Head to any offline fighting game tournament and, for the most part, you'll find yourself playing on a console. PlayStations have been the platform of choice for a hot sec, with games like Street Fighter 5, Tekken 7 and Dragon Ball FighterZ usually running sets on a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5. But Capcom's changing things up for its upcoming Capcom Cup.
The publisher has announced that it'll be switching to PC setups for its week-long tournament in February, as reported by The Verge. It's being done in an effort to combat input lag, something which has been a longstanding issue for the PlayStation version of Street Fighter 5. Despite the game being locked to 60fps, it still has a lower input lag on PC which is further aided by running it on a 144Hz monitor.
pic.twitter.com/UbQK0gESD2January 25, 2023
The move has been welcomed by the FGC, many of whom have been calling for the transition from console to computer at major events. One of the biggest pushers for change has been Arturo 'Sabin' Sanchez, who told The Verge that the decision was "100% the right move for several documented reasons," including "better controller response." On Twitter, Sabin added that Capcom had "made the right call" and "they should be applauded."
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It'll likely be a while before we see any major platform transitions happening across the board, though. Consoles are generally a lot easier to set up, cheaper to get a hold of and simpler to keep consistent across setups. I've been to my share of locals that have been cobbled together through pals bringing their kit to boost numbers, and myself was able to run a very casual Tekken 7 tournament thanks to rounding up my friends and their PlayStation 4 consoles.
It's still hard to deny the benefits of switching these tournaments to PC—it works to players' favour with more accurate response times and less input lag. But when it comes down to an offline event, consistency is key. Every installed driver must be the same across every identical rig, giving everyone the same fair chance.
Cost has long been a barrier or a justification for not making the switch, too. But with PS5s becoming harder to get a hold of, and the price between a PS5 and suitable gaming laptop becoming ever closer, now's a better time than ever for majors to start moving over.
