Bandai Namco Announces North American TEKKEN 7: The King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2016

Game developer and publisher Bandai Namco is clearly not content to let rival Capcom have all the fun with fighting game tournaments (i.e., Capcom Cup). Today, the company formally announced the TEKKEN 7: The King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2016.

Leading Bandai Namco team members involved in this project, quoted in the press release, sound off about the tour.

“The TEKKEN series is a cornerstone of the fighting game community and continues to evolve and advance the genre forward with each installment,” said Katsuhiro Harada, director of TEKKEN Project at Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. “I’m excited to see what the North American TEKKEN community is made of as they compete over the next seven months in the TEKKEN 7: The King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2016 in North America.”

“The TEKKEN 7: The King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2016 — North America series of events expands upon our tournament footprint that was set in motion earlier this year through our partnership with Wizard World Comic Cons and Gaming Tour,” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing at Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. “The added reach of the TEKKEN 7: The King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2016 – North America events will ensure that TEKKEN fans across the country will have an opportunity to experience the next chapter of the storied TEKKEN video game franchise and compete for cash and glory.”

Ahead of the home release of the seventh in the brawler series, there will be a months-long competition through 18 major North American cities. On the line will be bragging rights and cold hard cash. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times that tournaments are perceived as the modern-day communal arcade; the tournament series will be the only way North American fans will have a chance to play the arcade version of “TEKKEN 7.”

As a matter of fact, some fans and competitive gamers have already had a chance to get their hands on “TEKKEN 7.” The tournament got its start on February 19, 2016 at Wizard World in Portland, Oregon. The next tournament will be held in Chicago at Combo Breaker, on May 27th-29th. Tournaments will be hosted at Wizard World Comic Con and Gaming tour sites and other key fighting game circuit cities. Each tournament offers $3,000 to the local champ with a grand prize of $20,000 awaiting the King or Queen of the Iron Fist Tournament. For the full rules to participate in the tournament, follow this link: https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/tekken-tour-na

For the full list of cities, events, dates and times participating in the TEKKEN 7: The King of the Iron Fist Tournament 2016, check the helpfully organized list below.

Final Event: