The Miracle of Pakistani Tekken

[@CoreAGaming]

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[@okishop3477]

"There is no price for passion, So everyone does what passion demands." That was a sick life lesson.

[@theonlylolking]

It is something the great Mike Tyson would have said.

[@ThevenimX]

This line hits so hard

[@DimzNoms]

OMG YO! Where in the video was this said?

[@drhito]

@@DimzNoms 9:03 to 9:20

[@Black_Panda95]

Yeah honestly that was a hard ass bar. Feel like it needs to be on a motivational poster or something

[@Skux720]

The resourcefulness here is incredible. No electricity? Bring a generator. No consoles or controllers? Make them from spare parts. No arcade cabinet? Get your carpenter friends to build one. Despite all of these challenges the community has literally built the scene from scratch and produced some of world's best players.

[@HibaSiddique101]

Literally!! Thriving in survival mode!

[@muhammadwajdankhan]

@@prolover697 Exactly, The whole system is corrupt to the core that's why.

[@wl9742]

Limitation making them more creative Is hard to imagine living places that full of abundance

[@redowan99]

@@prolover697bro, what are you smoking?? "If are you homeless, just buy a house"

[@shaghilathar3588]

@@prolover697 It's the most expensive and least efficient way to produce energy

[@takeit1229]

As a Pakistani I can honestly say it is a miracle, there's so little infrastructure there that for all these things to come together to make it possible it's unbelievable. I can say that even as far back as the 90s/00s FG's have always been popular in the arcades there.

[@OblivionsAbyss]

It's amazing

[@prazman]

I recall remukhan and cyberfanatix from the 90s. He must be a happy man now.

[@SkyKi]

You guys are awesome

[@rpemulis]

it kicks so much ass what you guys built for yourselves. the fgc rules, just all DIY all the time.

[@freezinfire]

Bro I genuinely liked they way you guys have trained. Hats off.

[@DomPolluux]

As a brazilian I can relate a lot with them, all these barries doesnt stop us from chasing what we love. Lets go pakistan

[@huss_bbx3645]

much loveee

[@N1M2077]

Um br aqui que surpresa.

[@Nehal.Bin.Qadirdad]

in Pakistan karachi their is a place called lyari which we call as mini Brazil they love Brazilian football just search on youtube lyari brazil and see it for yourself

[@DingDong-lh4ix]

Love from pakistan our 🇧🇷 brotherss

[@HaiderAli-uh2wb]

bruh I never thought brazil faced such stuff as well.

[@sefflikejeff1917]

Love the approach of this. Instead of being like "what's the Pakistani FGC like, let me postulate about it from my American home" You actually WENT THERE to document it and experience it yourself. Props.

[@AskTorin]

Smartest American made this documentary, no joke.

[@Shotblur]

He's Korean.

[@gaius8436]

@@Shotblur He's Korean-American, was born in America and moved to Korea a few years ago

[@mac081793]

@@Shotblur You can be Korean and also be American.

[@Rorschach003]

@@Shotblur thanks, Daryl

[@BillyKamp]

I am from Brazil. With a culture so different from Pakistani people, and as I watched them play in arcades, that resemble the small centers I went on the countryside, and heard them talk about games, and a guy make a joke about a board of KOF 95, I actually felt really connected to them. I felt that, there are not that many differences between us, from players to players.

[@cementium]

It reminded me of my childhood in Bolivia. Seeing old arcades and PC's being scraped together to play games.

[@truelovewontwait]

Same here man. I'm Indonesian and everything here relatable in some way with my own experience.

[@fortidogi8620]

KOF is blood.

[@GrayFoxRJ]

You mean small town, right? countryside is literally forest/farming areas

[@Amaling]

We have so much more in common than we do in terms of differences... wish more people really understood this Sending love, hope Brazil FGC continues to grow

[@ren7a8ero]

From Brazil, a warm hug to our Pakistani bros. Actually, for every other third-world country players out there, too. That's our fight and our strength.

[@SpeedKing..]

Exactly we are way more similar than we think

[@ghostlightning]

I FELT THAT (here in the Philippines, THANK YOU)

[@notyouraveragecomment1328]

Yeeeesss.. I’m Moroccan and this is so relatable to me😂

[@Hazielangelo]

As a fellow Brazilian, i just can wish the same, meu bom.

[@aphroguibo]

Eh us guri pai

[@HelloKaran-m3q]

I am from India, but I've visited Pakistan twice. Both the times I was amazed by the gaming culture there, especially the gaming parlors. My mamu is from Karachi, and he gifted me my first console, the PS4. Forever grateful.

[@Logicalsane]

How's your mamu in Karachi if you are from india..?

[@AakashVP]

Because both were the same country 70ish years ago. Entirety possible that his relative chose to stay there after the partition.

[@HelloKaran-m3q]

Exactly! @@AakashVP

[@zaynax5385]

@@HelloKaran-m3q next time youre in karachi tag me here ight ill take you around show you cool af places

[@crownedclown49]

Same colony not country @@AakashVP

[@DanialStreetFighter]

I cannot believe you went to Pakistan. Thank you for your effort as someone from Pakistan, it is really great to see someone of your understanding of the FGC it is a huge deal indeed as this will bring better exposure to the struggles Pakistani go through to make a name for themselves in international FGC. I love your videos, and I love the philosophical points that you bring out on fighting games in your videos. Stay strong and keep on making great content.

[@muhaha714]

Oh what a surprise seeing you on here. I didnt know you were part of the FGC! (Ramis here btw)

[@DanialStreetFighter]

@@muhaha714 I know a Ramis from CIS are you that Ramis. But anyway I am not a big in FGC but I have been following Core- A for quite some time. I do play Tekken and SF on and off just don't have the time to play regularly but whenever I can. Also, ever since Arsalan won I have been keeping tabs on Pakistani FGC and following some tournaments in which he took part in. If you are Ramis from CIS remember the RHL from physics.

