diff --git a/src/dashboard/scoreko-dev/components/ScoreboardPanel.vue b/src/dashboard/scoreko-dev/components/ScoreboardPanel.vue
index 32d3928..f2819bf 100644
--- a/src/dashboard/scoreko-dev/components/ScoreboardPanel.vue
+++ b/src/dashboard/scoreko-dev/components/ScoreboardPanel.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { computed, ref, watch, watchEffect, type Ref } from 'vue';
 import { countryOptions, getCountryLabel } from '../../../shared/countries';
-import { getCharactersByGame } from '../../../shared/fighting-characters';
+import { getCharactersByGame, getDefaultCharactersByGame } from '../../../shared/fighting-characters';
 import type { Schemas } from '../../../types';
 import { usePlayersStore } from '../stores/players';
 import { useScoreboardStore } from '../stores/scoreboard';
@@ -659,8 +659,24 @@ watch(
     const allowed = new Set(options.map((option) => option.value));
     const savedCharacters = newGame ? charactersByGame.value[newGame] : undefined;
 
-    const nextLeftCharacter = savedCharacters?.leftCharacter ?? '';
-    const nextRightCharacter = savedCharacters?.rightCharacter ?? '';
+    let nextLeftCharacter = savedCharacters?.leftCharacter ?? '';
+    let nextRightCharacter = savedCharacters?.rightCharacter ?? '';
+
+    if (!allowed.has(nextLeftCharacter)) {
+      nextLeftCharacter = '';
+    }
+
+    if (!allowed.has(nextRightCharacter)) {
+      nextRightCharacter = '';
+    }
+
+    if (!nextLeftCharacter && !nextRightCharacter) {
+      const defaults = getDefaultCharactersByGame(newGame);
+      if (defaults) {
+        nextLeftCharacter = allowed.has(defaults.leftCharacter) ? defaults.leftCharacter : '';
+        nextRightCharacter = allowed.has(defaults.rightCharacter) ? defaults.rightCharacter : '';
+      }
+    }
 
     if (allowed.has(nextLeftCharacter)) {
       scoreboardStore.scoreboard.leftCharacter = nextLeftCharacter;
diff --git a/src/shared/fighting-characters.ts b/src/shared/fighting-characters.ts
index baae352..e99b241 100644
--- a/src/shared/fighting-characters.ts
+++ b/src/shared/fighting-characters.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,17 @@ const characterNamesByGame: Record<string, string[]> = {
   'TEKKEN 8': ['Alisa', 'Anna', 'Armor King', 'Asuka', 'Azucena', 'Bob', 'Bryan', 'Claudio', 'Clive', 'Devil Jin', 'Dragunov', 'Eddy', 'Fahkumram', 'Feng', 'Heihachi', 'Hwoarang', 'Jack-8', 'Jin', 'Jun', 'Kazuya', 'King', 'Kuma', 'Kunimitsu', 'Lars', 'Law', 'Lee', 'Leo', 'Leroy', 'Lidia', 'Lili', 'Miary Zo', 'Nina', 'Panda', 'Paul', 'Raven', 'Reina', 'Roger Jr', 'Shaheen', 'Steve', 'Victor', 'Xiaoyu', 'Yoshimitsu', 'Zafina'],
 };
 
+const defaultCharacterPairByGame: Record<string, { leftCharacter: string; rightCharacter: string }> = {
+  'Street Fighter 6': {
+    leftCharacter: 'ryu',
+    rightCharacter: 'chun-li',
+  },
+  'TEKKEN 8': {
+    leftCharacter: 'jin',
+    rightCharacter: 'kazuya',
+  },
+};
+
 const paletteByGame: Record<string, GamePalette> = {
   'Street Fighter 6': ['#f97316', '#b91c1c'],
   'TEKKEN 8': ['#2563eb', '#111827'],
@@ -102,3 +113,5 @@ export const fightingCharactersByGame: Record<string, FightingCharacterOption[]>
 );
 
 export const getCharactersByGame = (game: string) => fightingCharactersByGame[game] ?? [];
+
+export const getDefaultCharactersByGame = (game: string) => defaultCharacterPairByGame[game];