This Mysterious Street Fighter 5 Player Has Everyone Confused
Earlier this week, a mysterious player entered Wednesday Night Fights, a Southern California fighting championship. After winning first place, they denounced their placing and left, leaving the entire community confused. There's more to the story, though, including a happy ending.
No one knows who won the tournament, or why they chose to forfeit their title, but viewers now understand that they did it all for a good cause. Due to Covid restrictions, Wednesday Night Fights moved online, which broadened its player base a bit. On Feb. 24, a new player, SFV Lol Ryu Player, entered the Street Fighter 5 tournament and won a total of seven matches, placing first out of 57 total competitors.
Christopher Hancock, a competitive fighting game player shared a conversation that happened between participants after the event concluded. In the Discord chat, SFV Lol Ryu Player thanked the group for a good game, then said, "Donate mine to the homeless." Even though SFV Lol Ryu Player reportedly only won about one hundred dollars, the gesture felt kind, especially considering the ongoing pandemic. Then, the player disappeared into the night.
Many Wednesday Night Fight fans made a connection between the anonymous player and their hero of choice, Ryu. One person tweeted, "My man doesn't want the celebration or the reward ceremony. He's just seeking the next challenge" alongside a gif of Ryu walking into the sunset. Another viewer said, "Super direct and no caps at all – yep Ryu typed this." It's just like Ryu to appear on the scene, do a good deed, and then leave in search of the next great fight.
Some fans felt Street Fighter 5 was ruined by suspicious in-game ad placement and corporate event branding, like the Red Bull Battle Grounds tournament. However, Street Fighter holds a solid spot in the history of fighting games, and established many of the traditions fans might take for granted now. Still, game breaking updates and capitalism are nothing to gloss over, and competitive gamers ultimately must make the decision on whether to specialize in Street Fighter 5 on their own.
The checkered past of Street Fighter 5 makes the Wednesday Night Fight story all the sweeter, and it's easy for fans to imagine that the mystery fighter embodies the essence of Ryu: always looking for an honorable fight, but not for fame or fortune.