Interview with Arslan Ash at Evo 2025: “It’s more about creating my own legacy because I have accomplished a lot.”

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Arslan Ash had a private chat with Xpsp, discussing topics such as Evo Las Vegas 2025, the fighting game community in Pakistan, and his enduring legacy.

2025’s Evo Las Vegas gathers the elite of the Fighting Game Community (FGC), where legends battle and fresh stories emerge. One such figure who continues to influence the FGC is none other than Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique, a five-time Evo champion. He recently chatted with Xpsp about his path from Lahore’s arcades to the world stage, discussing how Red Bull and Pakistan’s FGC fuel his determination to excel.

Interview with Arslan Ash at Evo Las Vegas 2025

As a diehard fighting game community (FGC) enthusiast, I can’t help but feel the thrill when Arslan Ash talks about Evo. In an interview with Xpsp, he described Evo as an event that never fails to excite and one that I simply can’t miss. The competition gets tougher every year, attracting more players due to Evo itself, the Esports World Cup (EWC), and the TEKKEN World Tour (TWT). At the time of our conversation, he was a five-time Evo champion, but his ambition isn’t just about adding more titles to his collection. Instead, he’s focused on creating an enduring legacy and continuing to bring home victory after victory.

Arslan Ash expressed his strong desire to emerge victorious at Evo this year. He noted that his primary motivation is establishing his own unique legacy, given his numerous achievements so far. Indeed, he’s deeply appreciative, but he’s not stopping there; he aspires to claim even more victories.

The player voiced his opinions about the TEKKEN 8 tournament at Evo Las Vegas 2025. He feels the game is progressing positively due to continuous updates, however, he suggests these enhancements could come more swiftly. At present, some inconsistencies and aggravating instances remain in the current update, but it’s a significant advancement compared to, say, the Season 2 emergency patch update.

Arslan Ash’s Red Bull origin story: “I’ve always wanted to become a Red Bull athlete.”

Previously, during an interview with Xpsp, Arslan Ash shared his challenging early days at the Evo event. He encountered issues with accommodations and fell sick due to food poisoning. However, since being signed by Red Bull, life has become more smooth-sailing for him. The company takes care of its athletes by managing visas, supplying gear, and establishing facilities that focus on athletes’ mental and physical health.

Subsequently, the competitor detailed his journey of becoming part of the Red Bull family. Following his victory at Evo Japan, he got a message about a sponsorship prospect and interacted with the Red Bull team in Islamabad. Later, both Red Bull Pakistan and Red Bull Dubai brought his case before the global head office.

Arslan Ash expressed, “I’ve had a lifelong dream of becoming a Red Bull athlete.” Following his victory at Evo Japan, he received a message from someone stating, “‘I have an opportunity for you.'” He was skeptical, thinking, “‘This can’t be real. I’ll likely talk to them, and nothing will come of it.'” They met in Islamabad, where Ash was applying for his U.S. visa at the time. The visa was approved, and they met again, with the man repeating the same statement.

Arslan Ash went on to say, “I didn’t consider him a threat, but secretly, I was overjoyed. I sincerely hoped it would become reality. Word reached me that Red Bull Pakistan presented my situation to the global headquarters, which then passed it onto Red Bull Dubai. They took up my case and secured approval for it. I was absolutely thrilled.

From Pakistan to the global stage, one boot camp session at a time

During our chats with Pakistani TEKKEN 8 players, we discovered many of them participate in Arslan Ash’s training workshops held in Lahore. These face-to-face sessions are beneficial as they provide opportunities for players to learn from one another. But, you might wonder, what transpires at these boot camps? Well, it’s a place where participants engage in intensive training, exchanging strategies and techniques to improve their gameplay skills.

We enjoy playing cards, Arslan Ash humorously mentioned before getting serious. Picture this: our training camp is as big as this room where we’re currently conducting the interview at Evo 2025. In essence, it houses numerous setups for both streaming and offline gaming, inviting a large number of players. Approximately 80% of these players reside in Lahore, making it akin to a small city. This means most residents live within a short drive from each other, with the farthest being no more than a 40-minute drive or even as close as a 30-minute drive. Every day, we contact different players and spend extended hours playing together. I personally play with them for eight hours, nine hours, or six hours at a stretch.

I’ve got to say, there’s something really special about offline gaming. Offline TEKKEN sessions are a treat because we can compete against each other, then share strategies, watch matches, and just chill afterwards. We even have coaches who show us the ropes and offer tips. It’s an awesome setting for honing my TEKKEN skills, far more engaging than online gaming.

Later on, the player reminisced about when he first joined TEKKEN 7 competitions. At that time, the game seemed well-balanced and the local community was still in its infancy. In fact, many Pakistanis were unfamiliar with the franchise at the start. However, Arslan Ash’s successive victories eventually made TEKKEN one of Pakistan’s most sought-after titles, even challenging the popularity of cricket and PUBG. Nowadays, local tournaments often attract over 300 participants, which is more than some TWT Challenger events held in Europe.

In wrapping up his thoughts, Arslan Ash discussed the distinct aspects of playing games offline versus online. Both have unique roles to play.

He mentioned that for those who wish to compete, offline environments can be excellent, but when it comes to mastering matchups, online options are extremely beneficial.

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2025-08-02 20:11