Final Round’s Last Go Round
- pickletripper
- Mar 27, 2018
- 3 min read
After 21 years Final Round is shutting down. This was the last year of the Fighting Game Tournament, Final Round held in Atlanta, GA. FR was a grassroots tournament which helped small players get to major events like EVO.
Evo is the FGC event that players work all tournament season to get to. It takes place in Las Vegas, NV in June. And there is another one in Japan in January. Players from all over come to EVO to be crowned champion. Once you’ve made it at EVO you’re considered a part of the elite.
Michael who’s been attending this event since FR7 said,
“We are literally losing the last underground run national tournament.” Michael is a coach that trains top 8 players and helps them get to national tournaments.
FR’s early days were found in the home of tournament organizer, Larry “Shin Blanka’s” home. This event was a great way for top players from the East and West coast to compete regionally. Back then there were other tournaments in the region but nothing that would give you a chance to become a top player. Early day FR prizes included tickets to EVO; which Michael believes that really helps out the underdog who may be a good competitor but could never find their way to EVO. FR is notorious for debuting two Street Fighters; Street Fighter IV in 2009 and Street Fighter V in 2016. The 2009 FR11’s Street Fighter IV tourney led to a lot of newcomers. Then again in 2016 FR19 was the first place to host a SFV tournament and all of that hype could not be contained in one place.
International players such as Cesar STKF|AkaRed says that FR16 was his first ever major event attended. AkaRed has been traveling from Brazil to Atlanta every year.
“But my friends and I felt very sorry for the scene as a whole,” said AkaRed
“Final Round has all it takes to become a countrywide event.”
Steve who’s been helping out and attending FR for the past four years had this to say,
“Yeah, [t]he Final Round staff are good folks and FR is internationally beloved. #SaveFinalRound.”
Diamond “Pink Diamond” Freeland who placed 3rd in Street Fighter Alpha/Zero 2 and partook in the cosplay contest at this year’s Final Round sends praises and thanks to Shin Blanka for a great event.
“Soul Calibur 6 was playable there!!!!!!!!!! Like this was the first tournament I been to were a game that hasn’t been released yet was playable on a pad too!!!!!” said Pink Diamond in a Facebook post.
FR helped but the South FGC get on the map, especially the Tekken community. Top Tekken player, Ricky ‘Pokchop’ Walker Jr. has been attending Final Round since 2004, FR6. Pokchop appreciates FR and expresses that it is a staple in the South, it put many players on the map and it will be missed.
“If it wasn’t for FR I would not be nowhere near as good as I am,” said Pokchop. He recalls his fondest memory of FR is placing third, which is the top placing American, for the first year of Tekken 6 at FR9 in 2007.
It is safe to say that Final Round will be missed. From all the people I’ve spoken to about FR closing its doors they were deeply saddened by the news but respect Shin Blanka and his wife Shonda for their hard over since 1999. It started in their house and moved all the way up to a hotel ballroom.
Everyone has been dropping their appreciation and condolences through various media outlets. FR has helped mold some amazing players. It was a must attend event and it showcased a lot of talent. It’s hard to imagine another tournament taking its place. THere will be others but, not one will come close in supporting it’s community the way FR did.
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