S8UL has announced a landmark initiative for India’s fighting game community (FGC) with the launch of a first-of-its-kind Talent Hunt Program for Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6. Running from January to June 2026, the six-month program aims to identify and develop India’s next breakthrough fighting-game athletes through a structured, high-performance ecosystem and position the country prominently on the global FGC map.
Unlike traditional talent hunts, S8UL’s initiative is designed as a development pipeline, focusing on long-term athlete growth rather than one-off competition. From a wide pool of participants across the nation, a total of six players, including two for Tekken 8 and four for Street Fighter 6, will be scouted and selected solely based on their performance in the nationwide qualifiers and finals.
Selected players will receive one of the most comprehensive support structures ever provided in India’s competitive FGC space, including:
A dedicated professional coach for each game throughout the six-month program
Fully-funded participation in a minimum of three international Tier-1 tournaments
Comprehensive travel support covering flights, accommodation, meals, local transport, and tournament registration
A monthly stipend to ensure athletes can focus entirely on training and performance
Integration into S8UL’s industry-leading content ecosystem, offering visibility, narrative-building, and community reach to both the players and the fighting game titles
Speaking about the program, Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL Esports, said, “India’s fighting game community has shown tremendous potential but players have rarely had access to a structured environment that supports long-term growth. Through this Talent Hunt Program, we want to change that by giving selected athletes professional coaching, international tournament experience, and the day-to-day support they need to improve. This is not just a short-term project for us—it’s the beginning of a sustained effort to help build a strong foundation for fighting games in India and give our players a fair chance to compete on the world stage”
S8UL today stands as the only Indian esports organization competing across nine leading titles, and it has begun establishing a strong foothold in fighting games as well. After becoming the first Indian team selected for the Esports World Cup’s Club Partner Program, S8UL competed in qualifiers for titles such as Fatal Fury and Tekken 8, underscoring its long-term commitment to the FGC ecosystem.
S8UL’s state-of-the-art gaming house is one of India’s most advanced training and content facilities built to global esports standards. The setup includes structured training schedules, dedicated practice zones, content studios, analytics support, and a high-performance environment that drives discipline and growth. For the FGC Talent Hunt athletes, this access will be transformative. They will train like professional competitors while also learning to build their personal brands through content, storytelling, and community engagement, preparing them to become both top-tier players and future esports personalities.
With fighting games gaining momentum worldwide through major events such as EVO, the Esports World Cup, and the Asian Games, S8UL’s initiative arrives at a crucial moment for the Indian esports ecosystem. The Talent Hunt Program is poised to play an important role in positioning India as a rising force in the global FGC landscape.