Tekken 8 is rising into popularity in the esports community. Now, you might be wondering how these players are turning professional. The competitive scene of the popular Tekken franchise continuously grows over time. Earlier this year, it became part of the Esports World Cup lineup along with other established game titles in esports.
Beside that, more upcoming Tekken tournaments are being held, which signifies how Tekken 8 is turning out to be “that” game in the fighting game community. Find the starting point of your journey with this “How to Become a Tekken 8 Esports Pro Player” guide.
Find a Training Partner
Beginning your professional career would call for a need for a reliable training partner. I is crucial in your journey to find someone that can help you improve your game. Janelle “Cuddle_Core” Carter, a professional Tekken 7 player for Equinox Gaming and Red Bull Gaming, explained in her video:
“Having a training partner is essential to your growth. A training partner is that person, that confidant who is there to not just better themselves, but they’re there to better you as well.”
With a good training partner, you’ll be able to push yourself to improve and keep a standard of competitiveness. It will also help you to be updated on the new strategies and techniques that come in new patches.
To find yourself a reliable training partner, you can attend local Tekken events or join online Tekke communities. Also, reaching out to players you admire may even work. Although expect some rejections to come along the way, don’t be discouraged, as eventually you’ll find someone that will match your pace.
Compete in Your Local Scene
Start by attending local tournaments and gaming hubs. Expose yourself more to the local Tekken scene before diving into major Tekken tournaments. This will help you develop a proper mentality and will build your experience in crucial moments. By doing so, you are familiarizing yourself with the competitive environment of Tekken 8.
Competing locally will let you expand your network as you meet other players and potential training partners. You’ll also gain experience battling against different playstyles and develop your adaptability. This will also help you gradually build your confidence to compete.
Find a Coach
As you progress in your Tekken journey, consider finding a coach to help take your skills to the next level. With a good coach, you’ll have an outside perspective on your gameplay. They’ll be able to spot your mistakes as a game spectator and discuss how to correct them. Moreover, a coach will help you boost your morale and courage as you compete. When looking for a coach, ensure there’s good chemistry between you and that you’re willing to put in the work outside of coaching sessions.
Master Replay Analysis
Keep watching and analyzing the replays of your matches. This will serve as your key to improvement. Ghirlanda, a pro Tekken player, shared how replays act as a window into the minds of you and your opponent.
For an effective replay analysis, save the replays, especially the loss matches. Do a study on your own patterns and habits while playing. Try to identify your opponent’s pattern and tendencies. Then take that as a starting point to make adjustments and corrections in your gameplay.
This is much easier now with the new feature of Tekken 8. It lets you jump directly from the replay mode to practice mode, which makes it convenient for training players.
Utilize Practice Mode Effectively
After analyzing the replays and figuring out your weakness, start a practice mode session. Recreate the situations from your replays in the practice mode. After that, record and practice against the common pattern you’ve identified. From there, develop your counter-strategies that will push your opponents outside their comfort zones. Meanwhile, you’ll have to work on expanding your own to become more unpredictable.
Develop a Professional Mindset
Becoming a Tekken 8 esports pro will require you to have the right mindset. More than a skill game, esports tournaments are also a battle of passion and mental fortitude. As Cuddle_Core puts it, “We are esports athletes. If you’re looking to start your own esports journey, start by going to your local meetups for the games you love, socialize, and ultimately have fun.”
You should be committed and focused when starting your Tekken career. As a player, you’ll have to be open to learning and taking criticisms of your plays. Staying humble will also take you further in the esports community. Although being competitive is important, you should also be sports enough to accept defeats.
Conclusion
It’ll be a tough ride to hop immediately to the major stage of Tekken 8 tournaments. Rather than diving head first, it will be better for players to start competing in their local scene first. This is to develop their experience, which will be crucial when playing on bigger stages. Finding a reliable team of training partners and a coach will help you improve your gameplay. Beside this, practicing and developing a professional mindset will also be crucial on your way to a professional career.
Start following official Tekken social media accounts or joining local Tekken communities to be updated on upcoming events. With this guide, we hope you are able to determine how to become a Tekken 8 pro player.
