When Wilson “Tetra” Chia isn’t too busy handing beatdowns in Super/Vanilla Street Fighter 4 and Virtua Fighter 5, he interviews recognizable players from Japan. Recently he did an interview with both Choco-Blanka and Gama no Abura (from his site via IPlayWinner.com). In case those names are alien to you, Choco-Blanka is  a female SF4 Blanka user renowned for defeating top Sagat user Mago last year whiel Gama no Abura organized the Nagoya Street Battle and the GODSGARDEN event.

Here are some highlights from the interview (full transcript at his site):

“Tetra: What do you feel about the idea of console tournaments?

Choco: I became a tournament organizer because I want to hype up the atmosphere in the arcades. There is a possibility that even the players who only played at home would come to the arcades. But arcade and console SF4 is slightly different.

Tetra: Timing and stuff right?

Choco: Yap yap. There is a need to consider the differences between hosting a console tournament and an arcade one. However having fun is the main priority! Organizing a small scale console tournament is something I want to try!

Tetra: Yap, having fun is the most important thing.

Choco: Yes! Instead of just deciding who is better in a serious tournament, its more fun to have everyone going “wai wai” while having tournament matches against each other. Maybe we can get the same effect for console tournaments!”

“Tetra: Seeing that console have a lot of players.What do you think is the best way to get console players to play the game in arcades?

Gama: Firstly, we need to understand the difference between Japan and Singapore’s gaming environment. Japan is having the same problem. The reason is that a lot of strong players gather in arcades, console players want to avoid them. How about Singapore?

Tetra: Pretty much the same, haha. Average and below players tend to avoid going to the arcades.

Gama: If that is the case, hold a event for players of the same skill level. Also, Japan’s mainstream tournaments are team based. There are tournaments where strangers are teamed together.

Tetra: Random team?

Gama: Yap yap. In order to gather interest of console players towards arcade, we also started live streaming events. “Tournaments are held in arcades!” is not the image we want to project. “Tournaments in arcades is so much fun with all the people!” is the message we want to convey to everyone.

Choco: Instead of tournaments, having home gatherings might be better! Fellow gamers can have fun conversation while eating food and snacks! Strong players can help/teach the weaker ones or it might even be better to host a training session. “How do you beat this character!?” for example^^ Problem is, how do we gather those players staying at home?

“Tetra: Is there any chance of top Japanese players coming to Singapore one day? Without inviting them?

Gama: Chances are low.

Choco: I feel the same although there is a possibility. Its difficult because alot of money is needed to travel overseas.

Tetra: What if it is an invite and a sponsored trip?

Gama: If there is a place to stay and air ticket is paid for, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Choco: If that’s the case, they will be happy to go♪

Gama: If you invite people like Eita, Mago, Tokido, Kindevu, etc.

Choco: Momochi will be happy to go if he doesnt have anything on. Hehe.”

(both pics courtesy of tetra.sg)