[@muhaha714]

@@DanialStreetFighter yup that's me. Same, I play occasionally but I wanna get into sf6 and t8

[@greg948]

Incredibly motivating to see the passion from a region facing so many obstacles. You should be proud Pakistanis!

[@thehunterwr4666]

We are!

[@mrsaif4135]

We are

[@sahibzadasafi1701]

Proud pakistani pakhtoooon !

[@wilsonsensei2445]

The people themselves are the obstacles in the country. Nothing cool in being good in some videogame when in real life you are failing

[@thehunterwr4666]

@@wilsonsensei2445 bro why are you bringing real life into this? How about YOU get a life instead?

[@TheShenandoahPerry]

There really is such an overwhelming feeling of positivity and down to earthness that makes these videos one of a kind gems on youtube. Not to mention the clear dedication that is put in to create such engaging stories. I feel honored to know THAT much more about Pakistani esports from these 12 minutes. Thank you for this.

[@Oceaniac]

Oh it definitely is a miracle. Even as a British Pakistani who has literally grown up with Tekken, let me tell you how my mother rushed to tell me and my brother about Arslan’s win and that since then, my mother has taken the concept of esports and streaming seriously. It’s crazy. And makes us all very proud.

[@hahapopi2928]

As a pakistani, and a lahori. I'm really happy and feel an overwhelming sense of pride for my people and country. It's people like you who put our country on the map. Thank you!

[@Nabil_Khori]

Hope playstation and other consoles can be official there

[@gabereell]

jojo got that international appeal

[@alfalfaanand6113]

@@Nabil_Khori Amen for that brother

[@AugustoV8Cesar]

You mean as a gey Perrorist?

[@nedson6503]

Your country is already infamous.

[@jaeaik]

The Pakistani FGC really upholds the C part of the FGC. It really feels like whatever win one person has, becomes a win for the entire continent, and they'll use it to elevate their scene. It's so clear how much passion and love they have for the game and their scene, and theres many things to take away from here.

[@yamitsaid6538]

Beautifully said

[@torusorus7803]

Oh wait I know your twitter

[@toastiexists1990]

fr man, it's something that made me fall in love with the FGC over so many other gaming communities. there are so many countries and people from all walks of life who are brought into the fold and treated as equal just because they share a love for a game and it's beautiful.

[@pooply3053]

What the fuck lmfao I watched it uniclr character overview, thanks fam, you helped me find eltnum, who is literally my favourite fighting game character.

[@jaeaik]

@@torusorus7803 I'm sorry 😞

[@osatoharuna]

The level that Pakistani players play at, considering the hurdles they have to go through just to be able to play, is unreal. Glad more and more of them are getting to travel for events, they literally made Tekken so much more competitive over the past few years. Makes me want to see a Pakistani character for 8.

[@mrsaif4135]

Agreed

[@MrSorrowX3]

​@@mrsaif4135 àà

[@imitfdx9632]

YES PLEASE I WANT A PAKI CHARACTERS.

[@johndewberryiii9925]

I’m surprised there isn’t a representative already. There definitely needs to be one they’ve got just about every other continent covered

[@AssGuardian07]

Yeah Agreed, I want to see a Pakistani Character in Tekken 8

[@QuranShareef27]

God, this was amazing, as a Pakistani who doesn't live in Lahore, this was eye opening to me, I didn't know that there are so many people in my country so passionate about gaming, it brought back my love for gaming and my country, thank you very much for coming here!

[@ntwadumela7]

Which city you're from? I live in a village still there are 3 arcades here.

[@muhammadsaad5493]

First off, HOLY CRAP. YOU CAME TO LAHORE?!?! Secondly, Thank you for bringing a light to the scene here. Really means alot. Fighting games pretty much originated the gaming scene for us all the way back in old school KOF and the Tekken 3 days. And it's been a wild ride in recent years with the community's talent finally getting it's time to shine. Also, hope you enjoyed your stay!

[@crawlingboy]

man kof and tekken 3 in the arcade or downloading it on the pc in the 2000s

[@Shotblur]

Lahore-A Gaming

[@izzymosley1970]

I think it makes sense why the Pakistan players are so good it's because you have to be really passionate about the game since it's so difficult to play in that country and I definitely think passion is a component that can help people get better at things.

[@epyonsystem1869]

Yea and the fact they still have actual arcade communities, they're already crazy good so all the good players just play against each other all the time and just get better

[@Lilliathi]

Those arcades are little training camps. Beats sitting in your living room fighting anonymous people online.

[@strikemist]

Don’t forget the sense of community. Its very emphasized.

[@rajawaseem6243]

Guys this video made me cry, i am 30 years old father of one daughter and this video dragged me back to my childhood memories when i was a very good player of tekken. But gaming then was considered so much expensive that even arcade games were not affordable to us middle class boys. So my dreams were shattered. Now i see young boys gaming and earning fame and money it really happy that they don't have to throw their dreams. 💕

[@SalmanQureshi13]

I know that feeling. I've been through it all too. Respect man Respect

[@abdullahsaeed6945]

Bro so many of us can relate with you on this. I remember how fun it used to be going to gaming, there were long lines on tekken and we had to wait.

[@rajawaseem6243]

@@abdullahsaeed6945 yes indeed💓

[@kakinator2365]

Well, Arslan has singlehandedly given all Pakistani players an achievable route to support for such pursuits, so inshallah we see much more world class talent from Pakistan. Honestly government should put him or Khan at some government esports position, he's that good, and Pakistan is that talented. Just that it's rife with corruption and negativity towards gaming.

