Category: News

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Chill out with IKevinX’s anime references for Cooler’s Dragon Ball FighterZ reveal trailer

This past weekend at Evo, Dragon Ball FighterZ fans were in for quite the treat — as following the conclusion of a thrilling Grand Finals set that saw EchoFox|Sonic Fox crowned as the first ever DBFZ Evo Champion, Producer Tomoko Hiroki announced that Frieza’s older brother Cooler, from the fifth and sixth Dragon Ball Z films, would be the seventh DLC character coming to the game, battling in his iconic Final Form.

Though the attacks and motions we seen are primarily taken from his initial appearance in Cooler’s Revenge, there are also a few attacks taken from his return as Meta-Cooler in The Return of Cooler. His introduction is, of course, him transforming into his final form — lovingly recreated shot-for-shot from the original film, as we’ve come to expect from Arc System Works and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Next, we see the Chaotic Dead End that Cooler used to incapacitate Piccolo after the Namekian defeated his Armored Squadron, followed by the Death Chaser, which appears to be a Level 1 super special attack. Cooler also seems to have the Nova Chariot as another Level 1, with a series a strikes leading into the Supernova Cooler most likely serving as his Level 3, showcasing his increased brutality, compared to his brother. His victory pose also seems to have been taken from The Return of Cooler, specifically where he chokes Super Saiyan Goku as Meta-Cooler. You can see the full video below.

Also, 876TV has uploaded Cooler’s Japanese trailer, giving us another good listen to his theme, as well as our first look at his Z-Stamp, Lobby Avatar, and Colors, confirming that his Color 2 reference will be Frieza.

Though no release date for Cooler has been yet revealed, he will be available as part of the FighterZ Pass for $34.99, alongside the already-released Bardock, Broly, Fused Zamasu, SSGSS Vegito, Base Goku, Base Vegeta, and a seventh, currently-unrevealed character (that is heavily-rumored to be the Dragon Ball Super version of Android 17 seen during the Tournament of Power).

Dragon Ball FighterZ is currently available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam, with a Nintendo Switch version on the way.

Sources: IKevinX; 876TV

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SNK classics Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 coming to Switch, Garou: Mark of the Wolves coming to PlayStation 4 and XBox One in Japan

The  week will see a couple of classic games from SNK’s Fatal Fury series hit modern consoles in Japan thanks to Hamster Corporations ACA NEO GEO line — Real Bout  Fatal Fury 2: the Newcomers, and Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

Coming to Switch in Japan is Real Bout Fatal Fury 2. This is actually the 3rd Real Bout Fatal Fury game and the seventh Fatal Fury game overall, and introduces Rick Stroud and Li Xiangfei. In addition to this, it changes the way the series’ multi-lane battle system works – doing away with the ability to shift into the second lane, and instead turning that into a sway lane where players can temporarily move into to avoid attacks.

Click to view slideshow.

Meanwhile, Garou: Mark of the Wolves (which, arguably, needs no introduction to the FGC) arrives on PlayStation 4 and XBox One in Japan. The game is seen by many as SNK’s equivalent to Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and revamps the Fatal Fury formula. It does away with the multi-lane system altogether, and adds the unique T.O.P system which powers characters up depending on how much life they have.

Click to view slideshow.

Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 hit Switch as part of the ACA NEO GEO line yesterday, August 14. Garou: Mark of the Wolves will arrive on PlayStation 4 and XBox One as part of the sale ACA NEO GEO line this Thursday, August 16.

Source: 4Gamer

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dantarion graphs PC Fighting game player retention examined on Steam platform

Fighting game analyst dantarion recently examined the player engagement between Street Fighter V, Tekken 7, and Dragon Ball Fighterz through Steam

Dragon Ball FighterZ released on January 26, 2018. Upon launch, the game saw a whopping 44,000 players via Steam — but these numbers didn’t last. Twitter user and fighting game analyst dantarion released a comparison of player engagement between DBFZ, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, and Tekken 7 across their current lifespans.

Compared to DBFZ’s 44k players, SFV saw 14,782 fighters on its launch day on February 16, 2016, while Tekken 7 boasted a 18,966 players on June 3rd, 2017. However, player retention across each game has shown a sharp decline since then: SFV retains an average of 1,500-1,600 players, while Tekken 7 keeps anywhere from upwards of 3,000 to 2,600 PC users. DBFZ is on a decline since its recent release date, sinking from about 4,000 players to 2,352 at the last count in May.

