ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s celebrated Tekken champion Arslan Siddique, widely known as Arslan Ash, has announced his move to Japan, saying the decision is aimed at competing and training at the highest level of international esports.
Taking to Instagram, Ash said he had shifted to Japan to push himself among the world’s best players while continuing to compete internationally, adding that he would always represent Pakistan on the global stage.
"E-sports careers are short, so I’m giving this my absolute best," he added.
Ash hails from Lahore and has won international Tekken competitions after learning to play as an eight-year-old in gaming arcades in the country.
Earlier in August, Ash added another feather in his cap when he won his sixth Evolution Championship Series (EVO) title at EVO 2025 in Las Vegas.
Representing Twisted Minds, Ash defeated his fellow Pakistani player Atif Butt to clinch the Tekken 8 Grand Final.
The Lahore-based player previously clinched the Tekken 7 title in Japan in 2019 and later won the Evolution Championship Series in the United States. In August 2022, he secured third place at EVO 2022. He went on to triumph in the Tekken 7 competition at EVO Japan in April 2023 and claimed his fifth EVO crown in July 2024.
He is considered by many as the greatest Tekken player of all time. He was also awarded the best E-Player of 2019 by ESPN.
Ash is also a CEO 2021 Champion and the 2022 Combo Breaker Tekken 7 tournament winner, where he grabbed the title after defeating all of his 10 opponents.
