Every now and then, a big publisher will make a seemingly inexplicable decision that leaves onlookers in a state of disbelief — and this latest move from Capcom is right up there amongst the most baffling.
So, every year, Capcom hosts the Capcom Cup for the current iteration of Street Fighter. It takes the world’s best players from the surrounding Capcom Pro Tour and places them into a tournament bracket. The winner usually walks away with a substantial cash prize.
Up until now, all of these Capcom Cup finals have been free to watch, streamed live on sites like YouTube and Twitch. Indeed, esports events in general are paid for by sponsorships and advertising deals, with the resulting shows being littered with ads in between matches, and constant product placements.
However, the upcoming Capcom Cup 12, which takes place in March next year, will be a pay-per-view event. In other words, you’ll need to buy a ‘ticket’ to watch the finals live.
Virtual ticket prices go as high as 6,000 yen (roughly $40 / £30) for the full package.
Needless to say, Street Fighter fans are bemused. The overriding sentiment is that locking a fighting game event behind a paywall is incredibly shortsighted.
Although the reach of major events — like Evo, for example — has expanded over the years, many would argue that fighting games are still far too niche to demand a pay-per-view model.
So we’re left wondering: why would Capcom risk damaging its reputation over something like this? Well, it’s hard to escape the fact that Street Fighter 6 is massive in Japan.
The game’s seriously struck a chord over there, and it’s entirely possible that Capcom’s simply set on monetising such a surge in popularity — global consequences be damned.
Numerous big names from the fighting game community, including both professional players and commentators, have spoken out against Capcom’s supposed madness.
What do you make of this? Has Capcom lost the plot, or is this kind of move towards pay-per-view inevitable for esports? Drop your combo in the comments section below.
