Bandai Namco bans a regional TEKKEN 8 champion
As a longtime fan of TEKKEN and esports, I find myself divided over this recent decision by Bandai Namco to ban ILIAS from all official competitions following his regional championship win. On one hand, I understand the rules are in place for a reason, and it’s crucial that players compete honestly within their designated regions. However, as someone who has followed ILIAS’ career closely, I can’t help but empathize with the young player’s predicament.
The player climbed to first position on the local scoreboard, but the second-place player will take over that spot instead. To add to this, a one-year suspension has been imposed as well.
As a devoted TEKKEN enthusiast, I’d like to share that qualifying for the TEKKEN World Tour 2024 Finals presented two primary avenues. The first was by excelling in the international TWT events, aiming to secure a spot among the top 20 on the global leaderboard. Alternatively, contenders could engage in regional tournaments with the goal of clinching one slot for the local champion. However, a recent uproar in one region has added an unexpected twist to the lineup of participants for the TWT 2024 Finals.
Bandai Namco Esports’ official announcement revealed that they had banned a regional titleholder. However, the original post didn’t provide much detail, so let me fill you in on the specifics below.
A ban for the TEKKEN 8 champion from North & East Africa
The official statement about this ban only declares the consequences for the player.
- The runner-up replaces them for the #1 spot in North & East Africa.
- A ban is applied on them from all the official competitions organized by Bandai Namco, including TEKKEN World Tour 2025.
Who was banned by Bandai Namco? Why?
Hailing from the Netherlands with roots tracing back to Morocco, the player goes by the name ILIAS. For the TEKKEN World Tour 2024, he chose to participate in Morocco, which falls under the official region of North & East Africa. However, due to tournament regulations, ILIAS was required to sign up and compete primarily in the West Europe region.
ILIAS did not hide behind the curtains. The player shared his explanation even before the official statement.
Also, ILIAS added some details in other posts. He shares his regrets about taking such steps.
The controversy
In the world of TEKKEN 8, there’s been a bit of disagreement among the community regarding this particular issue. Some players believe it’s unfair to strip such a significant competitive accomplishment – after all, he competed in tournaments in Morocco and rightfully earned his #1 spot.
Earlier during TGU 2024’s TWT Master event, a Chinese player was excluded due to their region not being included in the competition circuit. This decision was made mid-tournament.
In simpler terms, there are significant skill level differences among various competitive zones. For instance, the challenge in TEKKEN 8 tournaments might be less daunting for players from regions like Korea or Pakistan when they compete elsewhere and still secure a spot in the Finals. However, it’s unfair to the local players if we allow this, as they should have the first priority in their home territories.
During the Capcom Pro Tour 2023 (CPT 2023), a competition series specifically designed for Street Fighter 6, ILIAS took part in two online events within the Europe West region. In one event, he placed between 17th and 24th, while in the second event, he finished in 7th and 8th position.
Some replies on socials note the honesty of ILIAS about this situation.
ILIAS in TEKKEN
In the upcoming competitive Tekken scene, ILIAS, who is still relatively new, shows great potential. However, he needs to serve a ban first. During the late Tekken 7 era, he managed a few top 8 finishes in third-tier tournaments. As for Tekken 8, ILIAS has tested his skills in both second-tier and top-tier events.
- Ultimate Fighting Arena 2024 — ILIAS finished 13th-16th.
- The MIXUP 2024 and DreamHack Summer 2024 — the player was 49th-64th.
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2024-11-01 19:12