Author: Kevin "Forte" Webb

The Skullgirls community has been granted an opportunity to bring some of the world’s top competitors to compete on the game’s largest stage. Combo Breaker will once again serve as the finale of The Skullgirls Tour, and StreamMe has contributed $2,000 to bring international players to the event next month.

Skullgirls is already guaranteed a spot on Combo Breaker’s main stage for the finale of the tour, and the opportunity to bring in more international talent should make Sunday’s Top 8 Finals that much sweeter.

The crew in charge of The Skullgirls Tour will host a fundraising stream announcing which players have been chosen on Saturday, May 6th starting at noon on www.stream.me/skullgirlstour. Additional funds will be used to fly in as many players as possible, and based on the reveal trailer from SkullgirlsTV, each chosen player will be from a different country of origin.

The Skullgirls Tour is a series of five offline events and seven online tournaments celebrating the indie title and its community. In August 2016, leaders within the community announced their intention to launch an event series focusing on the tournaments that best support the game.

CEOTaku kicked off the tour in October 2016, and in the time since several other fighting game communities have organized specific tours in support of their own games, such as the Curleh Series and Burst League.

Skullgirls Tour organizer, KPB|Sheila “Sharpie” Moore said the tour helps the community support the events that are most important to the players, content creators and tournament organizers that keep the scene alive. By including online tournaments in the mix, the tour is also working to help the netplay community transition into offline competition.

“I’m really happy to see other tournament organizers, players, and general community members working to organize series and tours for their communities,” Moore said. “It’s really nice to see people that have a genuine interest in making their community accessible to others, and helping their community grow in general. I honestly think it’s really important that tours and circuits are created because they help inspire members of communities to action.“

Echo Fox|SonicFox has won each of the tour’s offline events in North America, and is the current points leader on the tour with 950; his former teammate cR|dekillsage in second place, having come in second place at those same events. Swedish player zeknife is in third place on the leaderboard with his win at Revolution 2016, and was one of three international players who was able to attend Combo Breaker 2016 due to crowd funding.

Skullgirls developer Autumn Games has announced a $2,000 pot bonus for the Combo Breaker 2017 prize pool, and special events have been announced for Friday and Saturday evening. Last year’s Combo Breaker featured a 10-on-10 East Coast vs. The World exhibition. Be sure to tune in to the fundraising stream on May 6 to find out which international players will be competing at Combo Breaker, and check out the tournament starting on May 26.

Sources: KPB|Sharpie; The Skullgirls Tour; StreamMe, Combo Breaker

Red Bull has announced that Lee “Infiltration” Seon-woo, Daigo Umehara, and Gachikun will join the 2017 Redbull Kumite in Paris on May 28, rounding out the list of competitors for the 16-player Street Fighter V tournament. Infiltration is the returning 2016 champion, while Daigo finished ninth at last year’s event. Gachikun has built a reputation as one of the world’s strongest Rashid players, and recently represented Japan’s Western District at the Red Bull 5G Finals in December.

The list of confirmed players is as follows, returning players are marked with an asterisk (*):

• Meltdown|Mister Crimson (EU)
• Rize|Infexious (EU)
• Red Bull|Luffy* (EU)
• BX3|Phenom (EU)
• Echo Fox|Tokido* (JPN)
• CYG BST|PR Balrog (USA)
• XYZZY (S.KOR)
• Razer|Infiltration* (S.KOR)
• Qanba.Douyu|Xiao Hai (CHN)
• RB (TWN)
• Twitch.Hx.CYG BST|Daigo Umehara* (JPN)
• Red Bull|Bonchan* (JPN)
• Gachikun (JPN)
• Alien|Nemo (JPN)

A 256-player open tournament will be held on Day 1 of the Kumite (May 27) to determine the final two qualifiers. Last year FA|BigBird of the United Arab Emirates won the last chance qualifier on his way to a fifth place finish in the main event. Registration for the open qualifier will open on March 12 at CET, 2 p.m. EST, 8 p.m. CET. You can find more information on the 2017 Red Bull Kumite at redbullkumite.com.

Source: Red Bull eSports

Less than 24 hours have passed since the release of Kolin, and players across the globe have wasted no time cracking into Street Fighter V’s newest character. Using the hashtag #KolinLab on Twitter, players have been compiling a variety of combos, setups and techniques for the Illuminati ice queen.

