a star in the world of video games. However, his legacy will endure, as titles like Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive continue to be celebrated by fans. His legacy will be honored by reviving and enjoying his masterpieces. Rest in peace, Master Itagaki.
SEGA has announced the resurgence of its iconic 3D fighting franchise, Virtua Fighter, through a project called New VIRTUA FIGHTER. This announcement, made during the 2024 Game Awards, has generated great anticipation among fans, especially considering that more than 20 years have passed since the last installment of the saga. A new Virtua Fighter from which they are providing information drop by drop. The development is being handled by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, known for its work on Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which could bring a fresh and relevant approach to the series. This studio […]
SEGA has announced the resurgence of its iconic three-dimensional fighting franchise, Virtua Fighter, through the project called New VIRTUA FIGHTER. This announcement, made during the 2024 Game Awards, has generated great anticipation among fans, especially considering that it has been over 20 years since the last installment of the saga.
A new Virtua Fighter from which information is being released drop by drop
The development is handled by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, known for its work on Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which could bring a fresh and relevant approach to the series. This studio has kept the essence of Virtua Fighter alive through nods and tributes in its previous titles. Its involvement suggests that the upcoming game will not only reminisce about the rich history of the franchise but will also seek to reinvent itself to attract both veteran players and new followers.
Despite the nostalgia it evokes, revitalizing a saga that has been inactive for so long can be a challenge. Virtua Fighter will compete directly with giants of the genre like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat, which have evolved and established their dominance in the market. The return of this franchise, which was a pioneer in the 3D Fighters subgenre, must be a careful process not only to capture the attention of younger players but also to satisfy old-school fans.
The approach of the New VIRTUA FIGHTER Project is interesting, given that SEGA has opted for a modern presentation that seeks to connect with the contemporary audience. Although the final name of the game has not yet been confirmed, it is suspected that it could be Virtua Fighter 6. This title not only represents the continuation of a beloved saga but also a possible rebirth in the competitive world of fighting video games.
The Street Fighter movie is delayed again. And the previous adaptation of it doesn’t give us much hope about its fidelity. The Minecraft movie is also on the horizon and let’s be honest: we don’t like how it looks. This has made us think about all the adaptations that video games have had over the years. In particular, the absolutely horrible ones. That’s why we’re not going to take the easy route. We already know that Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter seem bad to you. Those movies have charm. They are bad […]
The Street Fighter movie has been delayed again. And the previous adaptation doesn’t give us much hope about its fidelity. Also on the horizon is the Minecraft movie, and let’s be honest: we don’t like how it looks. This has made us think about all the adaptations that video games have had over the years. In particular, the absolutely horrible ones. That’s why we’re not going to take the easy route. We already know that Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter seem bad to you. Those movies have charm. They are bad for amateurs. Today we bring you the truly dreadful ones. The movies so terrible they would make a goat vomit. And believe us: you would prefer not to know they even exist.
Mortal Kombat by Paul W.S. Anderson is an interesting, creative movie that knows how to film a fight and works wonders with its special effects. What happened to Mortal Kombat Annihilation? That the abuse of slow motion, a tiny budget, and choreography as questionable as the camera work make the movie not work at all. Still, we warn you: it is the best of the bunch. The costumes, the music, and some specific moments make it enjoyable, even though it is much worse than the original and even enjoyable in its own right at times. Something we cannot say about any of the following.
Wing Commander
How do you make a science fiction movie when your script can be summarized on a napkin and your budget doesn’t even allow for a visit to McDonald’s for the entire cast? That seems to be what they tried to answer with Wing Commander, a tremendously loose adaptation of the space combat simulator series from Origin Systems. Filled with close-ups, cheap special effects, and nonsensical cuts, it is a movie that tries to capitalize on the success of the games without much success. Or none at all. And yet it is better than everything that is to come.
The House of the Dead
There are things that are better left to die. A good example is House of the Dead. Its remakes are terrible, some of the worst remakes we have seen in a long time. But of course: they are cursed by one of the worst movie adaptations ever seen. The House of the Dead is cheap, poorly shot, incoherent, has bad action, and, of course, bears no relation to the video game. And if you think it can’t get any worse, have faith in Uwe Boll. He can always outdo himself.
Alone in the Dark
It took less than a year and a half to make the worst-rated movie in the history of Rotten Tomatoes with a 1%. And we believe it is fully justified. With absolutely no relation to the game, Alone in the Dark is an ugly, bad, nonsensical, and boring movie. Everything that was wrong in The House of the Dead is wrong here, but additionally, the special effects are even worse and, for some reason, the entire movie is underexposed, making it so that you can’t see half of what happens for most of the time. An absolute nonsense.