[@Kazyua10]

Thats where you become wrong. What if you are 50 even? You can re-start your career at 30.

[@hassaanahmed5784]

I'm a Pakistani gamer, and this mini documentary makes me so happy,. finally people realize our struggle .

[@MrLachapell]

I hope the scene in my country grows just like yours did , cheers

[@juser-abuser]

I'm black and homosexual transgender Muslim Pakistani

[@MrLachapell]

@@juser-abuser touch grass bozo

[@juser-abuser]

@@MrLachapell We Pakistani smoke grass

[@hmza_music]

​@@MrLachapell he's lying i think he's high on some cheap bulgarian stuff

[@l03]

"This community - if it stays together, stays in one place, and has each other's backs, then nobody can defeat them." Truer words were never spoken; bless those guys!

[@ragibperwez]

This is such a beautiful mini documentary about Pakistans gaming scene, i am an indian who has somehow lived in both cultures and i can only respect my fellow neighbours for their hustles, this video just shows us how chasing your passion can get you to your dreams

[@Steambull1]

I'll be honest - before seeing this, I kinda assumed that the Tekken players of Pakistan were exclusively from very rich families, with all the time in their hands due to not having to work, etc. I feel arrogant for having thought so, now. This is an actual Tekken community, unlike the collection of Twitter names that keep arguing about the game online. Great video, thank you!

[@Ramsey276one]

I’m really waiting to see a rich fellow that gets spoiled financially but not SPIRITUALLY 1% is quite long odds, BUT IS NOT ZERO

[@CountingStars333]

@@Ramsey276one SPIRITUALLY 🤯🤯

[@FromFame]

What’s wrong if a kid was rich but had the same level of skill?

[@pleasentnokia]

These gems are found at streets not on Couches

[@payasoinfeliz]

​@@FromFame a rich kid cannot really have the same level of skill, only the same result. access and time is part of what defines skill. skill is the ability to do something well, specifically, innate ability, natural ability. if two people answer the same hard math problem, but one of them uses a calculator, he does not possess the same skill.

[@ancientdevil6781]

As a Pakistani, Our childhood were only arcades and pirated copies of games We didn't even know what steam is This video was very nostalgic for me and the last scene of the Billboard of zong😂 The standard line of "Let's Get Digital" was too awesome It always seems cringe but now it is pride for me😇

[@RajSingh-yd8ue]

I think india doesn't have many arcades. I have never seen these in Mumbai Delhi. 1996 born

[@v3lc]

Thanks for sharing man, that's awesome.

[@ancientdevil6781]

@@v3lc yw

[@ancientdevil6781]

Btw in our neighbourhood the arcade was just a kite shop, yes and there were only three arcade machines

[@ntwadumela7]

5 tokens for 20rs and if you win you can keep on playing and can get money back aswell🥺 Those were the days!!

[@tjneumann7828]

When the world needed him most, he returned.

[@certifiedtrash3152]

Beat me to the punch... or ig comment

[@slimeprivilege]

npc comment

[@PresidentGuile]

I don’t understand why this is when we needed him most.

[@gpmegaman]

When a dumbass wanted to comment a generic meme line, he returned. Seriously bro grow a personality.

[@cotta624]

@@PresidentGuile you clearly haven't watched Avatar

[@alessandrosilva4231]

Greetings from Brazil. Congratulations to all the players who, despite the difficulties, maintain their passion for games. Success to all!

[@MrMastercatfish]

How heartwarming is it to see a gaming community thriving like this?

[@vonxoliver]

Fighting games community are the best community in video game ever

[@BoloWajahat]

Great to see my country getting recognition in tekken world. Arslan def deserves the respect for most part 👏 🇵🇰

[@aliimam09]

Jgr idhr kidar?

[@blessedanomaly14]

Yessssss I'm so happy too

[@googleagent]

Recognition to mil raha h , khana khn se laaoge 😂😂

[@BaDbOy-wj1ii]

@@googleagentbhai ne koshish ki hai, to plz has le thorha

[@googleagent]

@@BaDbOy-wj1ii Raat ka khana jugad hua ? nhi hua to aaja suar ka maas khilata hun , Roasted pork

[@partycrasher854]

As a British born Pakistani (my family hails from Lahore), who loves tekken, I cannot thank you enough for this video! It was so interesting to see the passion of the tekken community over there and what I love even more is you showing Pakistani culture it such a positive light. Honestly it means a lot. Thank you core a gaming. I appreciate it 💚

[@meteorx6076]

Same my dads from multan

[@ali.a9083]

lucky sob

[@InordinatioKaos]

I'm from Spain but i got massive respect for this Pakistani gamers, this is amazing!

[@LMN8RX]

Im not from pakistan, but as someone who also lived in a developing country with similiar infrastructure problems i want to thank you for making this video. Its inspiring yet also nostalgic, and im glad the rest of the world can witness this.

[@Avicerox]

♥️ love and more power to you from Pakistan

[@saturncrush]

Peace and Power

[@KiryuDude]

which country? im curious

[@solidfury7624]

@@KiryuDude Madagascar

[@KiryuDude]

@@solidfury7624 and people play videogames in madagascar?

[@DrgoFx]

My dad was in Pakistan for a few years when I was growing up, and I remember he came back with pirate burned dvds and video games for me every time he came back to visit until he left. Mind you, this was like 2002-2004. It gave me this impression as a kid that "Oh yeah, Pakistanis just pirate stuff because the economy is that bad." I never thought to check because in my adult life, I just forgot about it because it was just such an after thought. But after this video, knowing Pakistan still doesn't have an official distributor for gaming consoles, all the piracy makes sense now. Pakistanis don't pirate because they don't have the money, they pirate because in most cases, they don't have any other option. You either pay double the price for an import, hope your family and friends get you something on their pilgrimage, or you leave the country yourself. The pure dedication and passion this community has despite the hurdles and obstacles they are met with is truly inspiring.

