The best fighting games DLC characters in 2025

Fighting games saw a diverse range of new and returning characters this year, including familiar favorites, crossovers from other franchises, and completely original creations.

Comparing DLC characters across different fighting games is tough because each game has its own standards for what makes a character good or bad. When making this list, we focused on how creative and exciting the characters were, and how much they added to the game overall.

Here are the best DLC characters in fighting games, released in 2025 — ranked.

1. Unika, Guilty Gear Strive

Unika is a really interesting character. What makes her stand out is that she’s an original creation – something you don’t often see in Guilty Gear Strive. She was specifically designed for the anime, Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers.

Popular fighting games are weighed down by history. Players expect to see familiar characters from older versions, and developers often find it less risky to include those returning favorites instead of creating brand new ones.

Strive embraces the idea of interesting characters from its story becoming playable. Unika is a great example – she’s a truly original addition, both to the game’s narrative and its gameplay.

Unika is designed as a lovable character, and her fighting style reflects that. She’s easy to pick up and play, with simple but powerful moves, making her great for both newcomers and experienced players alike.

This is a bit different for Strive, since the game has tended to add increasingly complex and flashy anime-style characters.

Lucy is a strong contender for best fighting game character of 2025. As the first collaborative character in the Guilty Gear series – originating from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners – she stands out due to her unique design and how easy she is to pick up and play.

2. Anna Williams, TEKKEN 8

It feels like a long time ago when Anna was first released, as it was before Season 2. However, she officially joined the TEKKEN 8 roster in spring 2025, and her inclusion was a welcome and positive surprise, just before things got hectic.

Anna Williams blends classic gameplay with modern updates, embodying the excitement players felt when the game first launched. She’s a character without any real controversy, and in TEKKEN 8, she didn’t need major changes – she simply returned to delight fans.

Okay, so Anna is seriously good. She and her sister Nina totally dominated this season, bringing home two Evo wins for Arslan Ash! Honestly, she’s earned her spot as one of the best fighting game characters of 2025, no doubt about it.

3. Chun-Li, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves

The return of the Fatal Fury series is a huge win for fighting game fans. Players are excited about it, and Capcom has even shown their respect by including Terry Bogard as a playable character in Street Fighter 6 – a first for the main series games.

Chun-Li and Ken are appearing as guest characters in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, having originated in Street Fighter 6. This crossover is fantastic, and Chun-Li’s inclusion is particularly well done.

It’s surprising to see a Street Fighter character appear in FATAL FURY, as it goes against the usual style of the game. However, playing as Chun-Li feels true to her roots – the developers have successfully maintained her classic moves, like the special charging input for her Spinning Bird Kick.

While the game might not have a huge player base, it’s tough to pull fighting game enthusiasts away from their favorite titles. However, City of the Wolves won fighting game of the year for good reason – and the high quality of the character Chun-Li is representative of the overall skill of the SNK development team.

4. Sagat, Street Fighter 6

Capcom did a fantastic job bringing this classic character into current fighting games. Sagat feels updated and improved, even compared to his appearance in Street Fighter V. He’s fun to play and was added at just the right time.

Right now, Street Fighter 6 is considered by many to be the best fighting game available. The developers have done a great job of supporting both competitive players and those who enjoy playing solo. The timing of Sagat’s release was perfect, especially considering the negative reaction to Fahkumram in TEKKEN 8. Unlike that situation, Sagat has been very well-received, offering a well-done representation of Muay Thai in fighting games, and his inclusion hasn’t created unbalanced online matches.

Sagat quickly became a top competitor in Street Fighter 6, confirming his strong position in player rankings. Blaz faced off against Sagat in a few matches at Evo France 2025.

5. Armor King, TEKKEN 8

Armor King generated a lot of excitement for TEKKEN 8, but his 2025 release was a little overshadowed by the narrative of him being a hero who emerged during a difficult crisis.

