The FGC has a lot to offer the esports industry. Both sides must help and understand each other for progress to be made going forward.

There was a time when fighting games were the most popular competitive titles around. Before the internet, people actually had to go to arcades and line up their quarters for a chance to play Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. Grown adults, small children, and people of every walk of life who made up the fighting game community (FGC) were welcome and encouraged to become best at their local arcade. Open tournaments were held at the more popular locations, and players would happily travel a couple hours away for their chance at a prize.

Though the esports industry has had its influence on the grassroots nature of the fighting game community, the core of what made it great is still intact. The FGC still stands as a beacon of diversity and inclusivity for competitive gaming, but it’s also very profitable and marketable as well. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons the FGC needs to be taken seriously when discussing the future trajectory of the esports industry.

We have a team match in Tekken 7 Losers Semis between BxA | Reflex and BxA | Squall.#CEOCitrusClash https://t.co/RAxpE08Q1H pic.twitter.com/1bYiruJnla — #CEO2018 on June 29 – July 1 (@CEOGaming) April 7, 2018

Fighting games are easy to understand

One of the first issues that needs to be addressed for an esports title is whether or not a wide audience will be able to appreciate what’s happening. This has never been a problem for any fighting game. Though meta shifts may lead to complicated nuances for pro gamers, the actual product is still easily digestible. You have two characters beating each other up on screen, and that’s about it. The better player wins by depleting his or her opponent’s health bar – there aren’t any towers to destroy or points to be captured.

Fighting games are also very straightforward when it comes to the players. Unlike shooters or MOBAs, there are only two people on stage. There are no rosters to be familiar with beyond the person behind the fighter, regardless of sponsors or team affiliations.

The FGC is still very welcoming to new players

Apart from special invitationals, most fighting game tournaments are still open to everyone. No other competitive gaming community offers an experience like this. Newcomers can meet and even play against their favorite stars, allowing everyone involved to immerse themselves in a unique experience. This also allows for the truly talented among us to make a name for themselves the old way – by grinding at locals and securing a respectable placement at bigger tournaments.

Many feel that money and fame have harmed the scene

It goes beyond the tournaments and circuits with big cash prizes, though. You can find many esports arenas and local FGC hangouts across the US and Japan that allow players of all skill levels to enjoy fighting games in a casual setting. Wednesday Night Fights, hosted by Street Fighter legend Alex Valle in southern California, is a weekly hangout and casual tournament series open to everyone. Valle himself typically invites players out over social media, offering training sessions and other educational experiences with pro gamers.

Fighting games create visibility for players and esports organizations

Twitch streams are the preferred way of watching esports tournaments, and fighting games are no different. However, with ELEAGUE broadcasting Street Fighter V and Injustice 2 tournaments, and Smash Bros being brought to a younger audience on Disney XD, the FGC has become more visible than ever. This year, ELEAGUE is trying to engage with Street Fighter fans on an entirely different level – through a reality show.

“ELEAGUE The Challenger: Street Fighter V” reality TV show airs its first trailer, reveals guest star Lupe Fiascohttps://t.co/OgoZ9aTXSy — Shoryuken.com (@shoryukendotcom) April 18, 2018

Industry leaders are not blind to the potential growth that the FGC brings with it. Rick Fox, former NBA star and owner of Echo Fox, has hired some of the best talent on the market to represent his brand – that includes EVO 2017 champion, Hajime “Tokido” Taniguchi. Even mid-range organizations and team owners are on board with being heavily invested in the FGC:

“I’ve been a huge advocate of the fighting game community even before it blew up in the past two years,” says Marc Leikach, esports veteran and CEO of Circa eSports, in response to being asked about how the FGC was important to esports brand development. “We invested so much time into that community due to us seeing an actual future in it with its reach in the scene. The numbers and prize pools are growing each year, and I highly recommend every organization to take a moment to look into the scene and see what visibility it can bring to your organization.”

Without bringing up too much of the old dirt, it should be known that there are some very mixed feelings when it comes to “esportsifying” the FGC. Many feel that money and fame have harmed the scene, while others have looked at it as a mutually beneficial relationship.

When you boil everything down to bare-bones facts, this is the best way to look at the relationship. This mutual interest is what will be the catalyst for the future successes of the FGC and the esports industry at large. Everything we’ve discussed here will play a part – an easily digestible product, a door that’s always open to everyone, and big tournaments and visibility that translate to an influx of money and talent. It’s true that the FGC has changed a lot over the last decade or so, but there are amazing opportunities available today that weren’t available back then.

This video from Nate Chrisman at Esports Terminal sums it up quite well:

Either you want progress, or you’re a champion for stagnation. Your values as a player and person don’t need to change to take advantage of what esports has to offer the FGC.

The views expressed in this article explicitly belong to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of, nor should be attributed to, App Trigger or FanSided as an organization.