Recently, there has been this growing concern that The King of Fighters XIV is already a “dead game.” This toxic phrase, one we’ve discussed as being detrimental to community growth, is being passed around once again for yet another game. The King of Fighters XIV is the most recent title to have to contend with this phrase, despite the game being out for just barely three months.
A discussion about keeping any game thriving is always worthwhile, but coming at it from the angle that the game is already dead can be a bit counter-productive. Nevertheless, TrueUnderDawgGaming chooses this as his angle in discussing ways to help ensure the community grows. His list of necessary changes to save the game include adding even more characters to the already massive roster, DLC outfits for everyone, and some player dedication: keep playing it and showing up to events.
Even after Yoshinori Ono casting doubt on what we thought we saw at the closing of Red Bull Battle Grounds, Street Fighter V fans are still holding out hope that the Demon will Rage his way into SFV as we hoped. AKumah Matata has a different theory though: perhaps the reveal trailer wasn’t teasing Akuma at all; what if it was actually teasing the arrival of Goutetsu, Akuma’s (and Gouken’s) own master?
The video below discusses the possible evidence: Goutetsu’s CFN Portal site profile, his appearance on the packaging materials for certain Japanese editions of the game, and the length of his hair as compared to Akuma’s usual presentation. It’s a long shot of a theory… watch the video and judge for yourself.
Of course, there may be no new Street Fighter V character at all, and the reveal trailer may instead have something to do with a possible Marvel vs. Capcom 4 reveal.
The bracket has not yet been changed (as of this writing) and there has not yet been an official confirmation announcement from the Capcom Pro Tour, so stand by to see how the new bracket actually shapes up.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the writer, and do not reflect Shoryuken.com as a whole.
Putthivath “XsK_Samurai” Chea may be having his best year ever. Out of all Americans in the field, I believe him to be the most prominent riser in the scene. His Ryu has never been bad, but he has never had the winning edge that he’s had this year.
After all the effort he has put in, the newly signed player from Winterfox has now found his way into his first Capcom Cup by way of the North American Leaderboard. Will Chea be able to slice and dice through the field?
Ryu 101
There is something special about the way he plays Ryu. It’s so fundamental and pure at its core. It’s not too crazy, but he is always able to find punishes through his impeccable spacing and offense.
He never seems too fazed in his play. He is always able to defend, and doesn’t get flustered. I’d call his Ryu almost cookie-cutter basic Ryu play, but that is doing him a disservice; he does it so well that eventually players fall before him. Because he has such fantastic tools, there is nothing wrong with playing Ryu by the books, if you stay comfortable in forcing your opponent into situations that benefit you. Chea does just that, and he does it effectively and consistently enough to make him a threat to top players.
King of the Hill
Samurai is quickly establishing himself one of California’s leading lights. In a rivalry as old as the first American arcade cabinets to house a World Warrior, Chea is definitely showing enough to prove that he, as one of NorCal’s best, is better than SoCal’s finest–something Thomas Osaki failed to do a couple of decades ago.
He has performed solidly during ESL’s King of the Hill events, which focuse on the Californian scene. In tournament, only twice has someone from SoCal finished above him, and that was EG|K-Brad in both cases. The only other NorCal mainstay that has been ranked above him is EG|Justin Wong.
Further, he has had some international experience through Evo and other major tournaments. I did watch Chea do well in money matches against China in the ArcadeStream salty suite. Samurai has all the foundational skills he needs to use a character built on fundamentals, and competes on even footing, and is going to keep improving.
International Tournament Experience
The one thing Chea lacks is tournament experience against the world’s best. He may have some matches under his belt, but it just simply isn’t enough. When he has been at tournaments with a heavy international presence, he has posted his lowest results–unable to break top 16 at any of them. With a shortened field at Red Bull Battle Grounds, he just barely missed top 8.
The fact is that Chea is a great player, but has been hindered by his inability to seek out stronger competition. Making it out to events like Canada Cup and CEO can only help him level up, but when he isn’t playing the best on a weekly or biweekly basis, it’s not going to elevate his game fast enough to compete with them.
Surely, with this new sponsorship from Winterfox, we will be seeing more of him on the circuit. Who knows what he can do with more experience?
Final Thoughts
XsK_Samurai is on the upswing, and we’re going to see his star shine a little brighter next year. If he had received his sponsorship sooner, we could be speaking differently of his chances at Capcom Cup. He has a lot more learning to do before he makes a top 8 of this caliber. I’m expecting him to win two, maybe three matches before he is on his way home.
I'm so sorry everyone