Tekken 7 Ranking System Explained

There’s no other way to put it – Tekken simply is a legendary franchise. It was first kicked off way back in 1994, launching in Japan on the Nanco System 11 in arcades, before moving to home consoles and hitting the PlayStation platform. Since then, it has spawned a further nine releases, and a tenth, Tekken 8, is set to launch in 2022. Today, we’re here to look at the Tekken 7 ranking system, figuring out if you can still rank up and compete in Tekken 7 in 2022.

It’s a challenging process to climb up the Tekken 7 ranks; even now, seven years after the game was released. However, if you’re a fan of the franchise, you’ll appreciate the strenuous journey, as every step of the way, you’re challenged as a fighter. Alongside the likes of Street Fighter, Soul Caliber, and Dead or Alive, Tekken is one of the most iconic fighting games ever invented. It’s thanks to the skilled, determined fans that the Tekken ranking system even exists, and right now, we’re going to break it down in full.

Here’s the Tekken 7 online ranking system, decoded for your appreciation.

Are There Any Tekken Tournaments?

tekken-7-ranks

Players at the LPL Tekken Championship, an older event.

Tekken is quite a ‘stretched out’ franchise, and in the last eleven years, we’ve only seen two new titles in the series. This has impacted the availability of any Tekken esports tournaments, but it hasn’t stripped them away entirely. With the Tekken 7 title serving as the base foundation of the esports scene for the series, some fairly sizeable tournaments have taken place. For instance, in 2019, the Tekken World Tour was held, boasting a massive $250,000 prize pool.

We’ve seen countless smaller competitions in the Tekken scene, most of which are played in an arcade environment. Where traditional esports events will use a keyboard and mouse or a controller setup, most fighting games – Tekken included – are played on special controllers built specifically for fighting titles. It’s a much more niche scene, but ultimately, it has enjoyed a little fame and fortune in the last few years.

Admittedly, there has been quite a considerable decline since 2019, but there are expectations that Tekken 8 will revitalise the landscape a little.

How Is Tekken Played?

Tekken 7 focuses on a 1v1 combat format, with players competing against an AI opponent or another human competitor. When we’re talking about the Tekken 7 ranking system, the 1v1 combat mentioned is almost the sole way in which players climb said ranks. If they win fights, they climb the ranks – it’s that simple.

Tekken 7 Screen

In Tekken 7, two fighters enter the arena and proceed to knock ten bells out of one another. There is a wide range of combat mechanics to make use of, from ‘rage mode’ and ‘power crush’ moves to traditional combos and impactful finishers. Each character is unique from the other and boasts an assortment of special moves. There’s a story behind Tekken that has been relatively consistent for the last twenty-something years, but in the multiplayer mode, it’s just beat on or be beaten.

With the Tekken franchise being as old as it is, there are many characters that are simply iconic and instantly recognisable. Every release brings fresh talent to the scene, but there are always returning veterans, many of whom have existed since the very first title. Let’s see if you recognise any of the names on this list:

  • Jin Kazama
  • Hwoarang
  • Ling Xiaoyu
  • Nina Williams
  • Yoshimitsu
  • Paul Phoenix

Explaining The Tekken 7 Ranking System

So, it’s time to assess the Tekken 7 ranks and determine how exactly you climb them in-game. Fortunately, Tekken boasts a similar set-up to competing titles, such as the Street Fighter ranks, and it’s quite easy to understand the system from game to game. If you’re a fighting game aficionado, you’ll recognise how to climb the ladder and flex your skills with relative ease.

Sadly, there are thirty-seven Tekken 7 ranks, so this list will seem a little long. Find below all Tekken 7 ranks in order and divided by Tier:

Silver Tier

  • 1st dan,
  • 2nd dan,
  • 3rd dan,

Light Blue Tier

  • Initiate,
  • Mentor,
  • Expert,
  • Grand Master

Green Tier

  • Brawler,
  • Marauder,
  • Fighter,
  • Vanguard

Yellow Tier

  • Warrior,
  • Vindicator,
  • Juggernaut,
  • Usurper

Orange Tier

  • Vanquisher,
  • Destroyer,
  • Savior,
  • Overlord

Red Tier

  • Genbu,
  • Byakko,
  • Seiryu,
  • Suzaku

Ruler Tier

  • Mighty Ruler,
  • Revered Ruler,
  • Divine Ruler,
  • Eternal Ruler

Blue Tier

  • Fujin,
  • Raijin,
  • Yaksa,
  • Ryujin

Purple Tier

  • Emperor,
  • Tekken King,

God Tier

  • Tekken God,
  • True Tekken God
  • Tekken God Prime,
  • Tekken God Omega.

That’s quite a list, right?

In the Tekken 7 ranking system, you’ll climb up the ladder by acquiring Battle Points. Similarly, if you lose your matches, you’ll lose Battle Points and fall back down the ladder. There are different points awarded depending on how far up the ladder you’ve climbed. Later in the game, wins will award around the same amount, but in some cases, losses can become more costly. For instance, it’ll cost you 18,000 Battle Points to become Tekken God Prime, and a single loss will strip 2500 BPs from that total.

Between Tekken God Prime and Tekken God Omega, there’s a gap of 65,000 points.

You’d best get started.