Now that i finally have a Job i might going to buy a nextgen console (+KOF12,13)... I m still thinking about it... but it`s indeed a good news...still...what s gonna happen at the arcade version? i mean, here in Shenzhen it seems is going to die pretty soon ((now that i m thinking about it...god...so long since the last time i played it!))...but well i m might be wrong I hope there will still be an arcade scene...online is cool and everything but the real thing is...just the real thing.
Congrats on getting the job
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As for the arcade scene, it depends on where you're talking about. In Japan, like Rex Dart said, it seems console releases actually help the arcade scene (I'd guess since people are able to practice more easily that way, and then the arcades are where you truly test your skills). Where I am (Toronto, Canada), the arcade doesn't get a ton of attention to begin with for most fighting games, so console releases tend to mean that the few dedicated players there are can just get together at a house or something and play for free, with maybe a trip to the arcade if more than 3 or 4 people organize a time to play. Aside from SSF4AE, I rarely see more than two people on any of the machines (XIII is actually the one I've most often seen at least 3 on, counting myself *laughs* ), and I'm pretty sure the local scene for Guilty Gear only comes if there's a group coming in from another city to play with them. I'd think there's some activity with 3rd Strike, since there are 3 machines for it (never saw them getting used enough to warrant 3 machines, even when I was playing it, but maybe I just wasn't coming at the right times *shrugs* ), and the MvC2 machine has gotten more play in one week than I've ever seen the Melty Blood machine that it replaced get (even though I know some local players who really like Melty...they just don't go to the arcade for it).
But yeah, I guess the short answer is each arcade scene handles itself differently regarding console releases *laughs*