Street Fighter V pros will play the Street Fighter League: World Championship online for the second year running.
The Capcom Cup, one of Street Fighter’s premier events, has canceled its in-person tournament citing concerns about Covid-19. The cancellation marks the second time in a row the event has been forced online in the past two years.
The news was announced via the Capcom Fighters official Twitter late on Thursday evening (January 6th). The event was originally to take place in the US during February. Instead, the CAPCOM CUP VIII will continue with an online tournament similar to last year.
More Disappointment for fans
In their announcement, Capcom apologized to fans and players but stated that “the health and safety of the players and everyone involved is our highest priority.” The news comes at the end of yet another year of online events that have left the FGC and Street Fighter community incredibly restless.
“With rising cases of COVID-19 including the Omicron variant causing uncertainty and complications globally, Capcom once again finds itself in the difficult position of having to cancel Capcom Cup. The Team did not come to this decision lightly, as we know what CAPCOM CUP means to the community and the players who trained so diligently to qualify."
But even Capcom's apologies will do little to please the FGC which has now seen yet another major event switch to online play.
Ultimately, The lack of offline competition has further disheartened a player base known for its over-the-top outbursts and passionate following. The CAPCOM CUP VIII signaled the final return to normality for the scene. Its promised offline status is eagerly awaited.
More of the same Capcom Cup?
Some spotted a pattern, putting a light-hearted spin on things to quell the disappointment. For the second year in a row, fighting game royalty Daigo Umehara qualified for the Capcom Cup only for it to go online.
The Capcom Cup won’t be the same online. Especially for a second-year running. Additionally, with Street Fighter V receiving its “final” character in November 2021, many worry this would be the penultimate tour for the game. But with Covid-19 once again surging around the globe, the prospect of in-person events becoming a consistent feature in 2022 is looking increasingly grim.
Details, dates, and further info about the online CAPCOM CUP VIII will come out at a later date.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest FGC news and updates.