Month: August 2015

New York City’s Next Level Arcade will be closing early next year according to new details from owner Henry Cen.

“I want to explain myself and apologize to community over the uproar a few days ago,” Cen confided in a recent statement. “Basically, [the] Next Level lease is coming to an end at Feb 29th, 2016 which I’m obligated to stay until then. My disagreement with my business partner was about my concerns for the future of Next Level and because of our differences regarding this issue, we’ve agreed that after the lease is over to go our separate ways. I still want to provide a new home for the community in the future and I hope that everyone can support Next Level in these last months before it’s closure.”

The first signs that trouble was brewing between Cen and co-owner Nick Chan came earlier this week. Team Spooky’s Victor “Spooky” Fontanez, obviously upset by the details, went public during the opening portion of his Next Level Battle Circuit broadcast. “Basically, we have a break down in communications here at the store. I mean, real talk, I’m not gonna promise anything at this point except to say there’s a good chance we will be ending Next Level Battle Circuit very very soon,” Fontanez explained, “possibly by the end of this month.”

As one of the few traditional arcades left in the United States, Next Level is a noteworthy establishment on both the regional and national level. In addition to Battle Circuit, the Brooklyn venue regularly hosts anime tournaments put together by the folks at Team St1ckbug, Smash events, and even gatherings for a number of card games. As such, it’s closing will affect a wide array of individuals both in and outside of the fighting game community.

Hopefully an agreement can be reached between Cen and Chan before February 29 but, with the way things are going, that doesn’t look likely. Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

Source: Henry Cen, Team Spooky, featured image courtesy of IPLAYWINNER

New York City’s Next Level Arcade will be closing early next year according to new details from owner Henry Cen.

“I want to explain myself and apologize to community over the uproar a few days ago,” Cen confided in a recent statement. “Basically, [the] Next Level lease is coming to an end at Feb 29th, 2016 which I’m obligated to stay until then. My disagreement with my business partner was about my concerns for the future of Next Level and because of our differences regarding this issue, we’ve agreed that after the lease is over to go our separate ways. I still want to provide a new home for the community in the future and I hope that everyone can support Next Level in these last months before it’s closure.”

The first signs that trouble was brewing between Cen and co-owner Nick Chan came earlier this week. Team Spooky’s Victor “Spooky” Fontanez, obviously upset by the details, went public during the opening portion of his Next Level Battle Circuit broadcast. “Basically, we have a break down in communications here at the store. I mean, real talk, I’m not gonna promise anything at this point except to say there’s a good chance we will be ending Next Level Battle Circuit very very soon,” Fontanez explained, “possibly by the end of this month.”

As one of the few traditional arcades left in the United States, Next Level is a noteworthy establishment on both the regional and national level. In addition to Battle Circuit, the Brooklyn venue regularly hosts anime tournaments put together by the folks at Team St1ckbug, Smash events, and even gatherings for a number of card games. As such, it’s closing will affect a wide array of individuals both in and outside of the fighting game community.

Hopefully an agreement can be reached between Cen and Chan before February 29 but, with the way things are going, that doesn’t look likely. Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

Source: Henry Cen, Team Spooky, featured image courtesy of IPLAYWINNER

New York City’s Next Level Arcade will be closing early next year according to new details from owner Henry Cen.

“I want to explain myself and apologize to community over the uproar a few days ago,” Cen confided in a recent statement. “Basically, [the] Next Level lease is coming to an end at Feb 29th, 2016 which I’m obligated to stay until then. My disagreement with my business partner was about my concerns for the future of Next Level and because of our differences regarding this issue, we’ve agreed that after the lease is over to go our separate ways. I still want to provide a new home for the community in the future and I hope that everyone can support Next Level in these last months before it’s closure.”

The first signs that trouble was brewing between Cen and co-owner Nick Chan came earlier this week. Team Spooky’s Victor “Spooky” Fontanez, obviously upset by the details, went public during the opening portion of his Next Level Battle Circuit broadcast. “Basically, we have a break down in communications here at the store. I mean, real talk, I’m not gonna promise anything at this point except to say there’s a good chance we will be ending Next Level Battle Circuit very very soon,” Fontanez explained, “possibly by the end of this month.”

As one of the few traditional arcades left in the United States, Next Level is a noteworthy establishment on both the regional and national level. In addition to Battle Circuit, the Brooklyn venue regularly hosts anime tournaments put together by the folks at Team St1ckbug, Smash events, and even gatherings for a number of card games. As such, it’s closing will affect a wide array of individuals both in and outside of the fighting game community.

Hopefully an agreement can be reached between Cen and Chan before February 29 but, with the way things are going, that doesn’t look likely. Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

Source: Henry Cen, Team Spooky, featured image courtesy of IPLAYWINNER

The fighting game community means different things to different people. For some, it’s been a place they’ve called home for years, a constant in their lives as they’ve grown from children to adults. For others, it’s where they’ve met their closest friends, relationships that have endured over a mutual love of the genre. In times of need, we’ve banded together to help our fellow competitors and even bring arcades back from the dead. Sure, it’s not perfect (what is, really?), but there’s no denying the impact the fighting game community has made on countless lives.

Jayson and Bonnie Boyce, however, have something very different to thank their local scene for: funding their wedding.

After meeting in 2010 and gradually growing closer during trips to events like Evo 2011, Jayson and Bonnie tied the knot earlier this year in San Antonio, Texas. Weddings can be monstrously expensive, but the couple were supported by the generosity of their fighting game scene, including Ultra Arcade owners Brandon Alexander and David Ruben, who started the crowdfunding campaign and held a tournament at their establishment to raise additional funds.

But the outpouring of love didn’t stop there. Roger Howard, who currently acts as the area’s main streamer, choreographed their first dance. Local tournament organizer John Dilworth served drinks as the event’s bartender. Edmund Ray Dantes and Frank Nguyen offered their services as photographers. Anthony “Nori” Acosta was able to hook them up with his family’s catering service. As you would expect, each and every one of these acts of kindness took another load of their backs financially and contributed to making the event as smooth as possible.

“[San Antonio’s fighting game community] has been such a big support for the both of us,” Bonnie said during our conversations. “Our wedding is not only a tribute to us, but mainly to show the actual love in the community has held us together and supported us in so many ways.”

We here at Shoryuken would like to offer our congratulations to the newlyweds and wish them all the happiness in the world as they continue their lives together.

Following a bit of teasing on social media, DreamHack has revealed that they will be adding Super Smash Bros. Melee to two of their upcoming events. Both DreamHack London 2015 and DreamHack Winter 2015 will feature competition in the ageless title, boasting $20,000 and $30,000 in prizes respectively.

“We’re excited to finally start supporting Super Smash Bros. Melee and help build the European community with bringing tournaments to our events,” DreamHack’s head of eSports Christian Lord said in the official announcement.

As of now, DreamHack can confirm attendance by Evo 2015 champion Adam “Armada” Lindgren of Alliance, Aaron “Professor Pro” Thomas, and Mustafa “Ice” Akcakaya in their London event next month. They will be extending invitations to the top two players, providing travel and accommodations to DreamHack Winter in November.

Due to a scheduling conflict with HTC Throwdown, a fellow Smash event in San Francisco, California, DreamHack is prepared to provide the same support to their finalists, giving another pair of players the opportunity to compete in Sweden later this year.

DreamHack London is scheduled for September 19-20 in London, England, and DreamHack Winter will follow November 26-29 in Jönköping, Sweden. Additional details concerning spectator passes and competitor registration can be found here.

Source: DreamHack via theScore eSports