[@mohsinali3342]

We sadly still mostly depend on pirate version

[@symbiosisai]

Funny thing is when i was growing up buying my music and gaming Cds i didn't know what pirating was, i would buy the original even if it was available but they never are, all the big stores cell pirated stuff

[@DrgoFx]

@@symbiosisai Yeah, this is precisely what I was referring to. My dad would buy the pirated stuff, especially cause it would be cheaper than paying retail over where we lived at the time. I still have Shrek 2, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Pirates of The Caribbean in these home made cases with the box part printed out on what seems like A4 paper and the DVD is definitely not the original one. It's just nice to have some context as to why, and it's pretty frustrating tbh. Not to mention the visa issues.

[@Blood0cean]

Mind u alot of the games are banned aswell, due to adult nature etc. And then we get brow beaten by 1st World trust fund kids for pirating stuff that we love.

[@namangupta86]

This is what you get when you encourage terrorism over real education. The whole country is basically a land mine of terrorism, piracy, stealing, extremism and religious killing. That's all there is.

[@Jazzomancer00]

They deserve to be the best. That level of passion is unseen. THis one of the of the best FGC videos I've ever seen

[@richrox13]

While I'm playing with high speed internet.. good graphics pc and comfortable place.. I'm still struggling to fight a genbu rank.. and gives up easily.. it's amazing how these players still at their best despite of their scenario

[@placeholdername3206]

They are so good because they are the only ones left that have a healthy OFFLINE scene. Everywhere else people are sitting at home trying to become a succesful twitch streamer and the arcades that was left even in places like Korea and Japan are closed down.

[@Mx.Dmg1999]

Im from SA, back then every small tuck-shop you go to will have an arcade machine, tekken 3, MK, SF if you tired of the games around just take a walk with your friends with a pocket full of 50c to a shop you've never been to and theres a new cabinet there to game on :)

[@dazrtheking6441]

Pakistan is the land of lost prodigies. We have lost count of how many people have given up on a professional career in a plethora of competitive games just because of these forced contingent issues like internet routing being bad, packet losses, high ping, electricity outages, outages causing permanent damage to the expensive gaming equipment. We are all extremely proud of Arslan for putting us on the map and solidifying our place otherwise we would never even have any spotlight. There's people who deserve chances to go and represent us and people who deserved these chances before they had to inevitably give up. I myself wanted to be a pro CSGO/Valorant player and gave up like many others because gaming is a luxury not everyone can afford here. INSHA ALLAH our people will showcase the raw talent of our country in the upcoming years.

[@realdukeofthemidwest]

yes because allah wants grown men to play video games lol

[@fahad_hassan_92]

Not just gaming, but in academics/studies/research, sports, businesses ideas and many other things, a lot of talent and passionate people are lost in the system, due to a myriad of reasons. The fact that still a few come to the top shows how eager people are.

[@littleloner1159]

I can feel your frustration and it's so understandable. Tho on the other side I'm sat here with decent tech, electricity and internet, jealous. The community I've seen in this video is truly beautiful and something we don't see all too often. Sure, that doesn't help with the issues you said. But it is a luxury most rich people will never get to know. All the best to you guys and let's hope the future brings better chances to everyone.

[@alwest4472]

Don’t remember who or the exact quote but it goes something like “I don’t care as much about the size of Einstein’s brain as I do about the most certainly many people of equal intelligence lost to poverty” or something like that

[@hamzakhalil-gs7oc]

😂 but I'm ngl Playing cs 1.6 with 150 to 220 ping most of the time really helped me in the long run, now I play modern games with 200 ping and feel no difference, my foreign Friends on steam get baffled and shocked.

[@PUNCHEDPUNCHEDPUNCHED]

It's crazy how much they're able to make that kind of a hotbed for Tekken players despite the economical circumstances literally going against it. Two months ago I was trying to make my own hitbox, and that was the time I realized how much my town had almost nothing; I ended crimping my own wires, drilling my own box, using yeonix microswitches and buttons for a videoke machine, I had to make with what was available even if it wasn't made for a fight deck. Props to that guy who made the cabinets, that man is definitely one of the biggest reason the scene there is alive

[@babyzorilla]

To See Arslan on a Billboard is so satisfying as a Tekken fan, and the gaming community in Pakistan has helped the country's image.

[@ISilverVII]

As someone who is from Saudi Arabia and a fighting game enthusiast. I am really fascinated by Pakistani FGC. They will never stop till their passion is full filled. This is easily one of the best KZbin videos I have ever seen

[@venomblade891]

The emergence of the Pakistani Tekken scene and their rise to the limelight has been my all time favorite "story arc" in FGC history. They are all so incredibly inspirational and to see just how limited in infrastructure they are and for them to excel despite that, it's really friggin cool to see. Can't wait to see more of them as opportunities become more plentiful.

[@TheSoulDragger]

Just woke up to this Gerald! Each and every piece is rightly aligned in the edit. Beautifully crafted as always. Know that it wouldn't have been possible without your utmost desire to explore the FGC cultures to the core. Extremely honored and proud to be a part of it 🙏🏻🫂🤜🏻🤛🏻❤️ Thanks to @SpaghettiRip for hooking us up with you and helping us all to make it more exciting and real. @Maniaxgaminghub for perfect representation with those honest words. Shout outs to my man @CapSilverFox for helping me and Gerald in everything especially mobilization 🫂🤜🏻🤛🏻 It almost made me cry towards the end. I am deeply touched with the emotions that @CoreAGaming have able to capture, our true spirits, our struggle and our passion can be seen and felt within this video. It's such an honor to be a part of this great FGC content. I am humbled 🙏🏻

[@shaghilathar3588]

Good work Bhai

[@CoreAGaming]

The video couldn't be made like this without you guys. Thanks for everything!

[@shaghilathar3588]

@@CoreAGaming Thanks for your video as well, Gerald. Might I ask if you got to try any traditional lahori food or see any landmarks?

[@TheSoulDragger]

It was a great experience, got to learn a lot from you. Thank you for doing this for us all. Much Love Gerald!

[@NOVAC-pl7mc]

So much respect for Core-A Gaming for providing us with such a sublime portrayal of Pakistan's historic, religious and cultural values and its ages old connection with tekken and gaming in general. Love you guys

[@BeachSamuraiStudios]

Yes values about blowing people up

[@muhammadali-pu2wg]

@BeachSamuraiStudios like heroshima and nagasaki

[@syedsaminzaidi8818]

True 💖

[@NT_01]

This is by far the best Documentary recorded by anyone of our FGC community and especially coming from abroad. I bid thank you to Core A Gaming for making this happen. 🙌

[@Gmanu29]

I wish Core A gaming visit other countries too, its very interesting to know the status of fighting games abroad. Maybe they could do Southeast asia next, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and make a 2 hour documentary. Its gonna be awesome!

[@hectorbb4225]

As a mexican who grew up in a small town where kids were obsessed with King of Fighters 98, I've got mad respect for the Pakistani gaming community right now. We all have to make the best of what we've got after all.

[@zainulabdin1720]

❤ respect my mexican bro ❤

[@user-tc5qc4ql8m]

i just want to say: i'm new to fighting games and therefore haven't seen this channel before, but this video is stunning. like, this is not just an amazing piece of games journalism, this is an amazing piece of journalism, period. i also don't think i've ever seen pakistan treated as a normal place where normal people live. i understood it was, but i've never seen it treated this way. the montage at the end was breathtaking. at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, i feel like i've truly seen this country for the first time.

[@Lolo.13]

In Pakistan there are mostly people who want to live normally, but tell yourself that it is the country where the extremist religious influence is the strongest, where women are the most discriminated against and where I think playing video games are not seen very favorably by a large majority of the population...Ask yourself why most countries are reluctant to grant visas to Pakistanis

[@kodingamedev]

​@@Lolo.13 That's a pretty hurtful thing to say. Mysogyny and religious discrimination aren't exclusive to Pakistan, look at most of the US, look at China, look at literally any Middle Eastern country. Yet they don't saddled with the same restrictions we do. Plus, like with any other country, if you stay near urbanized areas, you can find some pretty progressive views in Pakistan. Video Games (and other niche hobbies like DnD and anime) are starting to form strong communities and are gaining traction. Look there are problems in Pakistan (child labour, human trafficking, drug abuse, teenage prostitution and also it's not like mysogny and discrimination don't exist in pakistan) but at the end of the day, Pakistanis are also people and we're trying our best. And I'd like it if, when someone finally appreciates us, that they don't get shot down by misleading generalizations. (misleading not malicious nor wrong)

[@focusgaming5425]

What progressive why do you think that your way of living is only the best when there are clearly problems with it. Stop imposing your views on others and may be ask the people living that life if they are accepting it willingly or not. May be you learn something new like there are other ways societies can live by.

[@DukeofGrease]

Dude this video blew my mind! I always wondered how the Pakistan tekken scene seemingly came from nowhere. But I never could have imagined the heart and passion camaraderie that gave it birth. Genuinely brings a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing this Gerald!

[@ViperOfMino]

Well said.

[@owo8707]

“Legends are born where you least expect them to” I actually forgot where or when I read or heard that line😅 but congrats to the Pakistan gamers from Philippines 🇵🇭♥️🎉

[@jorgerincon6874]

Sounds like the "Anyone can cook" line from Ratatouille 😂

[@vikrantsingh6580]

As an Indian, I did not think that I will ever feel this warm toward Pakistanis just because of a shared passion. Big hugs, brothers!

[@MalikMuneeb51]

Thanks bro🙏

[@passionzhere]

@@vineetpande449 follow whatever u want to follow, stop living in illusionary world,No one cares what u follow, if u want to worship cow,snake or monkey 🐒 , it is your choice ,ur life , enjoy ur life and stop spreading hatered ,and stop being jealous ,

[@shaghilathar3588]

@@vineetpande449 Your ancestors stood for a caste system

[@damienyamamoto]

stop listening to bjp

[@christianzilla]

Men are at their best when they cohere over shared passion, ignoring past divisions. That is when you realise we are all the brotherhood of man.

[@VicariousxD]

Glad to see this documentary. Recently saw TWT 2022 live, it was about 4 a.m. here in India and my heart was racing in the semifinals. All I wished for was Butt to win. He was down badly and made an incredible comeback. Later, he won the finals! I was so happy and couldn't believe myself.

[@alexevaldez]

Not just Tekken or KOF. DBFZ as well has some secret pros. The Pakistani player Uchiha_FZ streams in twitch and showcases Pakistani players. He already qualified in the DBFZ finals and beat up the Japanese players Ikoan and Tako quite nicely. Even zDamascus mentioned he's the dark horse of the finals. I'm from Philippines we first saw Uchiha compete in the SEA region. He surprised everyone and his Pakistani opponents and friends in his twitch channel are also really good.

[@mr.notsonice]

The Philippines had the same problem(although not as severe) before the gaming boom in the 2010s. Official cabinets cost a fortune to operate so the loophole they found was modding used consoles. They'd stick a console and mod a pad to arcade buttons and put a timer on it. Back then 1php(about $0.02) would grant you 3 minutes of gameplay(5 mins if the owners were generous). That's how there were KoF and Tekken 3 cabinets almost everywhere in the cities.

