NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Jan. 16, 2023) – Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. crowned a new champion at the TEKKEN World Tour Finals 2023. The finals featured memorable matchups and an epic conclusion, with newly crowned winner Arslan Ash coming out on top. This year’s champion will have the distinction of being the final competitor to top the ranks in TEKKEN 7, as the company also announced that next year’s tournament, TEKKEN World Tour 2024, is returning this April as an entirely in-person competitive event and will be the debut of competitions featuring TEKKEN 8, the first TEKKEN sequel in more than five years.

Developed by Bandai Namco Studios, TEKKEN 8 harnesses the power of Unreal® Engine 5 to bring the legendary fighting game franchise to a new generation. Competitors can expect to bring their skills to battles that elevate the series signature traits to another level, with stunning new visuals, completely remodeled characters, destructible environments, and an all-new “Aggressive” battle system that keeps the action at a high level. TEKKEN 8 is coming on January 26, 2024, to PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X | S, and PC via Steam®. For more information on the game, visit https://tekken.com/.

NEW TOUR, NEW PARTNERS

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is pleased to announce three major brands are among the first to partner on TEKKEN World Tour 2024.

• Chipotle has joined as a TEKKEN World Tour 2024 partner, once again demonstrating its commitment to professional esports and the fighting game community. For a limited time, fans can choose the next TEKKEN 8 themed Chipotle menu item by voting at https://twitter.com/TEKKEN.

• Venum is proud to unveil its latest apparel line in collaboration with TEKKEN. Offering the perfect blend of style, comfort, and performance, the Venum collaboration line captures the essence of three TEKKEN legends: Marshall Law, Paul Phoenix, and Jin Kazama. The collaboration line will be available on the Venum store and at retailers in June 2024.

• Victrix by PDP is partnering with TEKKEN to create a line of eight Special Edition Tekken 8 products. The line includes the Victrix Pro BFG Wireless Controller in a special Rage Art motif, the Tekken 8 Victrix Tournament backpack, and Tekken 8 character variations of the Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Stick: Jin, Kazuya, King, Law, Lili, and Xiaoyu. Pre-orders for the Victrix by PDP x TEKKEN special edition products will begin in late January. The products are set to release in April 2024 in the U.S. and May 2024 worldwide.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT UPDATES

TEKKEN World Tour 2024 will include global and regional leaderboards and the return of MASTER+, MASTER, CHALLENGER, and DOJO in-person competitions. The top players from each event type will be awarded with points, with the highest point earners on the global and regional leaderboards eventually advancing to the Global Finals to fight for the title TEKKEN World Tour 2024 Champion.

MASTER+ EVO JAPAN 2024

TEKKEN World Tour 2024 will have two Master+ qualifying events starting with EVO Japan 2024 on April 27-29. Competitors can register now until March 22nd at 23:59 JST. For more information about the rest of the events that will be a part of TEKKEN World Tour 2024, please visit tekkenworldtour.com.

DOJO Events – Regional and Global Leaderboards

At the end of March, tournament organizers can enter their applications for DOJO events. Players at DOJO events will be eligble for both global and regional leaderboard points. These events are offline, in-person competitions open to all players around the world, with the number of awarded points being scaled to the size of the tournament. For tournament organizers, there is a DOJO approval process detailed fully on the official tekkenworldtour.com website.

This year’s TEKKEN World Tour 2024 will begin at EVO Japan on April 13th. For more information on tour partners, event dates, locations, and signups, please visit tekkenworldtour.com, and spread the word on social media with #TWT2024.

Watch the announcement trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHPSegsLbOQ

For more information, the TEKKEN World Tour 2024 tournament portal can be accessed at https://tekkenworldtour.com. For more information on everything coming to TEKKEN 8 including game features, character roster with backstories, and more, visit https://tekken.com/.

About Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., part of the Bandai Namco Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for major video game consoles, PC, online, and mobile platforms. The company is known for creating many of the industry’s beloved classic franchises such as PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®, and publishing the critically acclaimed DARK SOULS™ series and the blockbuster title ELDEN RING™. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is also the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime-based video games including GUNDAM™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL™, and ONE PIECE®. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com.

About Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had over 3,300 restaurants as of September 30, 2023, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants in North America and Europe. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is recognized on the 2023 list for Fortune’s Most Admired Companies and Time Magazine’s Most Influential Companies. With over 110,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. For more information or to place an order online, visit WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM.

About PDP & Victrix Gaming

PDP Gaming is an industry leader and award-winning provider of high-quality licensed peripherals and accessories for all major video game platforms. PDP believes that design-forward, high-performance gear should be as unique and accessible as the gaming community itself. From beginner to professional, PDP’s product lines offer uncompromising performance and striking designs that transport gamers into seamless, immersive experiences where competition, connection, and personal expression are limitless. Victrix by PDP is purpose built for Esports athletes and enthusiasts looking for unmatched performance and competitive advantage. For over 25 years, PDP has been supplying video game peripherals and accessories to major retailers across the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. For more information, visit www.pdp.com and victrixpro.com.

TEKKEN™8 & ©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.

Press Release ©Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

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