BloodRayne
We haven’t finished with Uwe Boll yet. You’re not going to get rid of this nightmare so easily. Blood Rayne is everything bad about the previous two movies, only now it looks like it was filmed directly for television. Is it worse than Alone in the Dark? Probably not. Now, what do all these games have in common? As a result of Uwe Boll making an adaptation, their franchises have been unable to release a title that isn’t a critical and public failure. So here is a curse. The curse of Uwe Boll. And we don’t intend to overlook it.
Tekken
How bad can a Tekken movie be? Very bad, although not as much as they say. It is true that any resemblance to the video game franchise is purely coincidental, that aesthetically and narratively it is a disaster, and that the fights are anything but interesting, but it does what most movies on this list do not: it tries. It tries to be Tekken. And it’s a disaster, but you know what? That’s enough for us to say, like with Mortal Kombat Annihilation, that it hardly deserves to be on this list.
Silent Hill: Revelation
Silent Hill: Revelation fell victim to several things. The first, being called Silent Hill. The second, is the obsession of the early 10s with doing everything in 3D. Because otherwise, it is a horror movie that could have been quite enjoyable. The problem is that it doesn’t know what it wants to do or what it wants to be. It fails to be Silent Hill, it fails to be a scare fest, and ends up a disaster in everything it tries to do. Perhaps it is not absolutely terrible and, without prejudice, it is a perfectly enjoyable movie. But it could have been so many things that it is not…
Hitman: Agent 47
What do Hitman: Agent 47 and the video game Hitman: Agent 47 have in common? They both feature a bald assassin with a barcode on the back of his neck as the protagonist. Other than that, the video game is much better. Is the movie as bad as they say? It is an extremely generic action movie, with quite questionable special effects and a lead actor with no charisma whatsoever, but be careful. It has some impressive action scenes, a few well-executed spots, and a fairly decent pace. This doesn’t prevent it from being an average movie and a terrible adaptation of the video game, but it’s still better than much of what people say. Because sometimes, yes, we are harsher than we should be. Except with Uwe Boll. We should ban him from making films.
Virtua Fighter was the first 3D fighting game in history. It is also one of the most complex, satisfying, and deep fighting games available on the market. In each and every one of its iterations, it has broken what seemed possible to do with fighting games, paving new paths for the genre. Even if Tekken has always won in popularity thanks to greater accessibility, a larger roster of characters, and because Namco knows how to market its franchise better than the good people at Sega know how to market Virtua Fighter. Virtua Fighter returns, although […]
Virtua Fighter was the first 3D fighting game in history. It is also one of the most complex, satisfying, and deep fighting games available on the market. In each and every one of its iterations, it has broken what seemed possible to do with fighting games, paving new paths for the genre. Even if Tekken has always won in popularity thanks to greater accessibility, a larger roster of characters, and Namco’s better marketing of its franchise compared to how well the good people at Sega market Virtua Fighter.
Virtua Fighter returns, although it starts with an appetizer
Something that may change in the near future because it has been announced that Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. will arrive on PC via Steam. Based on Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, the PlayStation 4 version, it will include multiple new features. The most important ones are rollback netcode, 4k graphics, and 60fps. Also, a balance patch, which they have called version 2.0 of the game, that they hope will radically change the gaming experience. Practically turning it into a new experience.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. will include the 19 original characters, each with their own unique fighting style. However, if you’ve never played a Virtua Fighter, our advice is to start with Kage, El Blaze, or Lau. Three very flashy and relatively easy-to-control characters that make the learning experience more manageable.
This announcement comes after we learned earlier this month that a new Virtua Fighter is being developed. Although they haven’t specified anything about it, we do know that it is a new installment of the franchise. Not this port. And we know this because last March an insider revealed that Sega is working on the sixth installment of Virtua Fighter, which would serve as a reboot of the franchise and would have a greater focus on esports. Something that notably deviates from the focus the saga has followed so far.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. does not yet have a release date, but it is expected to be released this coming winter. This is when the 2.0 balance patch for Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown will be launched. Until then, warm up your wrists and prepare your best moves, because the king is back.
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown is the definitive version of the Virtua Fighter 5 series, developed by SEGA for Xbox One. This arcade-style fighting game features 19 playable characters, including two new ones, and presents revamped fighting mechanics that make it more accessible for new players while retaining its characteristic depth and balance.
It has been quite a surprise because he was recently destined to be a filler secondary character: the great Eddy Gordo will move to the rhythm of samba, expanding the roster of fighters.
The new ‘Tekken 8‘ has not been released yet and we already know which will be the first character to arrive through DLC in the first season. There will be one in each season of the year, and it has been quite a surprise because he was recently condemned to be a filler secondary character: the great Eddy Gordo will move to the rhythm of samba expanding the roster of fighters.
