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[cordy]

Rather than debating about different fighters, let's go to the genre.

Do you love them?
Do you have fond memories of the genre?
Do you think they'll survive?
Do you still play?
How would you improve them?

Personally I've love them for over 20 years, I remember playing SF2T and just falling in love with these unique games. There's something so satisfying about punching someone in the face in a game. Rather than physically fighting someone I'd rather beat them up in a game which also involves the mind, they're great. The "fighting game slump" we had for a while didn't really impact me. I'm a major Tekken fan so having T4, T5, T5DR was perfect and kept things rolling. I might be one of the only people who loved the MK games in the 2000s as well. Hell, Deception was dope.

As for how they'll improve I'm not sure but I imagine we're going to see a big improvement within the next few years. Probably a "boost" hopefully soon.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

Aside from a fun stint with SC2 during my friend group's teen gaming days, I've never been able to stick with them / get good at them.

I've tried, a few times, with SF IV especially, I just didn't have a sparring partner.

I wish I was better at them / they were made in a way that would really help make me good

 

[Perfect Cha0s]

I like them, but I spend too much time on other games to really get into one. Adding to that, if I want to play something competitive, I'd rather just play a MOBA at this point.

As far as "improving" them goes, I think there are a lot of different avenues that could be explored in the fighting genre, but fighting games (and the genre) seem to have a very dedicated core fanbase who may be resistant to any major changes because it "wouldn't be a fighting game anymore."

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing if those people are still getting new games they enjoy, but at times it does seem like the genre has a lot of untapped potential.

 

[pixelpatch]

I'm not a massive fan of them. I think it can get sometimes repetitive.

 

[omnislayer]

It's the best game genre IMO with RPGs being a close second for me.
Guilty Gear is obviously the best series ever. Tekken and Arcana Heart are very good too.

 

[Rapscallion]

Smash 4 is the first one I've ever really committed to. Playing online is just so much fun that I've probably already sunk more hours into 4 than any of the other Smash games or fighting games.

The competitive scene is building, so I certainly think there is room for them to grow and expand.

 

[Aldric]

l love them but l'm pretty bad at them. l grew up playing them, a lot of the time in arcades too (although it was in super small arcades in a tiny French town so the competition wasn't exactly fierce).

l used to have a half decent Abel in SSFIV days but then l got worse instead of improving, gave up on it and haven't really touched a fighting game since then.l might get SFV depending on how Juri (another one of my favorite characters) plays.

 

[Watch Da Birdie]

Buy them all the time but basically only try out every character in Training and then never touch it again.

The characters and presentation always appeal to me so much, but---yeah, I kind of suck at them.

 

[jmdajr]

Always been a HUUUUGE fan until it became about the fighting game community.
Fighting people online made me feel
A have a friend who is into it at that level and I don't even understand wtf he is talking about. It's a different language. You know, I just can't hang. I don't have the time or probably even the ability to get that good.

I need my single player options and button masher opponents.

I think that ship has sailed though. For the most part.

edit: New Killer Instinct is cool.

 

[Hupsel]

I like them... but I suck at them. I wish they could make something new with it, maybe add some cool RPG mechanics that change a characters move list or even give him new moves. I think MKX did something like this. Also, I am not a big fan of combo based fighting games, which are the vast majority, one of the reasons why I always loved Soul Calibur and its more casual nature.

 

[Effnine]

Played them casually as a kid in the arcades, but once I got older and found out about frame counting and such, I never touched them again. Just not my thing. I also never had the patience to actually sit and learn combos (most of which I can never actually pull off).

 

[Agent_J]

They're some of the best local couch multiplayer games. I have fond memories of Mortal Kombat on Genesis, Bloody Roar on PlayStation, Marvel Vs Capcom on Dreamcast, MvC3 on PS3. Plus multiple Street Fighters since SNES.

Never could get into online, it's just not the same when you don't really know your opponent.

 

[T-Rex.]

I think they're pretty cool but unfortunately I am horrific at them. Always have been, always will be. It's the only genre where I routinely get twatted when playing online which is why I usually don't bother.

 

[Tohsaka]

Used to be into them when I was younger and had people to play with casually offline, not so much anymore. I don't care to get good enough to be competitive online, and I find the single player content to be lacking in most fighters these days.

