"Too many 50/50s in the game" Arslan Ash discusses Tekken 8, Red Bull Golden Letters tournament, and more (Exclusive)

Arslan "Arslan Ash" Siddique is one of the many talented Tekken 8 players participating in this weekend’s Red Bull Golden Letters tournament. Truly one of the most inspirational figures in the scene, the Pakistani player is among the greatest Tekken players of all time. A five-time EVO champion, his skill is unparalleled, and through his success, the Pakistani fighting game community has found a spot in the limelight.

Ahead of the tournament, I had a chance to sit down with the pro player to pick his brain. In our previous chat, Arslan Ash opened up about his hopes for Tekken 8. In our second conversation, he speaks about the current state of the game, what it’s like to be a part of the Red Bull Golden Letters tournament, and more.

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Arslan Ash discusses the Red Bull Golden Letters tournament, Tekken 8 balance, and more

Q. Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Could you please introduce yourself to people not familiar with your work?

Arslan Ash: Hi, my name is Arslan, I am from Lahore, Pakistan. I am a professional TEKKEN player, a Red Bull Player, and I also play for Twisted Minds Esports.

Q. You’re one of the pros invited to the upcoming Red Bull Golden Letters tournament, as well as a Red Bull player yourself. How are you feeling going into the tournament?

Arslan Ash: I’m very excited to be competing in Red Bull Golden Letters. I’ve always wanted to compete in the tournament, and haven’t been able to make it in the past, but I’m finally here and ready to play.

Q. This isn’t your first time coming to the UK to compete - are there any players in the UK scene that you’re especially excited to play against?

Arslan Ash: I don’t think that there is any particular British player that I’m looking to face off against, I’m the kind of player who just wants to compete against strong players and win the tournament.

Q. You’ve been playing and competing in Tekken 8 throughout 2024. Looking back, how do the changes made to the game compared to Tekken 7 feel for you?

Arslan Ash: TEKKEN 8 is very different from TEKKEN 7, it feels like everything has changed. It’s been an adjustment as I used to play a lot more defensively, but I now am a lot more active and aggressive in my gameplay.

Q. It’s not unfair to say you’re one of the greatest Tekken players of all time - a five-time EVO Champion, not to mention Tekken World Tour champion. With that kind of knowledge and experience, not just about the game, but its competitors, what are your predictions for the tournament? Who should fans be looking out for?

Arslan Ash: I think I have good chances of winning Red Bull Golden Letters, but otherwise I would say Ulsan.

Q. You’ve spent most of this year playing as Nina in Tekken 8, at least at a competitive level. With three DLC characters revealed (and two playable) so far, are Eddy, Lidia, or Heihachi catching your eye?

Arslan Ash: I’m not particularly interested in trying out Lydia or Eddie. I will maybe play Heihachi, I will see how good he is. He looks so broken, so if he’s really broken, then I’ll play him.

Q. One thing I love about events like this, is that an open-qualifier international tournament means unknown players could come out of nowhere and really make a name for themselves. Do you feel that’s a serious benefit to taking part in events like the Red Bull Golden Letters tournament?

Arslan Ash: Red Bull Golden Letters is always fun! There are some qualifiers and invitational players every year and then with the best of five and “PERFECT” and “GREAT,” there's a good opportunity to make your name.

Q. Tekken 8 has been lauded by many throughout the FGC and beyond here in 2024, but it’s not immune to criticism. What sorts of changes do you think the game needs right now?

Arslan Ash: I think there are opportunities to better balance the gameplay. I’d like to see an overall reduction of the chip damage and I think there are too many 50/50s in the game, especially with Dragunov, it feels like a bit too much. In my opinion, the game would be better balanced with less guessing and more solid gameplay.

Q. You’ve had a great deal of success in the world of fighting games. Would you say that the spotlight being on you has helped the overall growth of the Pakistani fighting game scene?

Arslan Ash: I think that my career has helped to build more visibility of the fighting game scene in Pakistan. It’s been great to see people get to live their dreams as professional players and get the sponsors needed to keep playing.

Q. Thank you so much for chatting with us. Any words of wisdom for your fans as you get ready for the next battle?

Arslan Ash: To my fans, I'm going to say that I will do my best, and thank you for believing in me! I’m not going to let you down.

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The Red Bull Golden Letters event takes place between September 28 and 19, 2024 on Twitch and YouTube. You can also find Arslan on Twitch, YouTube, and X.