Interestingly, on that same day, just before its announcement, the famous Spanish account Chocu made a viral rap dedicated to the character (“Nina y Ana, las hermanas peleonas, ante mi capoeira solo son espectadoras“), and it was only the beginning of Twitter remembering the legacy of a character that we have all taken at some point when, instead of learning the combos, what we wanted was to pound buttons and see if, by chance, we could defeat much more experienced opponents.
The most talked about issue with the new Eddy is a braided hairstyle that many have compared to Michael B. Jordan in ‘Black Panther’ and others have said it has made him more sexy. The reactions on the Internet, of course, have not left anyone indifferent, and there are those who believe that it’s all a smoke screen and he will be able to have the traditional hair style by customizing him. Cheap controversies? Of course. What would video games be without them?
In addition, ‘Tekken 8’ has shown its introduction video, which has nods to ‘Tekken 5’ and introduces, one by one, all the characters ready for the fight so far. There will be more, of course: How are they going to let go of the golden goose? Meanwhile, we’ll have to count the days until we see Eddy Gordo again. Who would have told us that he was the true star of ‘Tekken’ after all this time?
The Tekken producer has had enough of the humorous threats on Twitter and has decided to explain, very clearly, why people should avoid them.
Let’s state the obvious: no one likes threats. They are not funny. They are not funny. It’s a terrible habit of social networks to have trivialized threats, whether for comedy or as a legitimate way to show dissent, and it’s something that should never happen. Anyone with a public profile and exposure to social networks knows what it’s like to have regular threats, and so it should come as no surprise that the producer of Tekken has decided to step up and say enough is enough.
Katsuhiro Harada, producer and the most representative person of the Tekken franchise, has shared on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, a message where he includes the capture of a fan’s message.In it, he said that if he did not include Eddy Gordo in Tekken 8, a capoeira fighter who has appeared regularly in the franchise, he would hit him with a Burning Hammer. Also known as the inverted Death Valley driver, a move created by legendary wrestler Kenta Kobashi, which he only used seven times in his career, and which is rarely used in professional wrestling because it is considered very dangerous due to the ease with which it is possible to injure or worse the person to whom it is applied.
While the fan intended to be funny, as the Burning Hammer is one of King’s most lethal moves – a Tekken character with a tiger head and whose fighting style is professional wrestling – Harada was not amused. And he has used it to explain the consequences of this kind of message.
When people make these silly threats, I and everyone at FGC suffer the following losses (See attached image). — (1) The event operator overreacts and increases security, which increases operating costs and increases the burden on the players attending the event. In the worst… pic.twitter.com/21dfMItVKe
According to Harada, when these kinds of threats are made, several things can happen. If there is an event nearby that you have to attend, the event manager may take the threats seriously and increase security, increasing the cost of the event, or even cancel your participation in the event. It is also possible that, if the lawyers, founders or board members hear about it, they may ask you not to include specifically what you have been threatened about precisely because they do not like to be intimidated. And if, in addition, the person speaks in the first person plural, implying that it is not just their opinion, but that of the entire community, it makes it more likely that all of the above will occur.
This fan was communicating using some social media language, but the consequences outside of social media are very real. And this is how Harada conveys them. No one likes to be threatened, and when we are talking about people with certain power or responsibility, that can lead to decisions that have negative repercussions not only for the person who is threatening, but for the entire community. Even if he was joking. So let’s listen to Harada: no threats, not even as a joke.
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Some characters just aren’t fair. And some are absurd. Here are the most unbalanced fighting game characters in history.
Cheap characters have been a thing as long as fighting games have existed. Your friends will scream and whine at you for picking these characters, accusing you of being unfair, spammy, or a cheater. While sometimes your friend is just acting like a sore loser, there have been many fighting game characters that have been so overpowered that they completely break the game. Oftentimes, the only way you can beat these characters is by pausing the game and beating up your opponent IRL. Here are some of the most hilariously cheap characters in fighting game history.
Top 5 most overpowered fighting game characters in history
5. Akuma – Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo
Goldeneye has Oddball, Pokémon has Mewtwo, and Street Fighter has Akuma. The OG cheap fighting game character, Akuma debuted in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo as an unlockable boss and hidden playable character. He makes his startling debut by killing the already overpowered final boss character M. Bison. Provided you are the Devil himself and you want to put your friends through hell, you can play as Akuma using a cheat code on the character select screen.
Akuma’s moves are basically Ryu’s on steroids, plus an air fireball and a teleport. His Shoryuken can take off a third of your health. His air fireball is the only aerial projectile in the game, and its diagonal trajectory makes it extremely difficult to dodge. His only real weakness is his sub-par mobility, but he can easily mitigate that with a super-fast teleport. For the cherry on top, Akuma has the strongest Super Combo in the game, plus it’s unblockable!