Tekken7_01

Retention has declined across the board for each game, but appears to level out around certain levels. SFV strays between the 1,500 and 2,000 player mark, while Tekken 7 remains strongly at around 3,000 players. DBFZ appears to fluctuate within the 2,000 player range. Those interested can take a look at the full graph here.

Source: dantarion (Twitter)

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Input lag angst and netcode woes: The results of r/SF’s Community Feedback poll show what players want most for Street Fighter V

Street Fighter V‘s reddit community has spoken — and the results aren’t exactly surprising.

sfv falke CA

The latest Community Feedback poll on the r/StreetFighter subreddit has completed. When asked what aspects of Street Fighter V players want to see improved, the usual suspects are back in full force, with a bit of new flavor thanks to the discovery of variable input latency and the weirdness of the rollback netcode. When it comes to the overall experience, the netplay and the input latency are still the primary fixes the r/SF community are calling for.

User Experience:
Issue Votes
Netcode 734
One Sided Rollback 535
Variable Input Delay 404
Fight Money Grind 338
Input Delay 299
Training Mode – Online Training Mode 144
Training Mode – Allow DLC 127
Ranked Matchmaking – Character Select 117
Hitbox Viewer 106
P2P In Game Communication 100
Battle Lounge – Accurate Ping 73
Character Preview Prior to Purchase 73
Frame Ratings/Testing 63
Ranked Matchmaking – Unlimited Rematch 52
Ranked Matchmaking – Wait Indicator 52
Battle Lounge – Region Filter 33
Friends List Management 29
Battle Lounge – Steam Integration 28
Battle Lounge – Rank Filter 17
Training Mode – Debug 17

When it comes to the gameplay itself, the top requests are still more defensive options for this rushdown-heavy guessing game, and input lag makes a return appearance:

Gameplay Experience:
Issue Votes
More Defensive Options 607
Variable Input Delay 510
Input Delay 467
Air to Air Recovery Advantage 330
Balance Risk/Reward of Jumping/AA 324
Improve Crush Counter System 260
Hurt Boxes to Remain Extended 230
Revert DP Nerf 183
Audio Cue for Non-CC Counter Hit 152
Priority System Changes 136
Bonus Damage for Perfect Links 115

When is comes to other requests, Capcom’s long-criticized lack of communication with the fanbase is still a clear concern, while a lot of users are less-than-thrilled with some of the facial models on some characters.

Miscellaneous:
Issue Votes
Communication with Community 1008
Graphical Improvement on Certain Models 796
Lab Zero Drivers 605
Router Support 556
Linux Version 145

Of course, as a community poll we can’t expect the developer to act on any of these requests, but it’s a good indicator of what players are still wanting in SFV’s third Season; hopefully Capcom is paying attention in some capacity. You can see the poll results and the following reddit discussion on the r/SF Community Feedback thread. You can also check on the results of prior polls in the links included there.

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Source: r/StreetFighter

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Tom Cannon talks Evo Japan, tournament saturation, and women’s movements in the fighting game community with BornFree

FGC content creator BornFree sat down with Evo organizer Tom Cannon, where the two discussed the upcoming Evo Japan, tournament saturation, and shared their thoughts on inclusivity in the community. 

Fighting game fans might know Tom Cannon by his rich history in the community — from creating the largest fighting game tournament in the world, to heading their own game development studio, the Cannon brothers are known throughout the scene as major influencers, and have had a considerable hand in building it up to its current state. Notable FGC content creator BornFree sat down with Tom to discuss his work with Evo, his thoughts on tournament saturation, and to pick his brain on how to make the community more accessible to those who wish to be part of the historically vibrant scene.

Here, Tom recollects in the early Street Fighter IV era, Evo had run an all-women’s tournament, where girls who competed in the regular tournament were entered into a separate competition of their own. “It was an experiment to see if we could encourage more women to play,” Tom stated. Legendary Soul Calibur player Kayane ended up taking the tournament, highlighting her achievements and helping cement women’s strength in the scene.

