Street Fighter Esports

Street Fighter tournaments are very popular and occur at least once a month during each competitive season. Tournaments can be local, regional, worldwide, and in a championship format. Generally, when regional tournaments are held, teams that make it through the regional qualifiers get to compete in the regional finals (with the North American Regional Finals taking place in the coming weeks). However, the Capcom Cup is the most awaited tournaments of them all because it closes out the season and is known for an intensive environment.

Tournaments are always taking place during the competitive season; all it takes is a simple online search to find the next tournament happening in your region. However, international tournaments usually only take place once or twice during the competitive season. Tournaments have become quite popular, with global audiences tuning in to watch their favorite teams compete. Prize pools for tournaments can range from $15,000 to $380,000 on average. The highest prize pool to date has been $500,000.

Due to its popularity, Street Fighter has slowly emerged as one of the top competitive games. It was one of the first games to gain global attraction. Its recognizability and status in the video game world have made it an exhilarating game to play and watch.

Street Fighter became a part of esports around three decades ago and had been making waves with its players and fans since. Some of its biggest tournaments include the ONE Street Fighter 2 Turbo: Hyper Fighting Exhibition, the Capcom Cup, the Furia Tica, and the Blink Fighting Fest. Competitions are usually played on PlayStation, Xbox, or online.

Street Fighter Competitive Seasons

Street Fighter competitive seasons are quite popular amongst players as they give players the chance to meet others who are passionate about the game while also learning new strategies from them. This popularity is why Street Fighter competitive seasons last longer than the competitive seasons of other games (the season usually starts in March and ends in December).

The current season is still going on, and the format is the same, with regional tournaments taking place every month and the Capcom Cup taking place next month (in December). No significant changes have been announced for the current or upcoming season.

During competitive seasons, teams compete with each other in different tournaments and matches. Competitive seasons are quite long because of how popular they are and how many players register to compete during the season. Audiences all over the world also await the season so they can tune in to see their favorite teams battle head to head. Online competitions are generally available all year round and do not necessarily follow the seasonal format.

Street Fighter Game Basics

Like any other fighter game, Street Fighter is quite simplistic and engages its players in head to head combat with a competitor. Depending on the installment being played, you can use 18 to 24 different moves on your opponent, and each move’s execution is dependent on what your opponent is doing. There are also some unique moves that you can execute depending on the character and situation you are in during the game. The basic objective of the game is to defeat the opponent using the moves and boosts available.

Street Fighter gives players endless options when it comes to their character selection. Different available characters (depending on the installment) include Alex, Balrog, Birdie, Cammy, Dan, F.A.N.G., Guy, Hakan, Hugo, etc. The list of characters is quite long, and each character has a different backstory (which makes the game more interesting and in-depth for players).

A pro player and an average player are easy to differentiate when it comes to Street Fighter esports. A pro player is one who knows what moves to use against their opponent at different times (e.g., when the opponent is crouching, standing, leaning, etc.), while an average player has yet to attain enough experience to understand this.

Street Fighter Inventory

The in-game currency in Street Fighter is fight money, and it can be used to buy new characters, costumes, stages, colors, titles, and profile designs. Online, fight money is given as a reward for winning a match. However, it is also awarded for the completion of daily targets, the leveling up of characters, defeating extra battle opponents and completing game modes (which is only awarded one time per mode).

You can use the fight money in the game’s store and whatever is bought may not provide a competitive advantage, but it will keep you motivated to keep playing and achieve more significant milestones. Different achievements are also provided for earning different amounts of cash throughout the game. For example, a Trophy Achievement is awarded when you earn a total of 1 million fight money.

Street Fighter Meta

The most effective tactics available in Street Fighter esports can be used from the very point you select your fighter until the final blow is thrown. Firstly, it is crucial to do your research on the different characters in Street Fighter as this will give you an idea about which character you should select during your next match.

Doing your homework about the different moves available and when each move should be applied during a match is another important tactic you should use. This will help you understand how to defeat your opponent and execute crucial blows that can help in your victory. At this stage, it would be helpful to use your research practically in the training mode of the game (of course, before you enter any competitive tournaments).

However, you may have to begin again with your research if you register for a competition that is set to be played in a different installment of the game.

Street Fighter Team Composition

The Street Fighter game itself is not a multiplayer game, but Street Fighter esports teams are generally composed of 4 to 6 players. However, at one time, a single player will represent their team in different matches. Esports teams do not have any clear roles for their team members and send in their strongest to represent them in various rounds of a tournament.

Each fight is structured in a simple hero versus opponent battle. The hero is the player’s character, and the player is made to defeat their opponent. Opponents can get stronger as you progress through the game and you unlock different opponents through your progression. A boss is an opponent who is challenging to defeat. Most opponent characters cannot be selected as the player’s character (making them unplayable).

Moreover, players do not have many tasks to execute in Street Fighter. The objective is simple: defeat your opponent. However, different characters have different backstories, and this may cause your opponents to be different.

Street Fighter Game Modes

The game modes in Street Fighter are unique and provide players with different opportunities for entertainment and experience. To name a few, Arcade, Dramatic Battle, Team Battle, Extra Battle, Survival, and School Life are various modes that can be played in the game. The endless number of game modes allow players to gain an abundance of experience so that they can be ready for esports competitive tournaments.

Dramatic Battle mode and Survival mode are some of the most popular modes for competitive play. But the modes that are played vary according to the region and type of tournament. Also, modes are not seasonal and are mostly permanent. They are usually decided according to their competitive value and popularity with the players and audiences.

The developers of Street Fighter have yet to announce any new game modes as Street Fighter V was only recently released in 2016. However, there is hope as the developers are continually improving the game to cater to their fans' likes and dislikes.