Ludwig’s comments shine a light on baseness, authenticity, and artificial hype
Here’s Vegas happened just this week, and while the tournament was a huge success with many announcements benefiting the fighting game community, it also highlighted a growing pain point for the scene. Let’s start with the positive! Evo aims to support locals around the world, essentially cultivating a strong fighting esports scene.
Now, unfortunately, a somewhat tragic moment occurred during the tournament that split the FGC and could spell the beginning of a nightmare for the FGC. Yes, I am talking about the famous broadcaster Ludwig Ahgren“I love Street Fighter, but I also love the spectators”.
Ludwig’s argument at Evo highlights one of FGC’s worst nightmares
Before I begin, let’s get a few things out of the way. Yes, Ludwig’s decision to hide his real character choice in the Ludwig vs Tyler1 Street Fighter 6 event is a FGC move. He has been in the community for a long time, being a Super Smash Bros. Stand upe player. However, this does not excuse his behavior at an event meant to celebrate martial arts.
The situation is summed up perfectly in this short clip rewritten by Adel “Big Bird” Anouche:
In the video, Ludwig just won the game convincingly and said, “I love Street Fighter, but I also love the audience.” This is a statement that has divided the FGC, some find it funny and others find it offensive.
To give a little context, Ludwig talks about being watched in fighting games. It’s no secret that fighting games don’t have the same audience as other genres, such as first-person shooters and battle royale games. Some people defend this statement, asking, “If it’s true, what’s the problem?”
However, Big Bird put it well in response to one of those comments:
You are absolutely right that there is a time and a place for everything. It’s all about respect. He’s actually in what some people consider the “Cathedral of Fighting Games.” It’s already a known fact, and he doesn’t need to make it public. It’s also just a touchy subject in general. Victor “Punk” Woodleythe top player of Street Fighter 6, also agreed with Big Bird on this matter.
But I think what people are missing is that this came from a show game that a lot of people in the FGC are interested in. In fact, there was a backlash regarding the event itself. Some people have called it demeaning and it is not necessary for major broadcasters to join the FGC. There is a world where this game never happened, and we won’t talk about Ludwig’s controversial statement.
However, I believe that the events of a game like this among many broadcasters do not automatically decrease.
Popular broadcasters who get into fighting games don’t automatically give up
The result of this artificial inflation was not surprising. On the first day of the event, a large number of people who wanted to play other games or have fun pulled themselves out of the bracket. This is not a good look for Ludwig or Rivals of the Aether.
Sure, the game had its moment to shine in the main stage, but Evo needs to punish people for deliberately pulling themselves out after getting Ludwig tickets for this event. In a way, Ludwig paid these people just to increase the numbers in his game.
However, as this debate continues, people seem to forget that something very similar to the showmatch happened a few years ago. Tekken creator Katsuhiro Harada and Lily “Lilypichu” Ki had a match where Lilypichu won, and was praised as a player. big event.
The main reason is that he just showed up, played his games, and made it clear that he wasn’t just pretending to be a member of the FGC to garner an audience in an untapped market. It also helps that he didn’t pull anything like Ludwig’s Rivals of Aether stunt.
Another game that features a lot of content creators that aren’t really part of the FGC is Sajam Slam, and each of those has been a huge success. Japan also hosts events like this one for Street Fighter 6, and the country welcomes it as usual.
So, what exactly is going on here?
Evo owning an RTS might be the reason
I can’t claim to know all the answers to this difficult situation. It is possible that this particular game show is edited to increase viewership and revenue. It’s true that the FGC doesn’t really put in much money and that most tournaments actually operate at a deficit. But with Evo owned by RTS, a company tied to the Saudi Arabian government, there is pressure on the company to make a return.
One way they can do that is to invite high-ranking people who are close to them or who have experience in fighting games to count in front of people. However, I think this game did not achieve its goal, and it is because of Ludwig’s actions. Fortunately, Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp, a man known for his temper and overreactions, was not the main attraction of the whole thing.
I get that businesses want a return on their investment, but this is the nightmare the FGC fears. This particular game is forced and artificial. It’s similar to how the Daigo vs MenaRD first-to-ten exhibition match was handled, but it’s not two FGC legends this time (so it’s worse). It’s just two guys who don’t belong in society, and it sounds like they just invited themselves to cook.
As I mentioned in my previous article, FGC can be a traditional esports event without being fake or artificial. Games like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and VALORANT have distinct personalities and raw moments that prove things can still feel natural in a high-production event.
This game can be a lot of fun if you follow the team format. Tyler1’s team vs Ludwig’s team. There would be five people on each team, and losing each game would mean a change in players.
It’s unfortunate that the event not only felt forced but like a last minute addition. FGC as an esports scene still has a lot to learn, and I hope the tournament/event organizers learn along with it.
