« GameSpot Talks with Seth Killian, Team Ninja and More on the Current State and Evolution of Fighting Games »

Gamespot's Maxwell McGee put together a fantastic multi-part feature that talks with many prominent members of the fighting game community -- such as Seth Killian and Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi -- picking their brain on various topics like the important of single player modes and if the genre is at risk of imploding.  Some really insightful stuff on all fronts here with more to come, as the next installment will have myself and a few others answering these same questions.

Hit the jump for a quick excerpt from Seth and read the rest by clicking here. 

Why do fighting games need to evolve?

While I think there is still room for different ideas about what could make for a great fighting game, in the near term, I think the most productive evolutions will be around, rather than within, the games.

There's already interest from a good player base, and the games at their core are so good that they can literally provide decades of entertainment, but they also present a series of challenges and barriers to new players, as well as a set of burdens on existing fans. It's solving this equation that will be the key. Next steps are all a manner of improved educational outreach--from improved training modes, to live streaming, to new ways to connect players with one another. It's creating a community that can really drive things forward beyond a publisher's limited marketing campaigns and make the games take on a life of their own.

There are a lot of very challenging variables to balance to keep fighting games hot, but as with so many other pursuits, the best things in life aren't easy.