Since the early days of the the fighting game scene or any scene for that matter, Japan has dominated the rest of the world with their top tier reflexes, advanced gameplay tactics, and superior reads. However, at the dawn of Street Fighter V, a highly anticipated game by the competitive esports community, Capcom announced that there would be no arcades of the game. The company, instead, opted to focus on crane games as their physical arcade games. But this unprecedented event has Capcom exploring the possibilities, and profitability, of the online market by releasing their flagship game on PC.

It’s relatively strange for a Japanese company to even release on PC due to their stance of extreme support for their console gaming industry, as well as being dissuaded by the dangers of piracy for games like Street Fighter. It’s progress.

Apparently envious of the success of MOBAs that have but a single and easily accessible platform, Street Fighter V is going on the same path. But this makes some people worry that the entire idea of “Japan Vs. The World” may become mere historical context all entirely.

Steam Keys: The Japanese Arcade Culture

Aside from the very Japanese trait of training till you can’t train anymore, the arcade culture of Japan is the biggest advantage it had over the rest of the world. Being able to compete in a tense and pressure-packed atmosphere, as well as exposure to all types of players and their diverse playstyles have enable Japanese players to do so well on the narrower-thinking world.

Without and arcade version of SFV, this advantage ceases to exist, with most challenges between players happening only online. This isn’t to throw shade at the concept of getting better at online match play, but there aren’t any stakes involved when combating another through net play. What sort of stakes, you ask? Well, the very idea that single 100 yen you put through the machine of course! That speaks volumes of what it feels like to be in an arcade; you don’t want your money wasted.

Surely, the prevalence of netplay in SFV will greatly make the game, and the genre, much more competitive and accessible to everybody else in the world. Secrets in Japanese gameplay will no longer remain secret. But this does foreshadow an end to an era.

Street Fighter V is now available online and at retail stores. For the best deals on Steam redeem code and cheap steam games, check out our Steam Keys section on PlayerAuctions.