DOA Community Blog #2: Chaotic Costume Controversy

This is a rather hot topic as of late, and one that sent the community on fire, but not necessarily in a good way.  While there are some of us like myself who are content with what TN is bringing out yet still hold on to hope that a particular favorite of ours gets made, there are some others who are rather impatient, and even going so far as to demonize a certain group of casuals or certain consumer markets.  Some would even insist that Team Ninja (or rather, KoeiTecmo) is sexist toward males because they don't have as many abundant, sexy costumes as the female characters do.  However, this is not the case.  TN keeps making these types of DLC costumes every-so-often for a simple reason.  It sells.  And when it sells, there's a good chance they will take the extra time to make costumes different from the norm that certain enthusiasts want, and/or help build a competitive scene through major tournaments in key areas of competition, which is the big picture many fail to see.

I'd be a fool to deny that sex sells, and Dead or Alive has since the beginning always delivered with sex appeal in fighting games, and even moreso in the DOAX series.  But it has also become a double-edged sword in a way.  Although Dead or Alive 5 has remarkably changed the fighting game series for the better and allowing more guaranteed setups in a variety of ways through actual frame advantage, natural combos, obstructions and ceilings, and best of all, unholdable stuns, the stigma of the game's sex appeal has not gone away for some players outside its community.  But at this point, I'm beginning to believe the game's sex appeal is not truly the main reason it's being overlooked by outsiders as a competitive game, but rather, a petty excuse.  And I'm going to explain why.

Since even the dawn of time in the 90s renaissance of fighting games, sex appeal has been totally acceptable in fighting games. Most of the popular fighting games that are still played competitively thrive on it. For many casual players looking for a starting point in order to grow as a competitive player (particularly males), it's one of the main draws. I don't think I could imagine Street Fighter II having more success than it did had they not brought in a female character like the leggy Chun Li and scantily-clad Cammy, nor Fatal Fury's sequel with the buxom kunoichi Mai Shiranui, or Darkstalkers with the incredibly popular succubus Morrigan and the catwoman Felicia, or Soul Calibur with their alchemist/domme Ivy Valentine or the more petite-yet-suggestive Sophitia Alexandra.  Oh, and did I forget to mention the teen rivals that are the brash-and-busty Asuka Kazama and the long-legged lolita, Emilie "Lili" de Rochefort from the almighty best-selling fighting game, Tekken, among others?

There's a number of characters I can get into for each fighter, but my point is this.  If at this point sexy costumes are really your main reason not to give a fighting game a chance or to take it seriously, you're showing hypocrisy, and just reaching for a reason to not try something different. It's nothing to be ashamed of if you like a fighting game with a handful of sexy characters, ladies and gentlemen, so long as they can kick your ass.  This hardly effects what Japanese players play, so why should it be any different for us? If it's not what you're used to playing and prefer something you're already used to, fine, I can respect that.  But don't knock it when you get smacked around by a more experienced player and deem it "broken" or "cheap", when in reality you never understood or applied the mechanics beyond the most basic shit.  These kinds of people are the ones really killing the community, ruining the mentality of today's players, and preventing them from trying something different from established mainstream titles... and quite frankly, we don't need them nor their advice, 'cause chances are, most of them are scrubs-by-definition caring only for themselves and letting people share in their misery... or their salt... or whatever.

All fighting games take diligent amounts of time to get used to and understand, much less master.  At the end of the day, all you can do is support the game when you can, where you can.  At the same time, those within the community must also respect each other and the contributions and knowledge they share. And if in the event they're wrong, don't just stop at correcting them, but show them you appreciate their effort.  Encourage them to do better, give 'em a pat on the back if you have to.  This is the kind of attitude that builds the community, not destroys it.

And for the love of all that is sacred in the fighting game community, don't blow a head gasket when your favorite costume doesn't make it in and other costumes do.  I'll admit I had my share of disappointment because my favorite didn't make it in, but one thing I do not do is take my frustration out on those who made their voice heard and got what they wanted.  I acknowledge that I'm in the minority when it comes to my personal preference, and have learned to keep myself occupied in my patience, which is what I also encourage others to practice. Perhaps over time, you'll forget about the costume and find new purpose to the devotion of the character(s) you enjoy playing... you never know.

Well, that's my rant for today.  Ladies, gentlemen... take care of yourselves.