‘Street Fighter,’ a Rising Phenomenon (Video)

By Anthony Foster
Menlo Oak Staff

In 1987, the world saw its first glimpse of  “Street Fighter,” an arcade fighting game that would take the video game industry by storm.  With this year’s release of “Street Fighter x Tekken,”  casual players and gamers alike are taking note of  how an arcade game hobby that has transformed itself into a sport, complete with professional players.

While the “Street Fighter” game has had many installments, “Street Fighter x Tekken” brings two coveted fighting franchises together for the first time, “Street Fighter” and “Tekken."

“Street Fighter” is the most popular among video games of the fighting genre, but other titles such as “Soul Calibur,” “BlazBlue,”  and, “Street Fighter’s” counterpart, “Tekken,”  have created a diverse, and competitive environment. 

The impact of  “Street Fighter x Tekken” can especially be seen at the gaming competition known as the "Norcal Regionals."  The Norcal Regionals are Northern California’s premier, annual fighting tournament, complete with a large list of game titles.  It attracts fighting game competitors from all over the world. If anybody wants to be a fighting celebrity, they must attend this tournament, and they must do well.

Players who go by stage names such as “Daigo” and “Filipino Champ” make a living off of complex combos and competing in nationally recognized tournaments such as the NorCal Regional. Games that once required players to pay quarters to play has evolved into a sport that pays its professionals. 

Being skilled in “Street Fighter” is like being a professional athlete.

 “I’ve been following Street Fighter specifically since I was a little boy,” says Renfro Lagutan, a GameStop employee and avid “Street Fighter” player. 

“Every year that has passed, not just ‘Street Fighter,’ but the whole scene, has gotten more popular.  It feels like a sport now, I mean there are people who have become celebrities from their talent in the game.”

On March 6 when the latest version of “Street Fighter” was released, Lagutan was a part of the GameStop staff in San Carlos that hosted a midnight tournament. 

We had a tournament planned and we were expecting only  a few people, but we)had a big turnout.  Nearly everybody was there to compete, he said