Top 10 Competitive Fighting Games you need to follow

Competitive fighting games aren’t quite as popular as some other esports genres are, like shooters and MOBAs, but they have dedicated followings. In fact, fighting games are some of the oldest games around – many series found their origin in the olden arcade days when gaming genres were quite limited. Here are some of the most high-profile fighting esports at the moment!

1. Tekken 7

The latest release in the Tekken series came out in 2015 – highly rated, the Namco title is part of several big name tournaments, including the upcoming Evo 2019 in Las Vegas. Tekken is a long-running series that debuted in 1994 as an arcade game, and then found its way onto the PlayStation, before eventually moving on to the Xbox and as of Tekken 7, also Windows.

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2. SoulCalibur 6

Also a Namco game, SoulCalibur 6 is the latest in another popular series – the 3D melee fighter regularly features guest characters from other franchises, much to the delight of its fans. While not as big as other entries on this list, the Soulcalibur series that debuted in 1995 as another arcade game is popular as well.

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3. Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st]

The somewhat elaborately named Under Night In-Birth is a video game adaptation of a visual novel series. The 2D fighter is considerably lower profile than some of the other games here, however it is incredibly popular in Japan and is starting to really gain a foothold in the West as well.

© Arc System Works, French Bread, Ecole Software, Sega Interactive

4. StreetFighter V

Synonymous with fighting games everywhere, this Capcom title is one of the oldest series here – first released in 1987, the latest iteration is no less popular than previous ones. Without a doubt Street Fighter is one of the most popular fighting game series out there, and part of just about every major tournament out there – along with other games on this list, it’s part of EVO 2019 too!

© Capcom

5. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Despite Nintendo’s famously cute games and non-violent games, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the most popular fighting games out there at the moment. Released in 2018, the most recent title is incredibly popular and available for various Nintendo consoles. The original game was released in 1999, and fans waited for the newest title for quite a while – ten years since a release for a major console!

© Nintendo, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment

6. Dragon Ball FighterZ

This 2D fighter is another Namco title with quite the history behind it. Originally started in 1986, the series is based on the manga and anime series that took both Japan and the West by storm. The title is available on the PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch and draws both fans of the manga/anime franchise and fighting gaming fans in general.

© Arc System Works

7. Dead or Alive 6

Yet another popular series with quite the history, this game was released earlier this year. First released in 1996, Dead or Alive is well-known for its revealing character designs and fast-paced gameplay. With spin-offs including a separate non-fighting series featuring the same characters and even a movie, Dead or Alive is definitely a big deal in the fighting world.

© Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo

8. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

The latest in a series of 2D fighters featuring particularly imaginative and colourful characters, this Arc Systems game has incredibly good reviews and an ever-growing fan-base in the west. In fact, it’s so popular that an arcade version of it was released earlier this year, as a throw-back to the 80 arcade games that pioneered the genres.

© Arc System Works

9. Skullgirls 2nd Encore

Another 2D fighter on this list was a bit of an underdog when it hit the market – positive reviews and a quickly growing fanbase helped this game along to success – it now features in several different fighting game tournaments around the globe.

© MARVELOUS!

10. Samurai Shodown

Samurai Shodown or Samurai Spirits in Japan, is the most recently released title on this list, having only come out in June this year. The 12^th title in the series that debuted in 1993, this title is quite popular worldwide. Unlike many on the list, it’s a 3D game, rather than a 2D one.

© BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment