17-Year-Old Modern Zangief Lands Sponsorship Following Viral Debate

One of the big stories of the past week within the FGC came out of Japan following a 17-year-old player called Haitei Raoyue, who was looking for sponsorship and ended up opening the floodgates for a debate as to the viability of Modern controls beyond Street Fighter 6.

It has now emerged that Haitei will indeed get a sponsorship until the end of the year, and his sponsor is none other than Takagi, who is only three years older and is also relatively new to the scene. Takagi represents RIDDLE ORDER and is a proficient Blanka player and now a regular on Street Fighter League Japan. After supporting Haitei on social media, Takagi took it a step further by deciding to take Haitei under his wing and help him out for the next three to four months.

He announced his intentions on social media in a post on X that, when translated from his native Japanese, reads:

“I've decided to support Umitsubotatsu's activities through the end of December!

“While focusing my support on his participation in domestic tournaments, I hope to create opportunities for people to learn about Umitsubotatsu through various means, such as conducting interviews with him and sharing videos of his activities.

“I'll strive to contribute to his endeavors in my own way, even if just a little.

“Also, regarding the recent uproar, I apologize once again for the moments in my statements where my tone became harsh.

“Through this support, I aim to bolster his activities while also, as a professional gamer myself, continuing to strive for growth moving forward.

“Let's both aim to achieve great results as players, so I'll be working even harder from here on out. Your cheers and support would mean a lot!”

Haitei had, a week ago, gone on X and asked for support for his esports activities, stating that he lived in a dorm and did not have the financial means to support his sporting ambitions. In that light, he was in need of a sponsor, be it a person or an organization.

The post sparked debate, with one side encouraging him and one individual even giving him tips as to how to present his pitch in such a way that it would be appealing to potential sponsors. Another side was controversial, with one individual pouring cold water on his ambitions based on the fact that Haitei used Zangief on the Modern control scheme. The commenter, a manager for an esports team, argued that Haitei doesn’t provide any long-term value since it is likely Modern controls might not be in the next Street Fighter installment.

However, others quickly pushed back against the narrative, stating that, if anything, Classic controls might be what is in danger, as the new generation of gamers aren’t as excited by the prospect of playing fighting games the same way the older generation did with Classic controls.

Takagi, who would turn out to be Haitei’s sponsor, even got involved in the argument, particularly taking exception to the comment made by the commenter that Haitei’s use of Modern suggested a lack of the basic fundamentals of the fighting game, and suggested the commenter shut up. Many had stated that such an argument was untrue, as Haitei’s 2,300 MR, which is one of the highest points one can reach in the game, highlighted that Haitei was definitely competent in the basics.

As with many viral stories, there have been follow-ups, one of which was the announcement of Takagi helping Haitei until the end of the year. Another was an interview with Fanmi, a Japanese publication that specializes in the fighting game scene. In the interview, Haitei revealed that he will be changing his gamertag from “Haitei Raoyue” to simply “Haitei,” and he also talked about the fact that his parents are supportive of his decision to try to pursue gaming full-time.

He explained also that he only plays Street Fighter 6 on the weekends at home because during the week, he lives in a dormitory and can’t play games there. Since he is still a second-year high school student, there are limits to how much he can participate in the scene. But it is his hope that, following his high school education, he might give the full-time gaming scene a try.

Learning that he can only play on the weekends makes his achievements even more impressive, as he has significantly less time than many of the pros he has defeated.

With the support of Takagi, it is likely we get to see Haitei in more Japanese tournaments. It might still take a bit more time to see him overseas, as that might require sponsorship by an official organization, as evidenced by the fact that Haitei’s appearance at Evo Las Vegas was a prize he won when he took first place at the Haitani Toryumon.

I hope Haitei goes on to scale even greater heights moving forward.