There are various forms of media and entertainment available to the average person. Of these available outlets, there are video games which have been gaining massive momentum since the introduction of the pinball machine. The industry of gaming has evolved so much that communities of players have formed to support certain genres of games. One community in particular is the fighting game community. There is indeed a community of people involved with the interaction and improvement of fighting games. These people, some call Armchair Athletes , (Parker) are the players, streamers, event organizers, companies that make the games, and therefore supporters, of the fighting game scene. The purpose of this paper will be to describe what the Fighting game community is what it means to the people involved, and its importance in the world electronic sports. Or in popular terms E-sports. It will also show the origins and growth of the Fighting game community throughout the years and what it has become. Finally, his paper will be concluded by an explanation of where the community stands now and what it means to be a part of something so big yet so unknown to the world outside of the world of gaming.
So what is the fighting game community? Why does it exist? To a foreigner of competitive fighting games, the scene might look like nothing more than a large group of nerds who just play fighting games all day. This is simply not the case and an unsafe assumption. There are several layers to the FGC and those who are a part of it. When taking a closer look, it is realized that there are different degrees of gamers in the community. For instance, on the first level, there are casual players, those who just play occasionally with friends. Then there are the tournament attendees, those who actually take part in competitions and regard gaming as a serious hobby. Then there are the pro players, those who are sponsored by companies such as MadKatz or BrokenTier, and actually make a living from gaming. These players dedicate most of their day to studying the rules and limits of world inside any particular game. While this may sound somewhat anti-social, these players become recognized in a community built around what they spend so much time studying. So to actually sum up what the FGC actually is; An international mass group of players dedicated to the growth and interaction of fighting games
Is there any significance to the FGC at all? Well, to non-gamers, no. Not to say it wouldn’t influence people who don’t play to at least attempt a playthrough of whatever game they choose. But to actual players who follow and keep track of the big names and results of any given tournament, it’s paramount to them. There are those who don’t even play, rather, they make tournaments viewable to the public, at least to those that are interested, by streaming the event online through various streaming websites. People who aren’t fortunate enough to attend such events get to at least be a part of it via through their monitor and watch as their favorite player or game is being displayed live. The true beauty, however, is the fact that casual players can interact with any pro player in this sport by simply playing them. They don’t have to be physically dominating or 7 feet tall to compete. They just have to understand the language of the game to participate. To compare to other forms of competition, one would not be able to go toe to toe on a football field against Michael Vick or Randy Moss if they haven’t had years of conditioning. One wouldn’t be able to out maneuver Lebron James on a basketball court either. That’s what’s so appealing to most gamers. Players can be in a wheelchair and still have a chance against the top players in the world. And there are indeed disabled players who play with one hand or use their face to push buttons. Players don’t even have to be from the same continent let alone the same country. They can sit down with a foreigner and just play because, as previously stated, they’re speaking the language of the game. So what is the importance? It unites all players, foreign and domestic. It also creates an incentive for big name companies to produce and distribute more games and for more tournaments to be organized.
How did the FGC come about? Its start proceeds the age of the internet and required people to meet face to face to back up their claims regarding who is better at what particular game. It started in the late eighties and early nineties with the explosion of arcades being located everywhere. To quote an article written by a man named Ryan Blevins titled “Times have changed for the fighting game community.” He writes “In the early 90's, with the release of Street Fighter II, competitive fighting games were born and at the same time experienced a boom. Almost everyone played. If you were into video games back then, then you probably played Street Fighter II at one point. Arcades were constantly filled with people playing and discussing the game. Back then there was no internet, so your typical forum discussions you have now were taking place in person. Lots of friendships were made based on the simple love of fighting games.” (Blevins) Another article, written by Seth Killian, a producer at Capcom, states “Of course, even before Street Fighter, arcades have always embodied a capacity for competition. Since the advent of high-score record-keeping, players have struggled to leave a lasting mark, and evaluate themselves relative to each other. But most of the time you didn't even recognize the guy behind the initials on the high-score list (unless you happened to see him in action), and it's hard even for the psychopaths that hang around arcades to take three letters on a high-score board very personally. Streetfighter changed all of that (and saved the arcade industry in the process)” (Killian). So basically, the FGC started with the boom of arcades and since then has only gotten bigger.
With advancements in technology, such as the internet or the advanced programming in games, players and organizers have found a way to spread the word of competitive gaming to reach a broader horizon of people. The haven website for all fighting games is shoryuken.com. From here, players can communicate with one another discussing strategies, weaknesses, problems, or strengths of any particular game. They can also give their opinions of any game to the actual creators, producers, or developers of whatever game they’re playing. It can be deduced from this that the community is dedicated to the growth and further betterment of games. To make a comparison, how much influence can the average NFL fan have if given the chance to the owner or coach of their favorite sports team and give their own thoughts of what the team should focus on and actually have their opinion be considered? With players being able to talk to each other and the creators, having their voices heard and acknowledged, it creates a sort of bond between player and developer. The scene grows because players enjoy games they feel they somehow contributed towards. Also, with people streaming major events or tournaments online, for free, those who aren’t fortunate enough to attend can still watch the action online. Combine these two and a community growing exponentially is formed. The more players, streamers, organizers, creators, and developers there are, the bigger the scene.
As a result, the FGC, as of now, has never been bigger. With major titles being added to major tournaments every year, newer interests are shown to the scene. People who don’t even play still involve themselves by perhaps providing ways for players to transport their equipment safely. Example being creating special duffle bags specifically designed for the hardware used in competitive play. Every person involved being able to contribute only makes the scene that much more appealing to noon-gamers, which basically the goal of the community itself, growth.

Bibliography
Blevins, Ryan. 1up.com. 02 June 2011. 09 11 2012.
Killian, Seth. Shoryuken.com. 5th January 2010. 9 November 2012.
Parker, Will. Armchair Athletes: how fighting games are becoming the next E-Sport. Buffalo, 07 2011.