[@UpDownAndUnder]

in mall arcades like Timezone, you can see those timer-locked console "cabs" that give around 5 minutes of play for a (quite frankly) tall price

[@RaveSault]

Yoo i think I saw one of those timed setups in Soho, London. It really is just a glorified console setup.

[@zakutenakazumiya1516]

I know of this boom. But as soon as Tekken 7 came to consoles and PC, these Piso-cabs became obsolete almost immediately, and gaming lounges boomed almost every 3 months. Though there are still Fighting game themed arcades, it's just they're really few and damn far in between.

[@SapphireFGC]

when i was a kid in Mexico a 10+ yrs ago, they had a similar set up.

[@GuntanksInSpace]

@@zakutenakazumiya1516 we don't even get new arcade FGs anymore lol. But the guys running gaming lounges are defo keeping shit alive, as well as whichever online communities are also doing the thing

[@indi.burger2]

As an Indian, it's awesome seeing high quality reporting about the gaming scene in South Asia. Keep up the great work!

[@A1Snoided]

Hello bhaiya aap konsa FG khelte ho ji

[@AidenR19]

@@A1Snoided What do you play buddy? I play Guilty Gear Strive

[@A1Snoided]

@@AidenR19 3s on fightcade

[@indi.burger2]

@@A1Snoided I rarely play traditional fighting games, I mostly play Melee

[@A1Snoided]

@@indi.burger2 oh ok

[@zahidjamali1049]

I literally got tears watching this mini documentary. Because in 2020 i have sold my ps4 due to need of money for my home and i have always tried to be better in tekken and im playing Tekken since playstation 2 era and played local tournaments but now im still struggling to buy ps5 or xbox series x for Tekken 8 its been 3 years that i didn't played tekken and im begging playstation and xbox to bring consoles here in Pakistan 🇵🇰 so every kid can afford these consoles

[@cheesekiller]

Pakistanis seem to have a natural talent for the game. There is a very famous League of Legends gamer (Goarosa) in Korea who has a Pakistani father. The gamer's sister also became the first female to reach the Challenger tier at the age of 19. This documentary was so touching that I almost cried while watching it. I really admire the Pakistani people for their passion for the game. The Tekken bgm at the end of the video was really the best. ❤❤ 파키스탄인들은 게임 실력을 타고난 것 같습니다. 한국에도 파키스탄 아버지를 둔 아주 유명한 리그오브레전드 게이머(Goarosa)가 있습니다. 그 게이머의 여동생도 19살에 여성 최초 챌린저 티어를 달성했어요. 이 다큐멘터리는 너무 감동적이여서 보면서 울 뻔했어요. 파키스탄인들의 게임에 대한 열정에 진심으로 존경을 표합니다. 영상 후반부에 철권 bgm은 정말 최고였습니다. ❤❤

[@RurallSoull]

As a Pakistani let me tell you that I am 31 years old and now I bought my first gaming pc which is still an average pc. In my whole my past life I had been playing games here and there. Still I have played many famous shooting games. Still with a pc, I can't afford to buy legal copies and we play limited and pirated versions.

[@newsupdates860]

Thank you so much

[@KhurramShahzad-gw7lz]

Well you mentioned Goarosa so i will also mention Sumail the youngest The International winner of Dota 2 belongs to Pakistan later moved to the USA.

[@sohailsagheer2893]

It started with street fighter game which 1 or 2 player play. If you lost the game you have to pay to other player. And if you play alone until you win you can only buy 1 coin. If you loose and want to play again you have to buy and play with other coin. It started in late 80s and 90s in Pakistan. Mostly parents didnt allow their children to play as it was waste of time and if parents didnt find their children in home it would be sure that they are in the shop of video games

[@Dawahsphere]

@@KhurramShahzad-gw7lz he moved to usa before winning ti

[@thechosenwonton]

Mad props to Gerald and the Core-A Gaming team for making this. Pakistan Tekken deserves all the success.

[@buddymatthews5374]

why you gotta make me cry so early in the day? Thank you for giving us this rare look into an entire culture and people just trying to do what they love. Incredible stuff.

[@Closetooreal]

For koreans pro tekken is passion. For pakistani pro tekken is their life

[@Soquilli]

This is probably the coolest gaming documentary I have seen in a long time. The combination of passion, community and sheer determination to ensure that gaming is possible in Pakistan is absolutely mind-blowing... No wonder their players share these qualities in spades! Huge kudos not only to the players, but everyone who is working tirelessly behind the scenes from the cabinet makers to the arcade owners to make this happen. And thank you to Core-A for bringing this beautifully polished and eye-opening documentary to us direct from Pakistan no less!

[@kidfazer]

If this doesn’t make you smile then you’re not a gamer. This is fascinating

[@jackwilliam2965]

I absolutely love the people of Pakistan, the patience and resourcefulness they have coming from a, western culture where everything is demanded instantly and thrown away. Pakistan shows thier humbleness and honesty.

[@RejathBenny]

I believe people in the western world were like that in the past as well. Just like how advancement and economic development changed their approach....so will the pakistanis !

[@allaboutjapan237]

I’m Not even a gamer, but this short documentary brought me so much joy. The ending sequence was also beautiful. Stay up pakistan [EDIT] I actually play pubg, but noob lol

[@thehunterwr4666]

thx ❤

[@datguy6745]

Wait that honor-coin system is SO awesome! Imagine you are new to the arcades, got there for the first time, stay for five hours, leave and while going past the Paper-guy, you tell him you lost zero. He asks everyone in the arcade, and they tell him you were being honest or something xD I love that idea

[@ntwadumela7]

Well thats very difficult because when i was young there were kids that will easily beat you. They were op with law , paul , nina , eddy , king etc.

