The Rise and Fall of The Excellent Adventures of Gootecks & Mike Ross

The Rise and Fall of The Excellent Adventures of Gootecks & Mike Ross
Date Published: 27 August, 2020

As arguably the most recognizable pair in the FGC (Fighting Game Community) for years, especially in the modern era, Mike Ross and Ryan Gutierrez played an instrumental role in the fighting game media and content creation spaces.

Though, while the two had their hand in many fighting game related projects, both on their own, and jointly, the weekly fighting game series—The Excellent Adventures of Gootecks & Mike Ross was a show that had risen to the top of the FGC ranks, and held its No. 1 spot for years, yet, ultimately fell down from grace and lost its magic somewhere along the way. Continue reading “The Rise and Fall of The Excellent Adventures of Gootecks & Mike Ross” →

August 27, 2020 4

The FGC’s Identity Crisis

The FGC’s Identity Crisis
Date Published: 19 February, 2019

Never short of interesting storylines, the fighting game community (FGC) is yet again a part of another tug of war situation, this time on one side the grassroots of the FGC, and on the other, the esports side of the FGC.

The differences between the two sides have shown themselves in multiple facets within fighting games, and as the old guard attempts to maintain tradition, while the new guard is set on embracing change, it begs the question; What is the FGC’s identity?

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February 19, 2019 0

Do Character Archetypes Matter In Street Fighter?

Do Character Archetypes Matter In Street Fighter?
Date Published: 6 January, 2018

Similar to many other competitive activities, the determining factors for winning and losing in fighting games are variable. However, unlike group sports which may rely on team chemistry, fighting games more so rely on player to character chemistry.

The unique thing about fighting games, is that there is no real blueprint for how to play the “right way”. A direct instruction akin to elbow in, and follow-through when practicing a jump shot in basketball simply does not exist in the realm of fighting games. Continue reading “Do Character Archetypes Matter In Street Fighter?” →

January 6, 2019 0

Lessons Learned in the FGC

Lessons Learned in the FGC
Date Published: 6 December, 2018

What is the FGC? If I were to break it down to its simplest definition, the FGC (Fighting Game Community) would be referred to as a community who is involved in fighting games in some form or fashion. The involvement can be exemplified by playing, spectating, or even just supporting the community in any way.

However, that standard definition doesn’t do the FGC justice, as the question “What is the FGC?” doesn’t leave much room for interpretation, though by changing the question, and asking rather “Who is the FGC?” would result in many different answers depending on the individual.

Therefore, as someone who has been around fighting games for nearly two decades, but only having considered myself a part of the FGC proper for the last six years, the lessons I have learnt may not be extremely dated, but are valuable ones nonetheless.

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December 6, 2018 0

The Resurgence of the 3-D Fighting Game

The Resurgence of the 3-D Fighting Game
Date Published: 23 November, 2018

It was never ostracized or mistreated to the point of labeling it the “red-headed step-child”, but the 3-D subgenre in fighting games has traditionally been in a place all of its own. There are a myriad of theories behind why that has been the case.

Factors that vary from entry level difficulty, lesser known licenses, as well as simply the fact that the 3-D subgenre has fewer franchises than its 2-D or Anime counterparts. However, despite historically having less notoriety, 3-D fighting games are reemerging to perhaps be a significant player in the new age FGC (Fighting Game Community). Continue reading “The Resurgence of the 3-D Fighting Game” →

November 23, 2018 1

What Happened to Character Loyalty?

What Happened to Character Loyalty?
Date Published: 5 October, 2018

The term “Main Character” refers to a fighting game character associated most often with a specific fighting game player. The main character is also thought of as the player’s best character, at least on paper.

Throughout the short, but rich history of the FGC, certain players have become almost synonymous with certain fighting game characters and be it tournament or casual setting, that tradition affected a major part of the FGC, which almost set a precedent for how matches were played. However, like anything that sees tenure, change is inevitable, and FGC traditions are not immune from it. Continue reading “What Happened to Character Loyalty?” →