How many Tekken 7 characters are there?

As of 2023, the legendary 3D fighting franchise Tekken 7 features the largest playable roster out of any current fighting game, with a grand total of 51 unique fighters to master. But how did the game reach such an impressive quantity of content over the years? Let‘s analyze the growth of the Tekken 7 lineup since launch.

The Base Game: 36 Iconic Fighters

Tekken 7 first landed in arcades in 2015 before releasing on consoles in 2017 with 36 playable characters. This base roster covered all the most iconic faces that fighting game fans expect from the king of 3D brawlers, including:

• Series mainstays Jin Kazama, Kazuya Mishima, Yoshimitsu, Nina Williams, and Paul Phoenix
• Fan favorites like Xiaoyu, Hwoarang, Steve Fox, and Ling Xiaoyu
• Newcomers such as Shaheen, Claudio, Katarina, Lucky Chloe, and more

With a stacked starting lineup covering old and new faces alike, Tekken 7 already outpaced rival franchises‘ base game offerings at launch:

Yet Bandai Namco was clearly not content resting on these laurels, supporting Tekken 7 with four seasons of post-launch content that built the roster count far higher over the following years.

DLC Expansions: 15 More Fighters Join the Ranks

Across 2017-2021, Bandai Namco expanded the Tekken 7 lineup to unprecedented new heights in the fighting game genre via four Season Passes adding 15 extra characters. Ranging from franchise returnees to shocking guest stars, each new face brought more variety to master:

Season 1:

• Geese Howard (Fatal Fury) – Iconic SNK boss crosses over to Tekken for the first time
• Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV) – A royal surprise addition from the famous RPG franchise
• Anna Williams – Nina‘s sister returns after being cut from the base game
• Lei Wulong – Jackie Chan-inspired Hong Kong cop back in action

Season 2:

• Craig Marduk – Fan favorite pugilistic Aussie makes his comeback
• Armor King – Masked luchador wrecks havoc once again
• Julia Chang – Returns wielding improved tricky stances and mix-ups
• Negan (The Walking Dead) – AMC‘s infamous bat-wielding villain shockingly steps in the ring

Season 3:

• Zafina – Astrologist with double-jointed limbs mysteriously reappears after years absent
• Leroy Smith – Overpowered Wing Chun master entered the fray
• Ganryu – Sumo wrestler bulldozes his way back into the rankings

Season 4:

• Kunimitsu – The ninja kunoichi from early Tekken‘s teleports back into action
• Lidia Sobieska – New hard-hitting Karate expert hailing from Poland

Adding so many fan favorites back into the mix while introducing wild new fighting styles kept veterans on their toes and expanded appeal to more casual audiences. Tekken 7 has built up the most abundant roster a fighting game has ever seen over its post-launch support run.

The Largest Lineup in Fighting Game History

With 51 diverse world warriors to pick from as of 2023, Tekken 7 stands indelibly as the 3D fighter with the biggest roster ever:

The only title that comes close is Super Smash Bros Ultimate with 89. But counting Echo Fighters, that Nintendo mascot brawler plays by very different rules.

As far as traditional 1v1 fighting games go, Tekken 7 stands firmly above the rest for quantity of content. Analyzing sales statistics shows just how well supported the game still is in 2024:

(Source: Bandai Namco Financial Reports)

Considering the continued strong sales and active player base enjoying all these characters, Tekken 8 has massive shoes to fill whenever it releases.

Mastering Every Fighter Is an Epic Challenge

With so many fighters to pick from, players face an incredible challenge trying to learn every single one across all skill levels:

• Easy to pick up: Katarina, Lucky Chloe, Paul
• Intermediate difficulty: Asuka, Shaheen, Miguel
• Difficult to master: Lei, Yoshimitsu, Hwoarang
• Expert tier: Jin, Devil Jin, Steve, Kazuya

No matter what your experience level, Tekken 7 has someone for you. But it takes some true dedication to reach top ranks while rotating through all 51 brawlers.

Personally, I believe more games should follow Bandai Namco‘s example by strongly supporting titles post-launch. Keeping the community invested for years with fresh challenges breathes ongoing life into franchises.

Tekken 7‘s enormous lineup leaves all competitors in the dust while giving fans endless goals to aspire towards. Here‘s hoping Tekken 8 carries on this outstanding legacy when it launches.