[@zaimhassan6490]

@@ntwadumela7 gotta earn your keep bro ;)

[@ntwadumela7]

@@zaimhassan6490 definitely.

[@achabacha3328]

I use to spend 4,5 hours in an arcade with just 2 coins 😂

[@Tuffadandem]

I was in legit tears watching this video. Seeing these guys overcoming hurdles to excel at their passion for gaming is truly remarkable. Despite the electricity issues and the cost of gaming equipment, these guys are doing amazing things. This video was a real eye opener and it was very humbling as well. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share this masterpiece. Much love and respect to the Pakistani FGC, y'all are truly amazing!

[@pswanberg1]

You're crying because people are playing video games, and that is somehow so important to life, that it causes someone hundreds of miles away to cry. No one needs to play video games. I want to drive a F1 car, but its not going to happen, so I cry?

[@P4PKing]

​@@pswanberg1 It's not about games you nimrod. It's about people being able to overcome such a big hurdle due to their limitations and making names for themselves.

[@yikes6969]

you actually cried?

[@jakesanders269]

Yeah I'm stoked these guys are getting to play a video game that would otherwise be denied to them because of their country's poverty and government. But seriously I wasn't crying. Maybe you need to get out more and socialize. Get involved in your local homeless organization's. That will make you really cry to hear their stories.

[@AISciFiStories]

So much respect for Pakistan. My favorite tekken community. I’m just blown away and so impressed with them all. It’s my dream to train with them someday

[@B0Sajwah]

Im an emirati living in Sharjah, UAE and my Pakistani friends introduced me to the Pakistani Tekken scene. So proud of them and I cheer for them in every competition 🇦🇪♥️🇵🇰

[@shawnmccullen1578]

As someone who bought, repaired, and modified arcade machines in high school, this makes me incredibly happy to see these guys making their own shit from what they have available. Much love and respect.

[@kaoko111]

Top tier content as always. Side note: That end takes are just a beauty

[@kaoko111]

OMG! He gave me a 💓 senpai noticed me!

[@koketsok1513]

This is with no hyperbole the best documentary I have seen this year,love how much one can accomplish when one is not spending 20-40% of the run time on drone shots,multiple camera angles and motion graphics that outstay their welcome.Great job always a pleasure waiting or a new vid,short sweet and great

[@duffman18]

Please come back to KZbin and make more videos, if you can. You were one of the very very best most elite channels in terms of video making talent. And you single handedly got me into fighting games.

[@jongibson4766]

This is so wholesome and brings a lot of joy to my heart. I wish them and similar communities across the globe all the best.

[@SalmanMalik-eo8uo]

Thank you so much for your love brother. 💖

[@WoofDaLock]

As an American this was an insane amount of education packed into 12 minutes lol. It's whole different reality I can't even conceive. Glad they find ways to make to tournaments and such though, more players from different places makes things way more interesting.

[@badrobotNG]

This is how you put your country not just your city on the map....Congrats Arslan Ash and other Pakistani Tekken players.

[@Grooviebones]

I really would call it a miracle. It was its own microcosm, coming from somewhere no one ever would have thought it could have come from. Despite all odds Pakistani Tekken came from mud. Its cabinets from mud, its players from mud, and it became gold. Thats a miracle to me.

[@prometheuszero9]

Bro I love your other videos, but I have to say that this is one of the most interesting videos of yours I've ever seen. This was an enlightening deep dive into a subsection of gaming culture I had NO idea existed, and I'm glad you made it. It was actually really heartwarming and inspirational seeing how dedicated this community is to gaming.

[@konain-kon]

Thank u so much for this. As someone who has born and raised in Lahore, it is really heartwarming to see other people talk about your home and it's culture in such a way, I hope u enjoyed your trip here and all the dark souls references we have.

[@thisistherun4015]

The claw grip and story behind it is unreal. They really play with whatever they have!

[@ichigen511]

Dude. The amount of effort you put into this video including and outside of editiing is S-Tier. Well done my fine sir! I've been a casual fan of Tekken since the early days of Playstation but this realization of how a game (this one in particular) can effect a country outside of the usual lines is quite phenomenal and moving. Amazing to watch and connect to. My brothers (and sisters) in Pakistan!

[@nameerahmed9801]

This really made me cry.. Thank you so much for bringing us up. This is truly a miracle graced by God Almighty. Bless you brother :D

[@blindguitarfox]

Same, the level of dedication is so moving, couldn't help but to cry at the end.

[@danielnappi3772]

that's fantastic! it reminds me of Cuba, people there invent the craziest things to replace commodities that they cannot have normally like the rest of the world, it's kind of fascinating to see how struggling helps people to get creative

[@82ABN]

Would be great if the USA lifted the sanctions on them…… that’s the only reason they don’t have access to the rest of the world

[@josesosa3337]

Its beautiful.

[@Overposting]

cuba has the best mechanics in the world as they need to keep their really old cars at good condition (because the us embargo basically blocked them from importing cars). look at present cuban pictures, they have 1950s cars that look basically new

[@rpemulis]

it would be so incredibly cool if the embargo lifted and suddenly a ton of new cuban players flooded top 8 at evo or something.

[@richardgeorge372]

Thank you so much for this content, Core-A. Nobody else would make this and put give these local heroes the spotlight they deserve so they can inspire all of us. I feel proud to be an FGC gamer.

[@ameesouk]

Great video, this was such an eye opener. I've got Pakistani friends into Tekken, but I had no idea there is such a strong scene in Pakistan itself. So much respect for everyone involved, and shows the power of a passionate community.

