GO1 Triumphs at Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Tournament at EWC 2025
- Sagar Mankar
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
Japanese professional player Joichi "GO1" Kishida of DetonatioN FocusMe claimed victory in the Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves tournament at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh.
The competition, held from July 10 to July 12, featured 16 top-tier fighting game players from around the world, and offered a total prize pool of $1,000,000.
GO1 walked away with $300,000 after defeating Chinese contender XIAOHAI from Kuaishou Gaming in an intense final showdown.
The final match was nothing short of electrifying, with GO1 managing a 5-3 win over XIAOHAI. Both players had been dominant throughout the tournament, emerging from their respective groups via the upper bracket and breezing through their playoff matches with consistent performances. However, it was GO1’s composure and calculated gameplay in the final moments that secured him the championship title.
Tournament Structure & Player Progress
The Fatal Fury tournament at EWC followed a two-phase format:
Group Stage:
4 groups of 4 players, using a double-elimination format (GSL-style).
All matches were first-to-three (Ft3).
Top two players from each group advanced to the finals.
Finals Bracket:
Single-elimination, all matches first-to-five (Ft5).
Here’s how both finalists made their way to the top:
GO1’s Road to Victory:
Group C Upper Bracket:
Defeated Nemo (3-2)
Defeated Kindevu (3-0)
Finals Bracket:
Quarterfinals: Beat ET (5-1)
Semifinals: Beat mok (5-1)
Grand Final: Defeated Xiaohai (5-3)
XIAOHAI’s Journey to Second Place:
Group A Upper Bracket:
Defeated xyzzy (3-1)
Defeated NYChrisG (3-1)
Finals Bracket:
Quarterfinals: Beat RB (5-2)
Semifinals: Beat DarkAngel (5-3)
Grand Final: Lost to GO1 (3-5)
Final Prize Pool Distribution:
1st - $300,000: GO1 (Japan)
2nd - $155,000: Xiaohai (China)
3rd - $100,000: DarkAngel (Mexico)
4th - $65,000: mok (South Korea)
5th–8th - $45,000 each: RB (China), Fenritti (Japan), ET (China), xyzzy (South Korea)
Crowd and Viewership Numbers
According to Esports Charts, the Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves event saw a peak of 58,032 viewers during the grand final, with a total of 348,515 hours watched across its 13.1-hour runtime. The average viewership stood at an impressive 26,470, reflecting the high interest in both the game and the players.
GO1's Reaction: “It’s Like a Dream”
Speaking at the post-tournament press conference, GO1 was visibly emotional about his win.
“It’s like a dream. Thank you very much, it feels really great. I’ve been through a lot during my career and I’m grateful to DFM for giving me this opportunity and to everyone who made this moment possible. This tournament changes the lives of players with its unprecedented prize money. It’s the biggest achievement of my professional career for sure.”
A Fitting Stage for Fatal Fury's Comeback
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves marked a significant return for SNK’s classic fighting franchise, which had been dormant for over 26 years. Its reintroduction at the Esports World Cup placed it alongside globally renowned titles spanning FPS, MOBA, Battle Royale, strategy, and even chess. This was the first time Fatal Fury joined the EWC lineup, and it made a powerful impression.
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