Why Fighting Games Deserve More Attention in Esports
Esports is one of the few entertainment niches that is now growing fast across the globe. MOBAs and FPS are currently the most popular, while fighting games are not getting much attention. Unlike MOBA games, fighters offer fairness and value players’ skills. In this respect, they have something in common with crash games in casinos that accept Trustly. Although many believe that fighting games play second fiddle in the esports sector, they are a real treasure hidden behind MOBA’s traction. Let’s see which of their advantages are underrated.
Fighting Games: Longevity, Not a Momentary Trend
One of the key features of MOBA’s popularity is team play and the overall epic nature of the process. At the same time, this genre offers game developers an additional source of income – character skins. This goldmine keeps the spotlight on MOBAs, but it is not sustainable. As soon as a developer releases a project that can monetise better, any MOBA will lose its relevance. At the same time, FGCs offer fair popularity.
In the thirty years of fighting games’ existence, they have not lost their relevance. Legends receive constant sequels, which delights fans again and again.
Mortal Kombat – A Battle for Survival Counted in Decades
The history of the deadly battle dates back to 1992. The platform for the fighting game was arcade cabinets, which were later digitalised and moved to Trustly online casinos. The original studio went bankrupt. But Mortal Kombat still reached home consoles. This is where the series truly started to flourish.
Millions of fans around the world, tournaments with prize pools, movies and comics. Over the years, the series has received more than 20 different titles that continue the story of legendary characters. Heroes like Sabziro and Scorpio are among the most recognisable duos in the gaming industry.
Tekken – On the Verge of a Deadly Battle and Asian Culture
Mortal Kombat was a trend in Europe, while the Asian market was captured by Tekken. The game successfully combines the features of Japanese gameplay and deadly combat. That cocktail was to the taste of gamers.
Heihachi Mishima and King are the key characters of the latest Tekken instalments. As for the entire cast, it is devoid of the classic view of Asian studios on female characters. Another unique feature of the series is the fact that the game has long been a PlayStation exclusive. Despite the fact that the series appeared on PC only with Tekken 7, the fan base of the series is no less than that of the deadly battle.
Street Fighter – The Procreator of the Fighting Game Genre
The history of the video game world is always remembered by those who are pioneers. Street Fighter, a media product that entered the market in 1987, is such a series. The peculiarity of this title is the emphasis on humanised creatures that are fighters. As for the character design, they resonate with the already familiar Asian style of character creation.
The first part of Street Fighter was released in the late 1980s on slot machines. Today, slots on Trustly casino sites and alternative platforms offer a similar experience, but the first time SF appeared to the public was as an arcade.
New parts of the series expand the fan base. Characters such as Dhalsim and Jamie offer unique battle strategies and have their own techniques. It is for the uniqueness of fighting styles that players fell in love with Street Fighter.
Purity of Gameplay and Fairness of the Process
Just like regular sports have doping controls, esports have their own checks. Over the decades of industry development, dozens of programs have been created that allow you to play better. These include software for speed-sniping and aim bots that improve targeting of enemies. Such programs are prohibited at professional-level competitions, but at the amateur level, it is very difficult to avoid them. This is where fighting games enter the arena.
Unlike MOBAs and FPSs, there are almost no such tricks for fighting games. This is due to the fact that there is no team, and attention is focused on the opponents.
Opportunity to Play With Skilled Professionals
The absence of a cooperative component plays in favour of amateurs. The fact is that professionals often enter tournaments for intermediates and even beginners to hone their skills. This is a real chance for all fans to test their strength in the fight against esports players. But, in addition to the opportunity to play with experts, fans can become esports men themselves. The fact is that the absence of a team component does not reduce the number of individual players. Any amateur can gain experience for a professional career here. They just need to try entry-level tournaments first.
How Can Fighting Games Earn More Value?
When the idea of RPGs was just emerging, fighting games were already heard by everyone. For more than thirty years of development, game creators are not ready to be satisfied with what they have achieved. They strive to get more and can do it thanks to:
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New generation gameplay. History has already seen Kinect; this technology, in a new wrapper, can radically change the world of fighting games.
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Virtual reality. VR glasses can bring players a completely new first-person experience.
These technologies can literally elevate the status of fighters in the esports niche. Their integration into the fighting game world is only a matter of time. It will be a real revolution, because no one has ever seen fighting games like this.
Fighters are weaker in the eyes of esports brands in financial terms. But this genre is definitely more powerful from a cultural perspective. Its fanbase is much more loyal (a bare minimum). Plus, it offers long-term engagement, while MOBAs usually have short-term visibility.
The article suggests information provided by iGaming expert Oksana Kumetska.

