Of all the esports, fighting games are some of the most social of their kind. Unlike rows of arm-folded gentlemen yelling about tops and bottoms (something I didn’t expect to hear outside of Brighton), the FGC (Fighting game community) is a much more personal affair: It’s you and the other guy, and at worst a chorus of people singing along if you do poorly.
Last month, I attended a tournament to celebrate the launch of Tekken 8- The Tekken 8 Fan Fest Launch by local FGC chapter Infinite Carnage, Revolutionary Esports Venture and Gakuen.GG. While its main event was a tournament it was moreso a launch party- for every person here to compete it felt like two more were there just to bask in the glory of some good Tekken.
It’s not just the event either: Since then Tekken 8 has absolutely dominated the Malaysian FGC, with more and more setups full of people trying to do Reina Electrics or flex their 10-hit combos.
As someone who struggles learning Tekken, it’s reminded me of one very important point- while games like DOTA were meant to be played online, fighting games were born of the arcade, and your enjoyment multiplies the closer you get to that experience. Just being in a hall full of people running the gamut of skill, from lab monsters to 0-2 kings, was electrifying.
Fun From The Gallery
Suffice to say, my own tournament run did not go well. In an online setting, this would have been pretty normal outcome wise- I’d sigh, throw myself back in my chair and suddenly find myself at the bottom of a pint of Haagen-Dasz. Yet in person, you’d be silly to do that. There’s a whole viewing area for people to watch matches, usually staffed with either fellow bracket evictees or future champs waiting for their next match.
Sitting in the gallery is one of the best decisions you could make at this event. The crowd was full of energy, cheering on tournament favorites and popping off any time something cool would happen.
When you attend an in-person tournament, the secret to having a good time is to keep the result secondary. Instead, it’s way better to just focus on the fact you’re surrounded by people who share the same niche hobby as you. Heck, I met a guy from my FGC scene in Bristol.
While more mainstream esports may be all about yelling for your favorite teams fighting games are centered around a love of the game (and sometimes genre) itself. People don’t want to see an unbeatable winning streak, they want to see the Jaguar man land a sick command grab.
By the time Grand Finals rolled around, the atmosphere was electric- leading up to here we’d seen Jack-8 completely annihilate health bars, Victor teleport like he was in an anime game and plenty more of the game’s huge roster turn the tides the moment they enter Heat.
It’s something you just don’t get watching at home- it’s the magic of an entire crowd clutching their heads in their hands as the third chain grab hits, or when someone finally techs a throw. It’s the excitement of realizing real Grand Finals was the Tekken Ball placed shortly after.
The Magic Of Locals
And yet in the weeks after, it feels like the magic hasn’t faded. As a regular of the Infinite Carnage Weeklies, I’ve watched the game absolutely dominate player attention. You’d think a room full of obsessed gamers would be absorbed, they’re somehow not- instead you have a community that’s eager to help new players get into their favorite game.
Look, I won’t mince words that Tekken is a hard game to get into, even as far as fighting games go. Despite the great tutorial, the stacks of moves, knowledge checks and movement can be overwhelming. YouTube guides may help, but at the end of the day nothing helps you learn better than just having people next to you either patient enough to run the set or kind enough to coach you on what you’re doing that could use improvement.
It’s not just about learning, either. When you’re grinding rank, it’s pretty easy to see your opponents as just mindless NPCs to be squashed on the way up to the red ranks. But that thinking is also one of the big things that stand in your way when you’re on a losing streak. Realizing that even Azucena mains are, ultimately, human is a big part of keeping the game fun- because sometimes losing the set is worth it if you can steal a round with a lucky Rage Art.
Admitedly, not everyone is going to have the privilege of offline locals. But if you’re in an area that does, I definitely recommend checking it out just for the experience of it. These games were born in a setting where you played in the same room as each other, and it’s that way that you’ll get the most fun out of it.
