Street Fighter has always been a game franchise which has caught the imagination of many. After all, there are so many moves and combos that you will be able to explore, it gets even more complicated with each release of a new game due to the increase in characters and new moves to existing ones, so much so the permutations increase exponentially. It is a game where precise timing, reflexes, and a wee bit of luck that your opponent has an off-day (in a situation where both are equally skilled) will normally result in a victory, although once in a blue moon, there will be a nutty button masher who will step forward and ruin your day. Well, Street Fighter V does allow you to play with another opponent online, which runs the risk of having your opponent quit halfway through the match just because you are winning. Bummer!
While many of us would not think of doing this, you would be surprised that there are others who would not think twice of doing so, all in the name of preserving their battle record. After all, everyone likes to have a clean record, right? Capcom has listened to the grouses of its fanbase and have decided to do something about it, at least based on a leak that we have heard of recently. The latest leak concerning Street Fighter V points to an update that will embed a Skull icon on your profile if you happen to pull off a rage quit stunt. This method of public shaming would certainly make folks more wary of accepting your challenge, since you might do the same to them halfway.
Rage quitting is one of those online phenomenons that happen even though it should not, at least on paper. Such an attitude would definitely impact gameplay in a negative manner, and the wider player base would normally see their enthusiasm dampen. Shaming rage quitters might seem to be rather extreme, but I am sure that in the long run of things, authentic Street Fighter V gamers and the gaming community on whole would applaud this particular move. After all, it makes things far, and introduces the concept of sportsmanship -- or is it gamesmanship in this particular context? You get the idea.
Of course, this is but a leak, so nothing has been officially confirmed just yet. The reason the Skull icon badge was leaked could be attributed to a bunch of enthusiasts who looked through the code of a new test branch of the Street Fighter V which appeared on Steam but for a while, and then picked up the segment on rage quitters being “rewarded” with a Skull icon beside their profile for easier identification by the larger pool of players.
Capcom is also said to be able to identify players who have never disconnected before, which would then make it easier to match those in the same league of honesty, so to speak. Do you like this particular idea? I think it should have been implemented a long time ago, and not only in games like Street Fighter V. It would be interesting to see how other multiplayer gaming titles follow suit afterwards.