In most competitive tournaments, Akuma is flat-out banned, and if he isn’t, most players choose not to pick him as an honor rule. He’s consistently been a high tier in every game he appears in, including games outside his own series like Marvel vs Capcom or Tekken. Thankfully, Capcom at least toned him down by reducing his health and turning him into a glass cannon.
While Brawl is a fantastic game with loads of content, it’s something of a black sheep among the competitive Smash community. It’s very slow and floaty to play, lacking the blistering speed and combos of Melee and the quality of life improvements and balanced roster of Smash 4. And while each Smash game has their overpowered characters, Brawl’s Meta Knight makes Melee Fox look like a Nintendog.
Even in a game with plenty of overpowered characters like the Ice Climbers, Snake, and Diddy Kong, Meta Knight still stands head and shoulders above the rest of the cast as the best character. His moves are extremely quick on startup, and he’s the only character in the game who has standard moves (A moves) with transcendent priority. This means that these moves cannot clash with other moves, going right through them and beating them out.
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If that wasn’t bad enough, Meta Knight has not only one, but two of the unquestionably best special moves in the game in Mach Tornado and Shuttle Loop. The Mach Tornado is a dreaded hurricane of death that protects Meta Knight, helps him recover, allows him to get vertical KO’s, and is a safe approach option. Shuttle Loop is Meta Knight’s recovery move that functions as a glide and a kill move, being relatively brain-dead to spam off stage to edgeguard your opponents and make it back to stage safely.
The debate on whether or not to ban Meta Knight caused a civil war within the already small Brawl competitive scene. Some tournaments banned him, but most didn’t. However, in the places where he was banned, an arguably even more horrifying character dethroned him: the Ice Climbers. These Eskimos from Hell could chaingrab you back and forth and the only counterplay was divine intervention.
3. Marvel vs Capcom 2 – Sentinel
Marvel vs Capcom 2 is arguably the most imbalanced fighting game that Capcom has ever made, but despite this, the game still has a special place in gamers’ hearts as a fast, chaotic, and technical fighter. Part of the game’s charm is that the top 5 or so characters are so overpowered that learning how to play them becomes a game in and of itself. Even among those characters, Sentinel stands out as the most broken character in the series.
The mutant-hunting machine of death has one of the highest health counts in the game, making killing him a war of attrition. Though his hitbox is huge, all of his attacks are surprisingly fast and have enormous range, allowing him to shut down opponents and trap them in the corner.
Additionally, he’s the only character in the game whose normal attacks cause chip damage, which means they damage opponents even if blocked. He can even fly, chasing down pesky top-tier mutants like Magneto or Storm and pummeling them back into the ground with his aerial combos. Even on the bench, Sentinel has some of the best assist attacks in the game, filling the screen with missiles and shutting out the opponent. Every MVC2 player has had nightmares at some point about a killer robot screaming “ROCKET PUNCH ROCKET PUNCH HYPER SENTINEL FORCE”.
Eddy – Tekken 3
Eddy Gordo is a Brazillian Tekken character who fights using capoeira, an Afro-Brazillian martial art that combines fighting with rhythm and dance. He is one of the most polarizing characters in fighting game history due to his extremely simple fighting style. And by “simplistic,” we mean “press both kick buttons over and over to win.” Eddy’s stylish kicks send him flipping and spinning across the screen, changing stances and keeping the opponent locked down. Tekken is already known for being a button masher among casual players, and Eddy’s acrobatic antics only cements this further. While pro players have a significantly easier time dealing with Eddy, picking Eddy while playing against your friend casually is an easy way to get a PlayStation controller thrown into your face.
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While Power Rangers may not come to mind when it comes to iconic fighting games, Power Rangers: Fighting Edition on the SNES is infamous for featuring by far the most overpowered character in fighting game history: Ivan Ooze. Ooze is the final boss of the game, and can be unlocked by winning the story mode on the hardest difficulty.
In most fighting games (especially SNK ones) if a boss character is playable, their moveset is significantly toned down in order to bring them in line with the rest of the cast. The developers, assumedly in a fit of temporary insanity, forgot this basic tenet of game design and left Ooze untouched as a playable character. What resulted is the most hilariously broken and frustrating character to ever grace a TV screen.
Seriously, we don’t even need to say much here, just watch the video. Ooze can fly, rendering him completely invulnerable to low and throw attacks. Nearly all of his moves feature no startup and allow him to fill the screen with fireballs, pillars, and other nonsense. He even has a move that gives him a force field and fires a bunch of homing projectiles which he can activate at any time, even while being hit. Ironically, Ooze is the only character in the game who can’t block, but even that doesn’t hold him back from being the most unfair character in fighting game history. As they say, the best defense is a good offense.
Did we miss a character? Let us know in the comments below!
