Tekken 8 Tournament Stuns Katsuhiro Harada as 5-Year-Old Prodigy Shines Despite Game’s Teen Rating

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Tekken 8 Tournament Stuns Katsuhiro Harada as 5-Year-Old Prodigy Shines Despite Game’s Teen Rating

Tekken 8 is the eighth canon release in the Tekken Series developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game quickly became a sensation in the fighting game community after it was released in January of 2024, with over 57 million copies sold worldwide and the game averaging about 7000 players daily, Tekken 8 has cemented itself as one of the most successful fighting games in the recent years.

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Tekken 8 is not for casual gamers | Image Credits: Bandai Namco

Tekken 8 is an intense, aggressive, and fast-paced fighting game that is not made for the average gamers. Yet this one incident defied the game’s ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) rating. Let’s take a look at what or who defied the ESRB rating of the game.

A little kid who defied Tekken‘s ESRB rating

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The game was rated as “T for Teens” by ESRB | Image Credits: Bandai Namco

An extraordinary incident occurred in a beginners’ Tekken tournament from the Rox³ CUP where a 5-year-old boy took on an adult competitor. A video clip of the battle was posted on X (formerly

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) on January 27 and left fans of the game and even the director of the game flabbergasted.

先日行われた初心者向け大会【Rox³CUP】

そこに現れた、齢5歳の男の子
そのプレイがあまりにも格ゲーすぎてびっくりした

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東海にまだこんな未来のある子がいたとは…

victorの方が5歳のプレイヤー
スペシャルスタイル使いこなしてるし横移動スカやガードまでしっかり…すご……

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— はまちゃん。/Rox³Gaming (@chanhamamamama)

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In the game, the 5-year-old kid was playing as Victor Chevalier while his opponent was playing as Marshall Law. The young prodigy was successful in securing two out of five rounds and came remarkably close to victory.

Fans who saw the video said that the kid was good at moving sideways and guarding. They also speculated that the kid’s father who was sitting beside him was a hardcore Tekken 8 player who influenced the little kid’s skills.

Yeah the ESRB rating didn’t mean anything in my life,

This young one will go places if he keeps it up!

— name cannot be blank (@__Yurt)

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However, this event also questioned the authority of ESRB, the universal rating board of software, as the young prodigy’s talent clashed with the game “T for Teens” rating.

What does the director of Tekken 8 have to say about this matter?

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The director of the game was stunned by the event | Image Credits: Bandai Namco

The director of Tekken 8, Katsuhiro Harada was stunned by the young kid’s performance.

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about how the kid has a bright future ahead in the Tekken esports community, he also disregarded the ESRB rating, emphasizing how skills and talent even transcend age and experience.  

“He’s got a bright future ahead of him… By the way, the ESRB rating is TEEN, but who cares.”

While the ESRB rating of Tekken 8 suggests that this game is only suitable for players aged 13 and above, the 5-year-old prodigy changed how people see ratings for competitive games. Competitive games should have a rating system different from the traditional one, that is not defined by age, but rather by the skills, talent, and passion for the game. This young player proves that raw talent can blossom anywhere.

What do you think about the young prodigy? Should age ratings in gaming be reconsidered for competitive play? Let us know in the comments below!

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#Tekken #Tournament #Stuns #Katsuhiro #Harada #5YearOld #Prodigy #Shines #Games #Teen #Rating

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