[@曇天-q9u]

Thank you for your impressive report. I'm helped by the Japanese subtitles. It is interesting to note Pakistan's gaming culture was fostered by the Hajj.

[@usmanjaved3811]

He's just giving you an example that buying a console is like going o Hajj, in regards to expense!😊

[@Nekoeye]

It's not fostered by the Hajj. Very few peoples actually care to buy a console in Saudi Arabia and then give it to their child. Most parents hate gaming and want their kids to stay far away from this, and currency conversion from Pakistani rupees to Saudi Riyals is very high. That was just an example. Gaming cultures flourished because of those technicians in Lahore, who are building those custom consoles. installing pirate copies and selling them to arcade shops all over Pakistan.

[@skinnyskinny2676]

I was almost moved to tears. Well done Pakistanis ❤️

[@albinonamekian7905]

Insane how passion pushed the boundaries of what is possible! Showing this to my family !

[@SketchCarellz]

The story of Pakistan Tekken is one of the greatest stories of a video game community. Much love.

[@Demonfireangel]

Omg this needs to be an hour-long episode! 12 minutes is not enough to do the Pakistani FGC justice!

[@RFLCPTR]

You reach more people with 12 tightly edited minutes.

[@hemangchauhan2864]

As an Indian, I'm so happy Tekken Pakistani scene (and South Asian esports) getting more coverage. Your research and storytelling was excellent.

[@SpeedKing..]

Pabg

[@lakesong7566]

the market limiting them to playing solely on arcades limited their exposure but blasted their passion and skills through the atmosphere, even when you're just waiting for a seat to open up, watching other players, conversing with others and sharing ideas/techniques is actually time spent learning

[@yesfinallygot1]

These guys are the fighting game equivalent of the Dagestanis in MMA. The passion, humility, and brotherhood are on full display. Love it!

[@storyabout8245]

humility is natural when u r from the poorest nation of the world and u have almost nothing and zero respect from rich countries then u should definitely be humble, btw i m pakistani myself

[@hudg8007]

We are not about compare these gamers to those warriors in Dagestan bruh 💀💀💀💀

[@ahmedhaaqil3903]

@@hudg8007 🤭

[@187A1]

@@hudg8007 yeah these gamers are nothing compared to mma warriors in dagestan 🤣🤣🤣 But we do have our fighting class people. Pakistan is a huge country with 250 million population so you will find all sorts of characters

[@zechonMod]

Huge respect to Pakistan for building legends under these circumstances. Really shows how hard Arslan Ash, Awais, and every Pakistani player worked to be recognized as one of the best players in Tekken. Hoping for more appearances when Tekken 8 releases.

[@quincylarsonmusic]

I feel so inspired by the dedication and camaraderie among the Lahore fighting game community. The fact that they rely on the honor system for paying for time on the console tells you everything you need to know about the fabric of the community. Thank you for flying out there and documenting all this.

[@user-jd2ob9gd3z]

Thanks for the love and support I really appreciate 🙏 Message me right away have got something for you 🎁⬆️

[@muhammadahsan3380]

big fan man.

[@MatBat__]

Lot's of love to my pakistani brothers, loved your tekken scene! Cheers form brasil

[@SolarFlorad]

This video is magic. I couldnt stop myself from smiling the entire time. The love, passion, and energy of all these amazing people is just infectious.

[@MaskedGuyCh]

As a Saudi Arabian I'm so proud of my Pakistani brothers. I was overjoyed when Arslan Ash won Evo 2019, I was rooting for him all the way! Hope to see the FGC get bigger and bigger in our Muslim countries (btw it's pronounced "Moslim") Thank you Core-A Gaming for this amazing video!

[@UmairRahim914]

💗

[@amirgamil]

My goodness man! What a level of quality and dedication to your passion demonstrated in your video! Can't believe you actually went there! Fair play! 👏👏 Thanks Gerald for another outstanding video. As a Muslim, I'm very proud of the accomplishments of my Pakistani brothers and wish them every success in the future!

[@RandySpycyWeinr]

Very well said! Beautiful video, in every way.

[@筋肉こそ全て]

これはすごい、環境うんぬん言わずプレイヤー全員の情熱の結晶

[@shinxshinra]

はいその通りです!

[@TheDevilsPrank]

It says a lot about the quality of this channel that Gerald can go to Pakistan and shine a light on the Pakistani FGC, visiting places and meeting people that I as a Pakistani fighting game fan didn't know existed. Great work Core-A Gaming!

[@kosmicgr]

From the video (11:02): "But as much as I love Tekken and competitive fighting games, I thought calling it a miracle was a bit much. But then I went to Lahore's city square and saw this." When I realized what I saw, I felt the exact same thing I always feel with these incredible videos. I can only sum it up as "Greece will never get close to something like an FGC." They literally have everything stacked against them and yet were able to make history. I hope there is a Greek FGC that I have somehow missed, but from what I can tell, we're light years away from what I saw in this video right now.

[@Stale_Buns]

You'll get there bro, you make what you don't have!

[@hssnmlk]

I moved to Pakistan from the US when I was in middle school for a few years. I had consoles at home but playing in those arcades was just different, mind you this was Tekken 3 and 4 era. But going to the arcades after school with your friends, priceless memories.

[@Lord_Cragg]

I dont know if you will see this since its an older video. But you need to do this in other countries. Videos like this are powerful to show we are all incredibly similar regardless of location religion etc. the ingenuity and passion is amazing to see. You need to travel the world and focus on fgc communities from different countries and how they over come the obstacles we take for granted. Hell even go to the rich ones and report on how their fgc is defined and molded through their culture. The editing style is so laid back and just shows friends doing something bigger than themselves in an effort to better their real life community.