Arslan Ash just won CEO 2021. For those of you who aren't crazy, let me explain what that means.
The popularity of Esports is undeniable. Even ESPN now airs competitions, much to the chagrin of its core viewers, and there is no Esports community as exciting as the fighting game community (FGC).
The competitive nature of fighting games lends the charisma of professional wrestlers to top players. Fighting games are one-on-one, unlike most other Esports, so the pride and ego of individual players is at the forefront. From trash talk to coordinated walkouts, player antics are as much of an attraction as the games themselves.
Fighting games are also notoriously difficult, and the Tekken series is one of the most genre's most demanding. This is why Arslan Ash's victory at CEO—one of the biggest fighting game tournaments—is so impressive. However, Tekken is child's play compared to the harrowing story of Arslan's meteoric rise to stardom.
In the video linked above, the YouTube channel theScore esports goes into the captivating tale of how an unassuming Pakistani man overcame real-life adversity to become a champion.