While the tournament saw some success, many criticized the movement, holding that no group should get special treatment for want of inclusiveness. Tom recognized that things have changed since that time, and that Evo exists now as more than just a tournament series: it comes complete with after-parties and exhibition matches, and movements like Combo Queens are helping create a network for women who are always welcome at their event. “It’s hard to be anonymous,” Tom said in regards to women in the scene. “We’re not aiming to change the FGC, just build more pathways to get into it and stay there.”

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Photo Credit: Carlton Beener

Tom likewise spoke on the upcoming Evo Japan, which saw a monetary loss this year due to what he called “jump-starting the event.” While many Americans felt that Evo Japan was a throwback to Evo’s earlier times, the Japanese company the Cannons partnered with chose to skip the growing pains and dive straight into the big time. “I think that represents a strong commitment to build something,” he commented. “I would be surprised if an event like that was profitable at year one.”

You can watch the full interview here, and hear Tom’s thoughts on Beginner’s and Intermediate tournament leagues, tournament over-saturation, bringing Evo to other areas, and more.

Source: BornFree (YouTube)

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2-Hour Tekken 7 master class teaches the fundamentals of the sword-wielding cephalopod, Yoshimitsu

The heart of the Yoshimitsu’s design and movelist in Tekken 7 is ‘unconventional’. He has health regeneration, a wide pool of unblockables, tricky animations, the ability to punish moves no one else in the game can punish, and… oh, yeah, and he has a sword. It’s probably worth mentioning that Yoshimitsu has a flippin’ sword in a cast of martial artists, huh?

The above only scratches the surface of the rule-breaking, mind-bending tools Yoshimitsu has available to him in the game. For a thorough, nuanced breakdown of his toolkit, check out That Blasted Salami‘s 2-hour master class above. The road to being the ultimate Space Ninja is perhaps the hardest one a player can take in Tekken, but its also one of the most expressive and rewarding paths available for those willing to try.

Source: That Blasted Salami

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20th Anniversary tournament series, “The Jazzy Circuit”, announced for Street Fighter III: Third Strike

A new tournament circuit has been created in honor of Street Fighter’s most celebrated title.

Prepare for battle! There’s more than Cooperation Cup for fans of Street Fighter III: Third Strike to test their mettle. A brand-new tournament circuit was created for the classic fighting game title, and it starts on August 25th — dubbed the Jazzy Circuit, this tour takes 3S on a trip across the United States in celebration of the game’s 20th anniversary.

Japn logo

Players can qualify for the tour in one of three ways:

  • Winning one of six Jazzy qualifying events in Season One
  • Being one of six players to earn the greatest amount of points in the tour
  • Taking one through fourth place in the circuit’s last chance qualifier

Events within the circuit lie on three different tiers, and will be fought on both arcade cabinets and consoles alike. The console iteration of the game will be played through Street Fighter’s 30 Anniversary Collection, while the CPS3 cabinet will be used for the classic fighters. MSF-Tier events will reward players with the greatest amount of points, while S-Tier and A-Tier events will reward fewer.

The circuit’s first event takes place on August 25th in Lacross, WI, at the Paradigm Grand Prix. Be sure to follow the circuit’s Twitter page to keep up to date with the action!

Source: The Jazzy Circuit (Smash.gg)

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Shoryuken at Evo 2018: Hands-on with the Victrix Pro FS aluminum-body arcade stick

The upcoming stick with an all-aluminum chassis offers unlimited customization at your fingertips.

Victrix Pro FS Akuma - Copy
Victrix Pro FS Bison Dictator - Copy

Peripheral manufacturer Victrix Pro showcased their newest competitive offering, the Pro FS, at Evo 2018 — and it was one of the most impressive sticks on the show floor. All it takes is one glance to notice how much the Victrix Pro FS stands out.

The standard stick comes in a cool silver, and is made almost entirely of aluminum with Sanwa Denshi components. According to the manufacturer’s website, the “Victrix Pro FS is engineered with the fastest PCB response time” out of any stick in the market. This is sure to be a feature that piques many players’ interest.

There are also Street Fighter special-edition sticks that pop with bright and bold colors, showcasing beautiful sketches of either M. Bison, Akuma, Chun-Li, or Ken alongside the signatures of the artist and the stick’s number in the limited-edition run.