Armor King is a really fun character to play! He’s strong offensively and has a special aura that lets him control the battlefield. He was a particularly popular addition to the Season 2 Character Pass, which had some mixed reactions overall.

It seemed like the developers quickly announced Armor King to address the negative feedback from their Season 2 balancing changes and the release of Fahkumram. However, they didn’t put the same effort into fully developing the black jaguar wrestler before revealing him.

Miary Zo is another strong contender for this list. As a new character in TEKKEN 8, the concept behind her design is quite interesting. However, she’s a divisive character – some players are drawn to her unique anime-inspired appearance and role as a performer, while others aren’t fans.

6. T-1000, Mortal Kombat 1

The newest season of MK1 made the game much more enjoyable. The developers refined the core gameplay and introduced some exciting new characters.

T-1000 marks the end of an exciting period for this Mortal Kombat series. Drawing moves and abilities from Terminator 2, he’s a powerful and adaptable fighter. His naturally aggressive style fits perfectly with the brutal, fast-paced action of MK1.

The liquid-metal robot highlights a larger problem with the game: it struggles to create downloadable content that attracts younger players. While characters like the T-1000 and Conan are well-made, they don’t generate the same excitement as content from competitors like Marvel Tokon.

T-1000 remains a strong contender for one of the best fighting game characters of 2025, both for its individual merits and as a fitting send-off to Mortal Kombat 1.

7. Sandalphon, Granblue Fantasy Rising: Versus

The game reached a peak in 2025 with the release of its Sandalphon downloadable content. Fans had been requesting Sandalphon for a long time, and they were pleased with how he was implemented as a playable fighter.

Okay, so Sandalphon is tough. Unlike characters like Wilnas, he’s definitely not a pick-up-and-play type. I’ve been hearing a lot about how Granblue Fantasy Versus is super beginner-friendly, but Sandalphon throws a wrench in that! Honestly, I think it’s awesome they made mastering him so rewarding. The game already has a really dedicated fanbase, and we needed something really meaty to sink our teeth into – and Sandalphon is definitely that. All that hard work feels worth it!

Visually, the game successfully transitioned from a mobile experience to a full fighting game. Even with new characters added as downloadable content, Sandalphon remains a popular and competitively strong character in GBVS Rising.

8. Izumi, Under Night 2

I’m really into Under Night 2, and it’s awesome seeing it do so well in the fighting game community, especially with the official Arc World Tour events. It’s cool that the developers still support it with updates, even if they aren’t super frequent. When Izumi was added at the end of Season 1, she totally changed how everyone played – she was a game-changer!

Izumi defies the typical magic-wielding character by relying on powerful punches and strategic attacks – even using a fish – to overwhelm her opponents with technique.

Izumi is a challenging character to master and is best suited for experienced players. We appreciate the developers taking a risk on a unique character and shaking up the established gameplay – it’s a welcome change!

An honorable mention, Neferpitou

The cat-ant creature from Hunter x Hunter isn’t strong enough to be highly ranked in the game. While the game still has potential for good fighting, it didn’t meet player expectations in terms of overall content. However, Neferpitou is an enjoyable character to control.

She’s a really exciting character! In the anime, she’s incredibly powerful and loved by fans. But in the fighting game, Neferpitou is a formidable opponent – fast-paced and requires skillful play.

2026 is shaping up to be a big year for fighting game fans, with several new titles on the horizon. We’ve already learned that Caitlyn will be joining the roster of 2XKO, and both Marvel Tokon and Invisible VS are scheduled to launch this year. Plus, a sequel to Guilty Gear Strive has been officially announced, though details are still under wraps.

Fans can expect new content for both Street Fighter 6 and TEKKEN 8 soon. More information about what’s coming will be revealed at the TEKKEN World Tour 2025 Finals (January 30 – February 1) and Capcom Cup 12 (March 11 – March 14).

2025-12-28 18:13