One might think Japan is the last country that should need help with grassroots fighting game community organization. And yet, since Street Fighter V isn’t a part of the land’s still lively arcade scene, a lot of the players tend to stick to netplay rather than meeting face-to-face.
Bonchan has vowed to travel Japan to tie the scene together, and Red Bull eSports has provided a mission update.
Bonchan stresses how important the human connection is in comparison to just playing people online: “While throwing an event might be an exhausting job, it’s also very rewarding, and it’s always better to have a rival or a friend to play and communicate with rather than playing alone at home online.”
As the article explains, having face-to-face interactions can be a lot more fruitful than netplay. Certain personalities can push you to fight back harder and gain more knowledge, and there’s opportunity to discuss strategy and share tips. This leads to much more improvement.
Bonchan is traveling across 47 regions in Japan and hosting tournaments that randomly match local players to force them to expand past their small circle of friends. This worked well enough, and Bonchan witnessed many players break out of their comfort zones. He’s seeing success so far in Hokkaido and Nagoya, and future stops include Tokyo and Hiroshima (in addition to training himself for the Capcom Pro Tour). He would also enjoy continuing this initiative in 2018.
Read the full story on Red Bull eSports, and let us know in the comments if going to locals significantly improved your play versus sticking to online gaming.
Source: Red Bull eSports