 

[RK128]

I like them and in some cases (UMvC3, SF Alpha 3, Smash Brothers Series, PS All Stars, Mortal Kombat), I can really get into them !

Though......I suck badly at most fighters and consistently lose whenever I play online for any game. PS All Stars was the only exception to this though.

 

[Neoxon]

• Do you love them?
  Yes, they're probably my favorite genre of video games. You just can't get the same kind of competitive interaction with the person next to you out of any other genre. It's a genre that's purely based on the skill of the players, & that's (again) something that few genres of games offer.
• Do you have fond memories of the genre?
  Yup, my first game was Marvel vs. Capcom 1 when I was 3 years old. I got into Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact when I was 3 & picked up Urien (which carried over into Third Strike). From there I discovered everything else the genre had to offer. And while I did take a break due to school, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 brought me back to the FGC.
• Do you think they'll survive?
  Why wouldn't they, especially now that fighting games are earning a place amongst the pantheon of eSports. The pure element of person-to-person mental chess & insanity isn't something that will die anytime soon.
• Do you still play?
  Yup. In fact, most of the games I'm getting this year are fighting games (I have SFV, & am planning on getting my own copy of Pokkén, my own copy of MKX, KoFXIV, GGXrd Revelator, & Tekken 7). I currently take Street Fighter V & Smash 4 seriously.
• How would you improve them?
  I'd say get the average person more involved, & not just with more single-player modes. I'm talking in-depth tutorials that actually dissects the idea behind the neutral game, match-ups, & other finer details within fighting games. Skullgirls actually came the closest to what I want out of tutorials. And while Street Fighter V's tutorials are a step in the right direction for Capcom in particular, more can be done. I just want to see more people master their character so they can get to the level where they're fighting the person rather than the person's character or even their own character. Also, take a page out of LoL's book & actually advertise tournaments in-game as well as show tournaments that are going on near you. Hell, take it a step further & have the game interact with Twitch in-game to show tournaments live. Street Fighter V already has the information announcer lady saying tournament names, so the building blocks for such tournament integration are there. And to Street Fighter V specifically, it'd be nice if Capcom took a page out of NRS's book & put frame data in the command list. Also, Sakurai & Bandai Namco, GIVE US LEGIT HONEST-TO-GOD PATCH NOTES!!!! IF THE SPLATOON GUYS ARE GIVING US PATCH NOTES, YOU GUYS HAVE NO EXCUSE!!!!!!

 

[BumblebeeCody]

I love fighting games. They're the first genre to open me to understanding gaming on a much more indepth level. It was just about dodging and shooting in games I've played before, but understand the difference between how I have 3 frames to punish this move on block. It took my execution and skill of video games to a much higher level. You had games like the Hack and Slash/Spectacle fighters but once I got into games like SFIV, gaming became a lot more fun.

Just from SFIV alone I've met plenty of new people who've I've become good friends online and in person.

I have fond memories of playing Tekken 2 over and over and even reading the manual in bed.

Will they survive? Of course. I've said it before about the genre but they are possibly the only genre out there will stand the test of time. By that I mean, even now, 25 years on, Street Fighter 2 is still being played at tournaments. Fighting games don't need the latest technology for flashy graphics or be using the latest in software game development, because it's all about mechanics. Mechanics the most fundamental and important part of the genre. With that, you'll have games like we have now, we're bad graphics will been seen as a negative or "good for that time". It also helps the community grow and let people choose what games they want to be a part of. As much as I think Smash 4 is a load of crap, it has a large thriving community that is still growing. I still have the option to play Melee or Project M because I prefer the mechanics of those games and those communities will continue to exist. Much like how I prefer to play Street Fighter 4 over any other Street Fighter game, but still consider Third Strike to be the best in the series due to it's presentation, music and parry mechanic. I think it's also important to note that fighting games are strictly based on sitting next to your opponent. We won't need to worry about servers shutting down since the core competitive experience has always been sitting next to your rival....well, except for SFV which doesn't even let training mode function as intended if you're offline.

There isn't any need for the games to improve, only for people to learn the games. Many fighting games such as Skullgirls, Killer Instinct, Tekken Tag 2 and SFV have great tutorials that should be able to get any beginner involved, but a lot of people still don't want to commit to learning which results in a false stigma of the genre. i don't think fighting games need to improve since we have so many to play and each with their own mechanics, but it's the new player mentality that needs to improve.

 

[Jotamide]

My favorite genre. I like playing online only though, I don't give a fuck about the FGC. Still watch Evo for Xrd though.

 

[John Kowalski]

Never liked them. Not a competitive person.

 

[Menitta]

Probably my favorite genre. For a while, I never could articulate why I didn't like Mobas or other team based games. It's because when I lose, it's because of me. Fighting games are 100% based on a single player's skill. Also, the matches aren't 45 minutes long. They're nice quick bursts of tension that I find super enjoyable.

Also, Sakurai & Bandai Namco, GIVE US LEGIT HONEST-TO-GOD PATCH NOTES!!!! IF THE SPLATOON GUYS ARE GIVING US PATCH NOTES, YOU GUYS HAVE NO EXCUSE!!!!!!

This too.

 

[Alucrid]

Do you love them? yes
Do you have fond memories of the genre? yes
Do you think they'll survive? yes
Do you still play? yes
How would you improve them? i'm not paid for this

 

[Aadrian1234]

They're fun, but i lack the time and effort to get good at them. The only time i've really clicked was playing Elphelt in Guilty gear Xrd. I was reliably tying in wins against a friend who i think is better than average in fighters, but I barely boot them up once the "new game smell" wears off

They're definitely good games for people who want to challenge themselves. I enjoy watching tournaments when i see a character i have played and understand and see just how great a top level player can play with them.

 

[7DollarHagane]

The feeling of leveling up and out smarting and out playing othsr people is like nothing else in games.

I wish more people would take the time to learn and not expect them to be as easy to pick up and play as a shooter or open world game.

Everyone says they don't have the time but if you play an hour a day or a few hours a week you can still learn something and improve.

 

[CHC]

Do you love them? Not at all, I like to explore and feel immersed in a setting when I play games. I'm not really into anything that takes place in an arena.

Do you have fond memories of the genre? Yes, some. Playing Mortal Kombat as a little kid, or Def Jam Fight For NY with my friends were good times.

Do you think they'll survive? Yes, competitive scene is alive and well.

Do you still play? No.

How would you improve them? Not my department.

 

[BoosterDuck]

I like them... but I suck at them. I wish they could make something new with it, maybe add some cool RPG mechanics that change a characters move list or even give him new moves. I think MKX did something like this. Also, I am not a big fan of combo based fighting games, which are the vast majority, one of the reasons why I always loved Soul Calibur and its more casual nature.

SFxT

 

[vibbon]

I like them, but outside of Skullgirls, I can't hold my own against anyone that actually knows what they're doing. I want to be good at Virtua Fighter 5 ;_;

 

[bob_arctor]

I am now 43. I will be playing fighting games until they have to pry the stick out of my cold, dead hands. Street Fighter, of course, but many others as well. Looking forward to the new KoF and very happy that Melty Blood (and soon UNIEL) is on Steam. Gotta support the genre I love. There is simply nothing else out there like the one on one of a fighting game. Learning new tactics. Seeing yourself improve over time. Hitting combos. The mental game. Nothing comes close for me.

 

[Aldric]

SFxT

SFV isn't really combo heavy, actually that's one of the issues some SFIV players have with the game.

Well, Guile excepted of course...

edit oh wait you were talking about the customization aspect, nevermind.

 

[TreIII]

Do you love them? - Hell, yeah.

Do you have fond memories of the genre? - Hell, yeah, again. A lot of my most formative years in gaming where spent playing the likes of Mortal Kombat 2, Street Fighter, KOF96 and Samurai Shodown 2/4 at arcades, every chance I could get.

Do you think they'll survive? - Depends on what you mean by "surviving". As suggested above, you still have various scenes, where people play games as old as SF2Turbo and SSF2, let alone other classics like KOF98, Last Blade 2, Garou: MOTW, SF3:3S, Smash Melee, and so many others. You'll also probably have some devs like Netherrealm, ASW and SNK continuing to put out more games as years go by, even if Capcom eventually decides to bow out (again).

