Capcom has yet to announce SSFIV for arcades, which means SBO can’t feature it this year – and they don’t use consoles. If Capcom do not release SSFIV for arcades, it means one thing. The absoulte death of the arcade. Are Capcom really guilty? Let’s look at the evidence:
Capcom has buckets of cash. They didn’t sit around just making fighting games. Heck, they didn’t just sit around making games – they even made movies. Here’s the motive for murder – what makes more money for Capcom – arcades or DLC?
If Capcom shun the arcades and prove DLC to be more profitable, what do you think Arcsys and SNKP will do? Follow suit, of course with a result of arcade genocide (cutter!!!). You can’t have real tournament action at your house while your parents are in. Arcades are liberating, arcades get you out of the house, give you exercise, support the economy at large (think how many things you spend money on, travelling there and back), not just one company’s pocket. Have you even played online recently and noticed the lag? This isn’t real playing – you can only do this live, in an arcade. Do you believe this is just? Do arcades deserve to die? The prosecution rests its case.
In defence, what do you really expect Capcom to do? What’s the point of arcades anyway? People can compete just as well in the comfort of their own home (24mb line). Why manufacture another costly kit for the Taito board, which will just rust as soon as the console version is released? Sure there are arcade cards which can store data, but compared to the account linked to your PSN/XBLA account, which is preferred and even more secure? People can chat and play without fear of robbery or assault and don’t have to worry their parents. Arcades are old and un-needed – if you want a tournament, use the consoles, what’s the difference? In an arcade you’d have to worry about faulty sticks or buttons. At home, it’s all your own. Why be forced to spend money to play one match? Capcom didn’t kill anyone, they’re saving YOU.
So I hand it to you, the jury, assuming Capcom don’t release SSFIV for the arcades, are they in fact guilty of signing the arcade’s death warrant? You decide…
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What’s the point of arcades, you ask?
http://insomnia.ac/commentary/arcade_culture/
And if we’re going to judge whether something is better by how profitable it is, everyone might as well stop making real games and start making Wii Fit clones.
To be honest SF4 was not a big hit in arcades (had a following but I doubt that it makes wadloads of cash for arcade owners). The concept is still the same, give the player an experience that they can’t find at home. Fighting games aren’t the real backbone in arcades now, being replaced by larger and more expensive machines. Because the consoles can give that experience are available now. Obviously fighting games work best in an arcade environment. But now a similar experience can be had at home.
Obviously the scene has changed, they have different money grabbing mechanisms but at the same time these new machines have a higher purchasing cost and maintenance. Regardless of how it is now, it’s past the time where arcades will need to fighting games to survive.
Just last summer, Japanese arcades seemed to be dominated by horse racing, Gundam simulators, music games and traditional catcher machines. Of course you still had SF in practically every arcade and the odd fighting game hotspot like a-cho, but that’s like 20 people stuffed into a room, pumping 100 yen coins for 3-4 hours in one night, out of how many days a week? Remember that revenue doesn’t go to Capcom, it goes to the arcade owner. For arcades to survive, they have to have machines that can’t be brought home. In a way, with the music games and fish/prawn/figurine catchers, it’s like the amusement arcade has gone historically full circle. I remember when there used to be one fighting game and a shooter, amongst all the gambling machines.
Btw, that essay refers to the HEY arcade. Been there, on a Saturday, same time, expecting some hot challenges for KOF. While I got some challenges, the scene wasn’t exactly hot. Nothing compared to Kyoto’s a-cho. Maybe I came at a bad time of year? Compared to the other arcades that I visited around Akiba, I doubt it. Things have changed, remember that essay was written in 2007. I saw lots of people going to arcades to try and catch a small lobster or play Japanese drums, in couples. I’ll be back in April to see what’s going on.
Wii fit? Fans and businessmen judge things in totally different ways. You think Capcom are fans?
“Fans and businessmen judge things in totally different ways. You think Capcom are fans?”
I don’t really like Capcom nor anything, but the company has made a lot of games out of sheer love for gaming or a certain products. Using characters from the X men or Jojo and such. Also, Tatsunoko vs Capcom had huge agreement restraints, but Capcom itself went out of their way and started convinced people that there where benefits of doing a game. The fact that the game was published overseas despise the copyright inferno outside japans speak enough.
Also TvC did not had that amount of success (It can actually be considered a game that bombed badly, a la SF III), but capcom developers still pressed for a second game.
Sheer love? I love the manga so much I’m going to make a game out of it and give it away… hmmm… there are some lovely people who work in game companies but behind them all is some boss who needs to get paid. A game company going out of their way to convince people the benefits of making a game…. sounds about right! God I’m getting so cynical…