Among the various subcultures in the fighting game community, there are those who take particular interest in the still-preferred controller for fighting games: the arcade stick. As part of this, a number of folks cultivates collections of arcade sticks.
One such player is Jimmy Gallegos, more commonly known in the community as Jimmy ShoeGazer. While most collectors tend to focus on OEM arcade sticks and limited edition releases, ShoeGazer instead focuses his collections on custom-built arcade sticks. Specifically, ShoeGazer collects custom arcade sticks by Sam “B15SDM” Kurd.
B15’s arcade sticks have a reputation of being some of the most elaborate and beautiful custom creations around, and some of the most expensive. For many collectors, they’re worth the price however, as B15’s works of wood, metal, acrylic, and paint are often considered works of art on their own, taking on various themes such as “steam punk” or even franchises such as One Piece or Star Wars.
Now, for those who’re either curious about the type of person who collects these — or is looking to start collecting themselves, ShoeGazer is the subject of this new interview from Jon “Jonyfraze” Bonilla. As part of the interview, ShoeGazer not only talks about his background in gaming, he also showcases some of his favorite pieces in his collection — and the latest B15SDM custom that he has commissioned. This new stick, based on Guilty Gear Xrd‘s Bedman, is set to be debuted at Evo 2018.
Check out the interview below.
Source: Jonyfraze, photos c/o B15SDM