Gama retires from Nagoya Street Battle and talks about Japan's FGC

I know its late, but thank you for today's NSB. I'm sorry that I was unable to attend and greet the stream monsters and players. Once I left the house, I began to have doubts. I was in the parking lot alone when the grand finals began, and the tears would not stop. I only reached NSB after the finals were done. I was embarrassed when the warmth of everyone's warm words made me bawl uncontrollably.

Games are meant to be fun. NSB was created under the dual notion of being proud when you're having fun, and making others have fun. In the beginning we were shocked that there were over 100 viewers to our stream. By the time we realized it, 3 years had passed and we had created something truly exceptional. There are many characters in this story.

Firstly, the players who are in an intense situation. We also have foreigners, as well as those familiar faces that always lose in the first round but try their best to hype things up. We've got the Kansai kids that feel like our neighbors, and those that travel from far off provinces.

The purpose of the stream is to broadcast the images of these 'characters' having fun. Accomplishing this brings me the greatest joy. The reason why I hesitated to appear is because I didn't want it to end with me at the curtain call. Rather, I want the NSB spirit to live on. However, I was reprimanded by some tweets last night, as well as by the SKY arcade manager this morning. The most surprising thing was a call from my mother who usually does not even fax.

There were many complications, but the root of the problem lies with myself. Arcade, console, pro, newb, SF4, BlazBlue, the entire FGC. I feel that I have a huge responsibility to everyone. There are too many things I want to protect. For example pro gamers: In an age where everyone can enjoy streaming, pros need to fight accordingly to their fans' requests. And yet there is no one in the FGC that can earn enough money to make gaming their main job.

Going overseas several times a year for the sake of tournaments is not a field that Japanese have truly grasped. Not many employers can be accepting of this. I believed that through streaming, if I could capture these players in their moment and increase viewership, then I had a personal responsibility towards them. I truly wanted to make the lives of these players better. However, if I remain on the scene, there are certain things that are impossible and insurmountable. The current FGC needs an environment where more people are involved.

Perhaps the onus of burden I had taken for myself was too great. At the expense of NSB ending I feel a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, and its a bittersweet moment. The remaining members of NSB who share my belief can pick up the flagstaff and keep the NSB spirit alive into the future. It was a clumsy transition period on my behalf, but by watching today's NSB and how it was run, I felt that the NSB spirit was inherited to the next line of management. I'm truly grateful to all those participants, nakama, supporters, NSB members, and volunteers. I truly appreciate my wife who has supported me and asked me to continue NSB.

It's selfish of me, but I was considering deleting this twitter account. But I am keeping it because I want to hear the warm voices...
This account will be dormant for awhile, but I am asking for some time off to lift this burden and recover from it all. By then, I am hopeful that someone else will hype up the FGC in my stead.