Australian fighting game event runners and community. Hosts of BAM: Battle Arena Melbourne, Australia's largest fighting game/open entry esports event.
Fighting Games make for an incredible live event spectacle, and anyone can join! Once again we’re teaming up with THE GAME EXPO to host tournaments for your favourite fighting games!
Whether playing to learn, for fun or for glory and prizes, all are welcome to enjoy the FGC (Fighting game community) at TGX.
The Game Expo will be at Melbourne Convention Centre on March 23-24, 2024
CouchWarriors League circuit points (Major event double points) – top players get prizes and entry support into national major BAM mid year – www.couchwarriorsleague.com.au
CouchWarriors returned for more RanBat action in June, with players coming back refreshed after last months huge turnout at BAM10. Now halfway through the year, it’s time to look at the current points for each of our games.
View the full brackets on Smash GG for FGC + Melee here and Smash4 + ROA here.
See below for the current year rankings to date. Read on after the break for this month’s winners.
Expressive: SANick does not hide his emotions when he plays melee. Photograph ZG/CouchWarriors
IN the shadows of BAM7, with curtains closed on the international saga, Australia’s melee super major ushered in a new storyline this year as the local crowd took centre stage.
There were no ‘gods’ in play, no MIOM top 20 stars, just Australia and New Zealand’s best battling it out for the coveted boxing glove trophy.
In eventual champion Nick ‘SANick’ Siemelink’s mind the script had already been written, all he had to do was follow it.
Forced to ad-lib through the loser’s bracket, following a shock loss to ACT Ice Climber main Wibbles, SANick ultimately arrived at the final act he’d anticipated – a clash of light versus dark – good against evil.
There was nothing coincidental about the South Australian champion’s choice of white when he sat down to Marth ditto Te-Tuhi ‘SIN | Spud’ Kelly in grand finals of BAM8.
As far as he was concerned it was a pre-ordained finale to a story arc harking back two years to when his melee journey began.
“I like my little story arcs in my life. It just felt like it was meant to be I should play the white Marth,” SANick said.
“I spent a lot of time on green and blue Marth and I actually quite like black Marth but I thought at the end of the day there’s going to be a good versus evil battle (against Spud’s black Marth) for the heart of Australia.”
There was never any doubt in his mind as to who the hero of this story was.
FEBRUARY 10, 2016– Today Capcom, ahead of launching Street Fighter V, announced its Capcom Pro Tour event circuit. CouchWarriors’ eighth annual Battle Arena Melbourne, Australia’s largest competitive fighting game event, and the fourteenth OzHadou Nationals (Sydney), Australia’s longest running competitive fighting game event, will both be Ranking Events on the international esports series, the Capcom Pro Tour, putting Australia’s best fighting game players in the global spotlight.
By earning Ranking Points at BAM8, OHN14 and other Capcom Pro Tour Ranking Events, competitors can qualify for a place in the prestigious Capcom Cup Finals at the end of the year. In addition, winners of Street Fighter V at each event will be sent to the Capcom Pro Tour Asia Finals in South Korea; the winner of this CPT Premier event will earn a direct qualification to the Capcom Cup Finals.
The Capcom Cup, in its fourth year, has showcased the best of the best in Street Fighter, with past champions including renowned players Naoto Sako, Yusuke Momochi and “Kazunoko” Ryota Inoue. All three have made appearances in Australia before, so only time will tell what sort of international talent the promise of CPT ranking points might bring to Melbourne and Sydney this year, and which local champions will rise up to challenge the best in the world.
If you’re looking for your own piece of the action, you can register for Battle Arena Melbourne 8, to be held at CQ Functions in Melbourne on May 13-15, and look forward to news regarding OzHadou Nationals 14 in Sydney, closer to its date of August 26-28.
As part of the wider Australian fighting game community, both CouchWarriors and OzHadou strive to make new players welcome, and host a range of events for players to enjoy and level up their game.
About CouchWarriors: CouchWarriors Inc. is a not for profit association created to energise the fighting game community. Starting in 2006 as an informal community group, it created an event series for social play and ranking battles which serves as the heart of the Melbourne scene. The project has blossomed into large events like the major annual, Battle Arena Melbourne (BAM), providing tournament services, support and resources for industry including major events such as PAX Australia, and ongoing support to community companion events.
About OzHadou: OzHadou is a group passionate about bringing together fighting gamers throughout Australia. Since its founding in 2001, OzHadou has been establishing connections between fighting gamers nationwide. As the chief fighting game body in Sydney, the OzHadou team has developed extensive tournament experience which culminates annually in the OzHadou Nationals (OHN), Australia’s first and longest running fighting game major, where the nation’s best gather to compete for the coveted title of “OHN champion”.