Kolin continues the trend of Street Fighter V’s downloadable characters becoming increasingly more complex, and brings a unique set of mechanics to the game. Her slide specials and double jump give her a tremendous amount of mobility, while her counter attacks and projectiles give her options to score good damage with a correct read. Here are ten things we have learned from #KolinLab efforts:

• Counters (QCB+P) start up in two frames, EX is 1 frame. Kolin must choose between low, mid, and anti-air counters. She can even use EX counter between the hits of Urien’s EX Chariot Tackle.
• The projectile from Hail Storm (QCF+P) can be positioned after knockdowns to cover approaches, including slide (QCB+MK). The initial hit of Hail Storm can nullify projectiles.
• Diamond Dust, Kolin’s V-Trigger, can hit enemies on the floor if they do not quick rise.
• The recovery of EX Parabellum can be cancelled into Kolin’s slide attacks for follow-ups. slide punch and slide launch -> air throw do the most damage.
• At the cost of two bars of meter, Kolin can use EX slide launch (QCB+MK+HK) and an aerial attack to reset an opponent after EX Parabellum.
• The first hit of Kolin’s sweep can be special cancelled on hit, but not on block. Try performing the special cancel after ex parabellum xx slide.
• Similarly, the Kolin’s target combos after slide can be cancelled on hit, but not on block. They are also rather punishable.
• Like Laura, Kolin uses resets to set up meaty attacks and hit links that would otherwise be impossible.
• Kolin can juggle off a successful V-Trigger activation with super, slide punch, V-Skill and more.
• Jumping heavy kick can be used to create fake crossups and hit earlier while jumping. Jumping light kick is Kolin’s only crossup. Swapping between these options can be particularly ambiguous if an opponent tries to block Hail Storm.

The hashtag is evidence of how impact the social media era has made on developing tech in fighting games. Kolin already looks to be more complex than most of Street Fighter V’s cast, in less than a day of discovery. Capcom Pro Tour competitors attending Final Round will have to be ready for a full array of Kolin tech, as she will be tournament legal come March 10. Be sure to keep following the KolinLab hash tag to see the latest as soon as it’s posted!

Source: #KolinLab; DaFeetLee

Dreamhack, one of the most recognizable event series in gaming, unveiled its plans for the Super Smash Bros. titles during the upcoming year, spreading a total prize pool of $100,000 between six events.

Dreamhack will support both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U during four North American events, and Melee will also be featured at the European Dreamhack Summer and Winter events. Each event will payout $10,000 to the top eight finalists in either game.

The first event, DreamHack Austin, will run from April 28 to 30–and is already accepting sign-ups. Tickets are available via DreamHack’s website, and players can register for the tournament via smash.gg. You can watch the DreamHack’s 2017 Smash Championship on Twitch and follow their newly-minted Twitter page here.

Check below for this year’s schedule of tournaments; for more detailed information on the individual DreamHack events, visit their website.

The King of New York will return for its third iteration next month, pitting New York City’s best Street Fighter V players against each other in a round-robin style tournament. The competition will play out over two days, culminating in a 10-man main event on Sunday, February 26 at Brooklyn Colony.

Five of New York’s best players, PIE|Smug, Idom, OG|Shine, F3|Alucard and LI Joe, have been pre-chosen to participate in The King of the New York A-League, Sunday’s main event. NEC XVII winner ANBU|Punk and runner-up Reforce|MenaRD have been invited to the A-League as well. They will be joined by three qualifiers from The King of New York B-League, which will be held on Saturday, February 25.

The B-League will be open to any and all challengers. A Swiss round-robin format will be used for the B-League, requiring each player to play at least seven matches against other B-League participants. The three players with the best win-loss records will qualify for the A-League the following day.

Entry fees collected for the B-League qualifier will be contributed towards the growing pot for the main event. Andy “Citiofbrass” Dumornay has confirmed a total pot bonus of $2,500 coming from sponsors The Hiero Group, Castle Gaming and his own Professional Instigators Entertainment (Team PIE).

The King of New York title originates with Sanford Kelly, whose Sagat play in Street Fighter IV earned him the nickname “The King.” Sanford was not without challengers however; Dumornay Launched the event in 2014 to settle an ongoing rivalry between Team PIE and Kelly’s Empire Arcadia teammates.

In a close debut event, EMP’s Kevin “Dieminion” Landon emerged the winner, with Sanford, PIE|Smug and PIE|Zeus all tying for second place. Smug took the title for Team PIE a year ago, defending New York against Liquid|NuckleDu and EG|K-Brad.

Speaking to Shoryuken, Dumornay said The King of New York has always been about the players, and the event is being put together with absolutely no profit margin for the organizer. Instead, the focus will be on providing a premier platform for the city’s top players, while securing the largest prize pool possible.

The next King of New York will earn a minimum of $2,000 for winning, before factoring the entry fees from the B-League. Cash prizes are guaranteed for the top eight A-League players. Dumornay has also partnered with Matcherino, allowing fans and spectators to help crowdfund additional prize money for the event. Using the promo code on the funding page will allow anyone to donate $1 to the pot for free.

Lastly, Dumornay will be providing multiple casual setups for The King of Fighters XIV, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Mortal Kombat X, Killer Instinct, and Guilty Gear Xrd for those looking to play something outside of Street Fighter V. Rather than asking for a venue fee for casual play, Dumornay will require those players to pay a bar minimum for food and drinks instead. Spectators interested in just watching will be admitted for free.

Tune in during the weekend of February 25th to watch this year’s King of New York on Bifuteki.