I highly doubt that the genre will see the kind of "boom" it had in the 90s, much less the revival it enjoyed in part thanks to SF4. But at least compared to some genres like say, scrolling shmups, I'd say that the genre still has years left in it. And it's likely due to the fact that this game is meant to foster playing with other people, as well as personal mastery/betterment.

Do you still play? - Try to, anyway. Life after college comes at you fast, so I don't have as much time to play and hop over to local events, in general. But I'll always watch and try to support the scene anyway I can. And as a SNK head at heart, I'd be lying if KOFXIV isn't the most excitement I've had for a fighter in quite some time.

How would you improve them? - My main qualm, as has been stated in other threads, is that I don't think any game has outdone the likes of Virtua Fighter 4's Quest/Kumite modes, when it comes to teaching a person how to play a game, but also making it a fun experience in itself, so that it's not just "busy work" that a player is expected to memorize before they even get started playing.

Otherwise, it still has to be on the person themselves. FGs are games where you can't get instant-gratification and you won't come out feeling like a winner if you just got sacked with an 0-2 loss. There's only so much more in the way of "leeway" you can feasibly offer here.

 

[Apenheul]

Do you love them?
Yes, though I'm very picky about the core mechanics; I like when there's a nice balance between offensive and defensive mechanics and I don't like move-execution complexity. I grew up with Street Fighter 2, got semi-competitive with Street Fighter IV, then learned to appreciate Tekken's pacing and Smash 4 Wii U is my current favorite in the genre.

Do you have fond memories of the genre?
Street Fighter 2 on an arcade-cabinet when I was still in elementary school, as soon as I learned that SF2Turbo was coming to SNES I practically begged my parents to buy it for me. SF2 was also my very first fighting game.

Do you think they'll survive?
As long as there's a scene for it there will be developers creating fighting games. Maybe we won't see something with the success of Mortal Kombat X anymore but games like Skullgirls will continue to get made for at least 5 more years I think (and hope).

Do you still play?
Not as often anymore as in my SF4 days but I play Smash 4 just about every week with friends and a little of SFV on the side at work against a colleague, and also some import retro fighting games from his collection.

How would you improve them?
I think controls of some of the bigger fighting game franchises still carry outdated control schemes with them that; I believe the more intuitive the game controls and with a good balance of offensive and defensive options more tactical depth can be exposed.

 

[Gren]

Even though I don't play them nearly as much as I used to, they've pretty much been what keeps me invested in this hobby for several years now.

i.e. if there weren't new SF, KOF, Tekken, etc developments to look forward to, I'd probably be less inclined to stay on top of games news & upcoming releases in general. I'd just play my backlog & only try new titles as I discover them on my own time.

Spoiler

Maybe fighting games need to die

 

[NoctisVsStar]

I love fighting games playing them it's like riding a bike, it's second nature to me. But that's mostly because my first console was a sega Genesis with SF2 championship edition (thanks mom!) and back in the day SF2 arcade cabinets were everywhere (laundromats,malls, deli's etc)

The funny thing is used to be a pad player but forced myself to learn stick, took about 1 or 2 months to finally click but it was worth it.

3s and CvS2 are my all time faves.

 

[bryt]

I love fighting games, but I only like the super fast paced ones with free flowing movement like Guilty Gear and Marvel. Street Fighter is super boring to me.

 

[Numb]

They are the best genre

 

[DeployThatPizza]

I like them if I play them with friends. I can't play them competitively or online.

 

[Waddle Dee]

I always liked fighting games but it wasn't until MvC3 that I actually tried to get deep into a fighting game. I had lots of fun with both that and UMvC3 and even became pretty decent at them. I played UMvC3 until late 2013 and the thew in the towel. I'm afraid to go back and play it as I'm worried I'd get obsessed with it again No fighting game since has quite hooked me like that.

SFV is fun but I just don't get as into it. I also suck at SF fundamentals...

Smash as a whole doesn't count for me, personally. Don't get me wrong, I DO think Smash is a fighting game but that's not really how me or my friends ever played it. We usually played with rules similar to standard tournament rules but we never bothered to learn how to play competitively.

 

[deriks]

I'll probably die and the fighting genre still stay strong

 

[LowParry]

My only complaint about fighting games is the lack of 3D fighters. Tekken we'll be lucky to get by next year. SC? VF? Where you at? I miss you.

