They say opportunities come once in a life time but I myself think they come once in a blue moon. I never imagined that someone who was good at playing a fighting game would one day have the opportunity to step out into an arena with over 5,000 screaming fans watching them compete in a fighting game. You just could not tell me a day like this would ever happen.
The farthest I ever got to conceiving this sort of thing in my imagination as a kid was watching "The Wizard" and now here I am in my late 30's watching one of my favorite fighting game franchises on on a live stream while two fighting game commentator's give me the play by play as things unfold.
My mind was already blown when it was just a packed hotel conference room back when I first witnessed it in 2010. Now, I'm on the moon and what is even more crazy is the fact that I am just a simple spectator. I can not begin to imagine what it feels like playing in front of a crowd of 5,000 on lookers, or being behind the control board of a stream which is being fed to ESPN2...yes I said ESPN2. From the commentators, to the organizers, to the ones competing for cash prizes over $50,000, you have to think that an opportunity like this is something that only comes once in a lifetime but it only feels like the beginning!!
Fighting games are still at the low end of the totem pole when it comes to the production of big video game competitions. Even though this year an increase in the overall participation at many of the big name events have more then increased, it is still safe to say that fighting games have yet to reach the level of a MOBA or a FPS competition. After all, when you compare video game sales or active players to popular games like Street Fighter V, they tend to pale in comparison. Yet and still it looks like fighting games are on their way and with that the opportunities for those passionate about fighting games are now at an all time high.
Street Fighter V, despite the negative press it has gotten overall, has gained big support on the competitive side of things. The biggest fighting game tournament of the year Evolution 2016 has passed but there doesn't seem to be any signs of slow down as the Capcom Pro Tour continues leading up to the big finale at Capcom Cup while other competitive companies like ESL and Red Bull eSports throw their hat in the ring offering all paid expense trips to their events with a nice prize pot to boot!
This year several players have been picked up by big eSports teams and that is not all. Certain teams have picked up coaches and managers as well. This year I have seen a few new sites and live streams erect that feature news for the the competitive fighting game scene..it all feels so surreal.
Like many, I wait(while working towards it of course) on bated breath hoping that possibly one day an opportunity will arrive that will give me a chance to be amongst all the excitement happening at this amazing time in history for gaming. I have to believe that opportunity does come in a blue moon because I would hate to miss out on something that has occurred in my lifetime.
