Being a huge MMA fan, it's no question that I tuned in to EliteXC's network television debut on CBS. As this is a gaming blog, we'll ignore the abysmal state of the show, as it is actually one of its sponsors I wish to focus on here.
Specifically, I want to comment on what is already the brilliant marketing of Street Fighter IV by Capcom USA. I certainly didn't see it coming. Not this early and not this way.
For those who didn't see it, or didn't want to bother with the above link, viewers are initially greeted by gameplay footage of Street Fighter II, while Faith No More's Epic plays in the background. More SFII footage is shown, with short clips of the original October 2007 Street Fighter IV trailer sprinkled throughout. Eventually that portion of the trailer passes, and we're treated to much more new footage including most of the game's cast.
After the nostalgia-charged rush is over, we're informed that preorders are already being taken. That's unheard of for any game not called Halo these days! Capcom is clearly putting a lot of faith in Street Fighter IV, perhaps even to the extent of making it their centerpiece franchise once again.
Clearly this was not a mere advertisement, but a full-blown call to arms. Invoking Street Fighter II as they did was nothing short of an attempt to grab the attention of each and every participant from the early-1990s Street Fighter community, and it will be incredibly effective if they keep running it on network TV in prime time. Running a trailer on TV at the end of May when the game isn't supposed to come out until February or so can only, in the (presumable) lack of Halo confidence internally at Capcom, be put to use by rallying the troops to such an immense degree.
Capcom has balls for doing this. While the word is "revitalization" to the lost players from back in the day, the presentation of Street Fighter IV as so closely connected to Street Fighter II might make the word something more like "rehash" to the garden variety casual gamer - the usual crop of retards that have stunted some past Street Fighter resurgences. This time, those guys will hopefully be drowned out by both the existing pros and returning competitors from days gone by.
Of course, we've seen these so-called resurrections of the glory days of Street Fighter II before. Street Fighter Alpha 3 was supposed to do it. Street Fighter III: New Generation was supposed to do it. Hell, even the cancelled Capcom Fighting All-Stars was supposed to do it.
Something just feels right about this one. Capcom is pulling out all the stops for this one. It'll be on us, the players, to follow through when the time comes, though, since we won't have arcades to prop up the social end of it on this side of the Pacific this time.
Specifically, I want to comment on what is already the brilliant marketing of Street Fighter IV by Capcom USA. I certainly didn't see it coming. Not this early and not this way.
For those who didn't see it, or didn't want to bother with the above link, viewers are initially greeted by gameplay footage of Street Fighter II, while Faith No More's Epic plays in the background. More SFII footage is shown, with short clips of the original October 2007 Street Fighter IV trailer sprinkled throughout. Eventually that portion of the trailer passes, and we're treated to much more new footage including most of the game's cast.
After the nostalgia-charged rush is over, we're informed that preorders are already being taken. That's unheard of for any game not called Halo these days! Capcom is clearly putting a lot of faith in Street Fighter IV, perhaps even to the extent of making it their centerpiece franchise once again.
Clearly this was not a mere advertisement, but a full-blown call to arms. Invoking Street Fighter II as they did was nothing short of an attempt to grab the attention of each and every participant from the early-1990s Street Fighter community, and it will be incredibly effective if they keep running it on network TV in prime time. Running a trailer on TV at the end of May when the game isn't supposed to come out until February or so can only, in the (presumable) lack of Halo confidence internally at Capcom, be put to use by rallying the troops to such an immense degree.
Capcom has balls for doing this. While the word is "revitalization" to the lost players from back in the day, the presentation of Street Fighter IV as so closely connected to Street Fighter II might make the word something more like "rehash" to the garden variety casual gamer - the usual crop of retards that have stunted some past Street Fighter resurgences. This time, those guys will hopefully be drowned out by both the existing pros and returning competitors from days gone by.
Of course, we've seen these so-called resurrections of the glory days of Street Fighter II before. Street Fighter Alpha 3 was supposed to do it. Street Fighter III: New Generation was supposed to do it. Hell, even the cancelled Capcom Fighting All-Stars was supposed to do it.
Something just feels right about this one. Capcom is pulling out all the stops for this one. It'll be on us, the players, to follow through when the time comes, though, since we won't have arcades to prop up the social end of it on this side of the Pacific this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment