We spoke with Daigo about his ideas on the present state of Road Fighter 6, the place he revealed his shocking inspiration for preserving his abilities sharp as an OG participant.
Daigo ‘The Beast’ Umehara is synonymous with Road Fighter. He’s been competing within the beloved combating recreation sequence for over twenty years and has accrued an eye-popping variety of wins, together with six EVO championships.
We bought the prospect to sit down down with Daigo at EVO 2024, the place we requested him about his ideas on the state of Road Fighter 6 now that Season 2 is nicely and really settled in.
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He believes the sport is in an incredible spot at current, and stunned us by admitting that the surge of youthful expertise within the aggressive scene retains him on his toes and helps him really feel “younger,” regardless of his standing as an OG participant.
“The sport has been in nice form and numerous enjoyable all the way in which since launch,” he advised us. “I anticipate it should solely get even higher from right here with every replace. …Even in Season 1, the sport was so nicely balanced it was onerous to consider it had simply come out, however it’s even higher in Season 2. It’s unimaginable that they’ve achieved such a level of steadiness in solely the second yr.”
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“I went professional in the course of the Road Fighter IV period, and in comparison with again then, I really feel like the present participant base has numerous youthful gamers, and the talent stage is way increased on the entire. Significantly with SF6, we’re seeing actually exceptional performances from a youthful crowd.”
Daigo says the rising quantity of younger expertise in Road Fighter is preserving him on his toes.
He’s proper; ever because the launch of Road Fighter V again in 2016, youthful gamers like Punk, Huge Chicken, and AngryBird have persistently dominated the competitors. And at EVO 2024, 17-year-old Endingwalker dropped jaws throughout the group when he fought his method into the High 6, the place he completed in third place in his first-ever look at EVO Las Vegas.
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It’s gamers like these that Daigo’s maintaining a tally of. His personal run at EVO noticed him end in thirty third place out of 5,279 opponents, getting knocked into Loser’s facet by First Assault founder ‘Mono’ and eventually eradicated by ‘Pugera.’ We requested him about his ideas on his efficiency — and he says the youthful fighters within the scene are preserving him humble.
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“This isn’t restricted to EVO, however I’ve adopted a mindset of attempting to be taught from all these youthful gamers I discussed,” he answered. “I attempt to not let myself get complacent or immodest, and this has saved the sport feeling recent each day and made me really feel youthful, though I’m 43 now.”
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Daigo’s profession speaks for itself. As certainly one of Japan’s very first esports professionals, he’s cemented himself as a significant determine in aggressive gaming over time, and boasts a wholesome on-line following of followers who tune in to look at him stream.
It’s not an excessive amount of of a stretch to marvel what life might be like for Daigo as soon as he lastly decides to retire. Given his large following throughout social media and his many model offers with the likes of Pink Bull, he’s bought a monetary security web within the occasion he steps away from the competitors… however he’s hellbent on staying within the recreation so long as he can.
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“If I ever cease competing, creating content material would possibly turn into a strategy to make a residing,” he admitted. “That’s one risk, however I wish to stay a competitor so long as I can, whether or not it’s one other yr or one other day. “
Tobechi Ugwumba / Pink Bull Content material Pool Daigo’s assertion about youthful gamers dominating the Road Fighter scene holds true following 25-year-old Punk’s viral win over Huge Chicken at EVO 2024.
With Road Fighter 6 getting into its second season, there’s no denying that the competitors has reached new heights. Punk’s emotional victory over Huge Chicken at EVO 2024 is a testomony to this reality, in addition to to Daigo’s assertion that youthful professionals are a power to be reckoned with.
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Though 38-year-old Momochi and 39-year-old Nemo made their method into the High 6, it was the youngest of the bunch who got here out on prime, and even Daigo can’t deny that they’re cementing themselves as the brand new pillars of Road Fighter’s aggressive scene.