 

[NoctisVsStar]

I'll probably die and the fighting genre still stay strong

The day SF dies I'll stop playing fighting games (80 years later)

 

[NightShift]

I only ever played fighting games as a kid. I was never good at them but I'm sure that if I put the effort in, I could get pretty good. The only thing stopping me is the lack of a reliable internet connection and friends who are also interested in fighting games.

But I do watch other people playing fighting games a lot. Street Fighter and Killer Instinct I find are the most visually pleasing to watch in tournaments. A big part of this is the community. I have never seen fans of a thing so active and dedicated to what they love.

 

[CommandThrower]

Fighting Games are my favorite genre, but I hardly play them at the moment.

My work schedule makes it difficult to play fighting games like I want to, so until I change it, I don't play them very much. Despite pretty much not playing them and dedicating my free time to other genres/games recently, it's still my favorite genre, bar none.

 

[HardRojo]

Huge fan, mostly of 2D fighters like Street Fighter and KoF. They're here to stay, they won't be going anywhere. As for how they can improve, I think they won't improve as a game necessarily, but as content for spectators and people who want to follow the community, so I think their growth is more dependent on their reach as a product that can be consumed by viewers and fans in the shape of bigger tournaments and hype.

 

[RecRoulette]

Love em, favorite genre, but don't have the time to really get invested in one, I just like trying out most of them.

 

[Creaking]

I wish there were more players who weren't just going with the typical 2D with supers Street Fighter format. Genre is lacking in the 3D gameplay department. Tekken and Dead or Alive are the only two that we know for sure are still standing.

 

[DJ_Lae]

I respect them as a means of competition but I don't really care for them myself. I play too many games to really spend the time with any given fighting game, so my skill level rarely goes above button mashing and other than a handful of series (DOA and Soul Calibur offhand) most fighting games require some investment to get past the sucking ass stage.

I still occasionally get the urge to play a fighting game, and I then buy one, play it a little bit and remember that I still don't really enjoy playing them, and then go another year or so before figuring that I should give another fighting game a shot and the whole process repeats all over again. It weirdly mirrors my KFC consumption habits.

Killer Instinct was the most recent game I bought and whiffed on.

 

[Abounder]

Nowadays I only buy Smash and Mortal Kombat on Day 1. My favorite era was Dreamcast, loved playing the 'new' titles like Soul Calibur and Power Stone

How would I improve them? I only have boring ideas like cheaper pricing especially if you don't have enough content to rival Smash

 

[CountAntonius]

Street Fighter 2 was my first taste of competitive gaming. SFIV brought me back to fighters cause of nostalgia and i tried really hard to get back into it. I enjoy the scene but I'm just not good at these types of games. I skipped SFV completely but do enjoy the streams.

 

[Crankshaft]

I don't have as much time to game as I used to. Fighting and racing games are my staples because they are easy to spend a brief amount of time on and still feel like I did something.

I used to love RPG's but when all you have is an hour to game then that's like exploring one town.

 

[DukeLongfellow]

I find Tekken and Guilty Gear fun for a while but I suck at them pretty much. Can do decently with Hworang and Steve against some friends when we play it once in a blue moon but I am not at all technical at it nor do I understand all the fighting game lingo.

Honestly, aside from those, I actually prefer the 3D fighters I played. Namely, the old Budokai Tenkaichi series on PS2 (there hasn't been a good one since, I think), the Ultimate Ninja Storm games (I am not even a Naruto fan but I like them from a technical perspective - wish more fighting games had this good of a story mode) and Dissidia: 012 (from what I played on ad-hoc party I ruled as Squall and The Emperor; tried to learn Exdeath as he is literally a cheese fest when mastered but fell out).

To sum it up, my experience with fighting games has been mostly single player and casual to the point of filthy. Not my favorite genre by a mile but one I can have fun for a few days at least.

EDIT: Oh, I forgot Soul Calibur. How did I forget that? I played the crap out of SCIII with friends. There was that RTS mode thingy - we played that a whole summer with custom made characters. SCIV too was one of the first games on my PS3. Fun times.

 

[mikeyvids]

Fun as long as it isn't designed with system upon convoluted system. Oh well you have to build your X meter by using your taunts but if you taunt when your X meter is filled you lose health and the X meter can only be used by performing a perfectly timed special attack after a chain of combos.