On top of their stellar looks, the Victrix Pro FS sticks offer a variety of features that focus on functionality and customization. The inside of the stick is easily accessible thanks to a latch on the back, allowing for modification and quick maintenance of all of the major inputs. The stick even includes an Allen wrench to tighten or loosen the ball top of the joystick, stored in the rear compartment. If you want to change the LED color illuminating the Victrix FS, all you need to do is hold the lighting button and move the joystick left or right. The lighting mode can also be changed just by pressing the lighting button itself. This will change the stick’s illumination from fixed to pulsate, to prismatic, to reactive, to white, to dark, and back again.

This kind of manual customization even transitions into the volume control for the headset plugged into the Victrix FS’ headphone jack. Double-tapping the audio button will mute the player’s microphone as well. There are also three remappable buttons, set to L3, R3, and the touchpad button by default, that can be altered to match any other button on the controller.

Victrix Pro FS Image

There is also a “Tournament/Lockout” mode that will disable all of the backlit buttons aside from the Victrix “X” button that enables the mode. This makes the controller tournament ready and flashes red every five seconds to verify the mode is active.

Another special feature for the Victrix Pro FS is its detachable joystick. It’s easy to remove the joystick, all you need to do is pull the metal below the ball upward and lift the joystick out of its socket. There is even a special socket inside of the controller casing that houses the stick for safe storage. Combined with the convenient handles and the cable wrap prongs at the top of the stick, traveling with the Victrix Pro FS is sure to be a breeze.

To some, the concept of a removable stick might already be well-known: Victrix Pro lead, Ozhan Maker, mentioned earlier this month that the popular modification known as “The Link” by Phreak Mods was an inspiration for their own removable stick system, and apologized for not being more vocal from the outset about its relevance to the Victrix Pro FS’s development. The Victrix Pro FS’ system has been dubbed “The Link 2” in honor of the original modification.

[You can get a closer look at the original The Link by Phreakmods in our review. – Editor]

All in all, the Victrix Pro FS is an incredibly impressive fight stick, and will definitely stand out with its bold design and fully customizable LEDs. Extensive playtesting will determine how this stick holds up against the rest of the industry, but from where I’m standing, things are looking pretty bright.

The Victrix Pro FS will be available sometime in August 2018 for PlayStation 4/PC and Xbox One. We will keep you updated with pricing and release details as they become available.

Source: Victrix Pro

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The Capcom Shadaloo C.R.I. announce planes to nerf Sagat V-Skill Uppercut at end of August, reveal balance changes in most recent Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition patch

Just a week after his release, Capcom has made a major change to the King of Muay Thai.

Early this morning, Capcom announced via their Shadaloo C.R.I. site that a “serious oversight” would be addressed in regards to one of Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition’s most recent releases, Sagat. According to the report, a “problem with big influence on the battle was found,” and Capcom is already taking steps to remedy it.

The issue in question is Sagat’s Tiger Uppercut: currently, the move’s V-Skill iteration is completely invulnerable between frame 3 and 7 of its animation. The quickly upcoming patch will seek to fix this, rendering it invincible in regards to projectiles and attacks only — not throws. This nerf will make Sagat’s Tiger Uppercut V-Skill unsafe in regards to grabs, leaving players to adapt to a new change early on in his lifespan.

When Sagat was added on the 7th, Capcom revealed that new changes were ushered in with him: According to the post, certain “lock-on” attacks would reverse players’ inputs. Characters affected by this glitch include Cammy, Dictator, Kolin, Zeku, and Blanka. Old Zeku will be able to cancel his cr.HP into special moves and V-Trigger, while Blanka will no longer be able to perform his normal Electric Thunder during V-Trigger 1 via jump cancelling. Ryu, Abigail, and Mika likewise received some changes — Ryu won’t be subject to V-Trigger damage scaling after stunning his opponents with Collarbone Breaker or Axe Kick. Abigail’s hitboxes during Abi-Lift will also be fixed, no longer hitting opponents behind him due to his collision box clashing with his opponents’ knockback. Players can read a full list of the changes here.

Abigail-Screen-5

Alongside these developments comes an all-new training option — Following a ranked or casual match, players can now choose to return to training mode against the last character they played, allowing for immediate labbing following the battle.

Source: Shadaloo C.R.I. (Capcom)