Tournaments, casual games, tips and training – CouchWarriors Ranking Battles are a day long fighters festival! Newcomers are welcome as well as tournament veterans.
NOTE – THIS MONTH THIS THE RANBAT WILL BE SPLIT OVER TWO DAYS. In response to the frankly incredible growth of our monthly events in which we are reaching between 150-200 attendees, we’re taking this step to maximise space and comfort.
We’re bowled over that the community is coming together so strongly and proud to be able to support everyone in having great events.
Day 1 – SMASH 4 tournaments and casuals (other games welcome but not official tournaments)
Day 2 – All other games: SMASH Melee, PM, All Fighters Tournaments – USF4, GGXRD, DOA5LR, MKX
View the changed schedule below
Each “Ranbat” monthly is a chance to play long sets of casual games for practice, but also earn Ranking Points for the tournament games listed below. Look for regular updates on the ranking points here on the site. You can view the current rankings here.
Come play or BYO your setup. Enjoy some casuals or get in your tournament practice going with our structured events.
Event Info
When: SATURDAY September 26 and SUNDAY September 27 11am-10pm
Where: Brunswick Masonic Hall 6 Davies St, Brunswick North
Cost: $10 Entry + Tournaments (Expected pot fee is $5 per tournament)
Schedule Day 1 SATURDAY 26 SMASH 4 There will be no pre-registering for Smash 4 day
10am – Doors open 10:30am – Doubles signups close 11am – Doubles bracket begins 1pm – Singles Signups close 2pm – Wave 1 Singles Pools (Pools A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) 4pm – Wave 2 Singles Pools (Pools I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P) 6pm – Top 32 Singles Bracket If we do not have enough setups th Schedule (Subject to change)
Schedule Day 2 SUNDAY 27 ALL FIGHTERS + MELEE + PM 10am – Doors, Casual play 11am – Melee Doubles 12pm – SIGN UPS FOR MELEE SINGLES CLOSE (Sharp) 1pm – Melee Singles Groups 1 – 8 (2 Hour Block) 2pm – Dead or Alive 5 Last Round 3pm – Guilty Gear Xrd 3pm – Melee Singles Groups 9 – 16 (2 Hour Block) 3pm – MORTAL KOMBAT X 3:30pm – 6pm – Ultra Street Fighter IV 4:30pm – PM SINGLES (Double elim) 7:00pm – Top 32 Melee Bracket
BRING YOUR OWN CONTROLLER There is a BYOC / Sticks policy for the event. Our friendly players will often loan a controller, but we ask you to please bring your run! Also, while we should have enough equipment to run the tournaments, everyone will appreciate anybody who can bring setups for casuals and DIYs.
HOW TO GET THERE
The venue is a short walk from Moreland Train Station, Sydney Road Tram, and there is ample parking at the venue . It’s just off Sydney Rd, before Moreland Rd.
Upcoming Event Dates
October
Ranking Battle 17th and 18th
PAX Australia – Fighting games in the Console Tournament Area: October 30, 31, Nov 1
We are very proud to announce our FIVEUpdate – NINEInternational guests for Super Smash Bros at Battle Arena Melbourne.
Armada, Mango, Leffen, Lucky, Wife, Hugs, S2J, ChillinDude, Alex19 – they will all be at BAM7 on May 22-24 this year. Enjoy the announcement trailer, lovingly crafted by the Smash Community and our friends at New Game Plus.
Today we are announcing the first list of confirmed games for BAM7. Battle Arena Melbourne will return on May 22, 23 and 24 at CQ Functions, 123 Queen St Melbourne. This is promising to be the biggest BAM yet, as we are expanding the floorspace to take over the entire venue with all three function room spaces.
We have many huge announcements to make in the weeks to come, so stay tuned. Here’s the initial list. These games are either current with new releases or content, or showing up in regular community play:
It’s the biggest gaming event of the year – and CouchWarriors is proud to be providing the Fighting Game Tournaments services for PAX Australia this coming weekend!
In the Console Tournament area we will have a full suite of consoles set with a library of fighters to play. Join us for one of the many tournaments each day, or come by and practice. We’ll even be providing time for Learn To Play, so if you want to dip your toes into the playing fighters at their best – side by side with other people – now’s your chance.
Tournaments! We have a small set rotating roster of excellent tournament games to play, plus a range of additional games to play in casuals. With some games being played in tournaments more than once over the weekend, we’re looking forward to a Best of the Best playoff each day and Sunday.
You can also challenge your friends with our friendly Winners Stays – Limit of 3 Wins rules for all games.
Plus! Panel! Don’t forget there will be an Australian Fighting Game community panel at PAX, hosted by New Game Plus and featuring panelists from across the scene