Sources: Citiofbrass, Team PIE

With the latest Northeast Championships now in the books, players can now register for Winter Brawl 11, being held in Philadelphia from Feb. 17 to 19, 2017. Big E Gaming’s weekend event will feature a total of 18 tournaments, along with vendors and arcade setups for attendees. Early bird registration is now available for $25, but prices will go up next week. Visit Bigegaming.com/pre-registration to sign up, and be sure to check out the Facebook event if you plan on attending. The official game list includes the following:

• Street Fighter V
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
• Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-
• BlazBlue: Central Fiction
• King of Fighters XIV
• Mortal Kombat XL
• Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
• Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
• Killer Instinct
• Under Night In-Birth: EXE
• Ultra Street Fighter IV
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2 ($5 dollar entry)

There will also be several free entry tournaments with pot bonuses provided by Big E Gaming. Free entry events include:

• Pokkén Tournament – $1000 pot bonus
• Pokémon Sun & Moon – $500 pot bonus
• Street Fighter II: Turbo – $500 pot bonus, 32-player cap
• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, 32-player cap
• Injustice – $500 Pot Bonus, 64-player cap
• Soul Calibur V – 64-player cap

Source: big e gaming

The world’s most recognizable Ryu may be considering a character swap in Street Fighter V Season 2. HyperX|Daigo Umehara has been playing Guile since the Season 2 patch dropped on Tuesday, recording just a single ranked match with Ryu.

Though Umehara has shown off his Guile on a few occasions in the past, he has used Ryu exclusively in more than 7,000 matches. After losing his first ranked match of Season 2 with Ryu on Thursday, Daigo switched to Guile and went on a 10-1 run during a 90-minute session.

Whether the switch remains permanent remains to be seen. Ryu appears to be weaker in this version of Street Fighter V, but did get some new combo options to add to his utility. However, Daigo has shown that he’s not afraid to move away from his shoto roots to give him a better chance at winning. Through the life span of Street Fighter IV, Daigo dropped Ryu for Yun, and later switched to Evil Ryu.

You can check out how Daigo’s Guile is shaping up below:

Umehara has also been caught trying out Urien in the Season 2 build.

Source: XusesGB, V-League

French combo technician Alioune has put together a short video, showcasing some of Street Fighter V Akuma’s basic combos and wakeup setups. . While some of the combos have been seen in prior gameplay footage, Alioune showcases the incredible juggle potential of Akuma’s V-Skill and special moves along with some devastating setups to punish players pressing buttons as they stand. In the video he appears to be playing the PC Beta of SFV Season 2 that leaked on Steam yesterday, so keep in mind that some of what you see may not be in the official release

Based off Alioune’s quick demonstration, Akuma will have the tools to convert a hit from just about any situation into a damaging combo with an advantageous follow up. While even more optimized combos are sure to be discovered once Akuma is officially released on Dec. 20, Alioune has given the community a place to start.

Source: alioune camara

Intentional or not, the new PC beta for Street Fighter V Season 2 has made the full themes for Akuma and the game’s two new stages available. Both Akuma’s theme and the Temple of Ascension stage music channel the familiar shamisen and flute sound that has haunted his stages over the years. On the other end, the jazz styling of the Christmas in New York stage music might have some players partying like it’s 1999.

Check out all three tracks below:

Source: Nelson’s TAS and Game Archive

A new beta version of Street Fighter V was released on PC early this morning, containing a handful of previously unannounced features. Along with adding Akuma, the Temple of Ascension stage, and character balance changes to the game, the beta update also allows PC players to use D-Input controllers and music can now be selected based on the game mode.

The update also adds new icons for players who frequently disconnect during online matches and those who never do. A new prompt also warns of LP reductions and matchmaking restrictions as penalties for quitting. Capcom implemented a penalty system for frequent disconnects earlier this year, but the problem has continued to persist for some players. Whether the penalties will be updated or further explained in season two remains to be seen.

Music will now be selectable per game mode via the Battle Settings menu. Previously, players were limited to hearing the opponent’s character theme during ranked and casual matches, and the stage themes during offline versus matches and training mode. Now you can fight to your favorite track or just rock Guile’s theme on every single stage.

PC players had previously been restricted from using Direct Input controllers, forcing them to rely on X-Input devices or third-party programs for their controller of choice. The change is primarily a common sense one, as it makes the game more accessible to players who want to bring their favorite controller to the fight.

The new balance changes also appear to be available in the PC Beta, but the full cast is unavailable by normal means. Still, some diligent PC players have found ways to select Akuma and the other cast members and try out some of the character changes.

@PR_Balrog @jchensor @ultradavid @fchampryan @WinnerStaysOn your wish actually came true PC beta with changes for SFV is available now! pic.twitter.com/DOdVK6w1MK

— #NujabesTaughtMe (@ProsodiJ) December 15, 2016

Street Fighter V’s first season two update is officially due out on Dec. 20.

Source: NeoGaf, Twitter