The Fighter's Edge

@oGchaZZZySoCal | SoCal SF2 oG ‘91-95 | Manager of Tomo Ohira | TO 'SF2 World's Finest Tournament' | FGC History | 'The Fighter's Edge' Gamepro Magazine |

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

We are back!

In 1993, 2 years after I started the World's Finest Tournament, I created the Fighters Edge concept. It had been my heartbeat from the start to make the Street Fighter competitive scene as vibrant and exciting as it could be. This would be a next step to broadening the game and competitive scene's scope.

One day at the shop I shared the idea with Tomo. Immediately his eyes lit up and he said "Let's call it the Street Fighters Edge!". I responded "The Fighters Edge!". In less than a minute the Column was born. That moment felt magical.

A week or so later I reached out to a Gamepro Magazine Editor and shared with him the 'Fighters Edge' concept, pitching it as a regular monthly column. I explained it's Mission would be to promote the Street Fighter game and competitive scene by covering Tournaments, the players and assisting people all over the world gain a sense of mastery over their craft. It would be a place where fans of Fighters could gather every 30 days to glimpse into the very best of what the Fighting world was offering. It would be a Sanctum for fans of the genre from all over the world to unite and become a part of something much bigger than themselves. He loved the idea and asked for a formal proposal.

The Fighters Edge proposal was typed out at the shop on a Friday and sent off to the Editor for formal review with his bosses which included the Editor in Chief of the Magazine. We crossed our fingers and waited for several weeks. Finally I got the call. Yes, our proposal had been accepted! I called Tomo to give him the good news! We 'celebrated' for a minute, and soon after began to work on what would be our first Article.

The Fighters Edge column was initially published in the February 1994 issue of Gamepro Magazine. Attached below is a copy of our first article.

That same 'Spirit and Vision' of the oG Fighters Edge now continues into 2025. Today I am sharing that continuing Journey with you. You all are invited to follow and join with us as we begin to take our first steps into the future. You all have a personal invitation from Tomo and myself to become a very key part of our Mission.

This is just the beginning.
There is much more to come.

Let's go!

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Back Monday Fam!

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Hey Fam,
Very cool stuff happening behind the scenes at 'The Fighter's Edge' today. 🔥

Apologies, but it's hard to keep focused. My mind keeps moving over to a different type of Creative mode and wandering away from X.

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Ok-Soo Han became the first Woman's World Champion of Video Gaming at the 1981 Atari World Championships.

It was a dominating performance.

The Tournament was set up into 3 minute max point burst rounds. Each player had 180 seconds to make their highest score.

In the Women's division:
Ok-Soo Han put up 53,220 points for 1st place. 🥇
Julie Winecoff was runner-up with 36,613 points 🥈
Faith Sloan took 3rd with 34,372 points 🥉

In the Men's division:
Eric Ginner took 1st with 52,432 points 🥇
Sam Mehta took 2nd with 45,541 points 🥈
Jon Weeks took 3rd with 41,900 points 🥉

Ok-Soo Han crushed the Women's Tournament and also beat the Men's Champion score as well.

It's interesting to note that both Women's and Men's Champions were from California as was the 1980 'Space Invaders National Champion' Bill Heineman later known as Rebecca Heineman.

Ok-soo Han lived in Northridge CA and Ginner in Mountain View CA. Heineman lived in Whittier CA the city right next to where I lived in Pico Rivera.

Bravo to Ok-Soo Han the first Women's Video Game World Champion!

👏👏👏

#Retrogaming #FGC #Atari #GoldenAgeOfArcades #Centipede #AtariWorldChampionships #RainbowArcade #SpaceInvaders @LonnieM01214557

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Hey Fam,
Very cool stuff happening behind the scenes at 'The Fighter's Edge' today. 🔥

Apologies, but it's hard to keep focused. My mind keeps moving over to a different type of Creative mode and wandering away from X.

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Ok-Soo Han became the first Woman's World Champion of Video Gaming at the 1981 Atari World Championships.

It was a dominating performance.

The Tournament was set up into 3 minute max point burst rounds. Each player had 180 seconds to make their highest score.

In the Women's division:
Ok-Soo Han put up 53,220 points for 1st place. 🥇
Julie Winecoff was runner-up with 36,613 points 🥈
Faith Sloan took 3rd with 34,372 points 🥉

In the Men's division:
Eric Ginner took 1st with 52,432 points 🥇
Sam Mehta took 2nd with 45,541 points 🥈
Jon Weeks took 3rd with 41,900 points 🥉

Ok-Soo Han crushed the Women's Tournament and also beat the Men's Champion score as well.

It's interesting to note that both Women's and Men's Champions were from California as was the 1980 'Space Invaders National Champion' Bill Heineman later known as Rebecca Heineman.

Ok-soo Han lived in Northridge CA and Ginner in Mountain View CA. Heineman lived in Whittier CA the city right next to where I lived in Pico Rivera.

Bravo to Ok-Soo Han the first Women's Video Game World Champion!

👏👏👏

#Retrogaming #FGC #Atari #GoldenAgeOfArcades #Centipede #AtariWorldChampionships #RainbowArcade #SpaceInvaders @LonnieM01214557

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

I'll be sharing more on Rainbow Arcade and other players there. Tomo & Mike would have been just 2 or 3 so this was a bit before their time.

But I'd like you all to feel a little of the flavor of the 80's & the Golden Age of Arcades. How it shaped me and my journey in gaming, with the World's Finest Tournament and 'The Fighter's Edge'.

#SF2 #StreetFighter #Arcade #GoldenEra

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Ok-Soo Han's Influence on me as a young Teen was more more about Culture created by Top Gamers at Rainbow Arcade than anything else.

Ok-Soo wasn't the only competive Gamer at Rainbow Arcade...

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #FGC #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades #Centipede #SF2 #AtariWorldChampionships #RainbowArcade

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

1981 brought the follow up to the Space Invaders National Championships in the 'Atari World Championships'.

Played on Atari's newly release Centipede video game, the 1981 'Atari World Championships' gave us the first woman's world Champion in Ok-soo Han who also happened to own my home Arcade...

'Rainbow Arcade' in Pico Rivera.

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #FGC #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades #Centipede #AtariWorldChampionships #RainbowArcade

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

I'll be sharing more on Rainbow Arcade and other players there. Tomo & Mike would have been just 2 or 3 so this was a bit before their time.

But I'd like you all to feel a little of the flavor of the 80's & the Golden Age of Arcades. How it shaped me and my journey in gaming, with the World's Finest Tournament and 'The Fighter's Edge'.

#SF2 #StreetFighter #Arcade #GoldenEra

[Eric Smevold @ESmevold]

@FightersEdge1 @oGchaZZZySoCal Be curious to hear about some of the others. Informs us about the gaming culture that you, tomo, mike, and others came up in @SuperDojo

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

@ESmevold @oGchaZZZySoCal The early gaming connection with Ok-Soo Han and Rainbow Arcade is pretty special isn't it?

So coincidental and yet...

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

1981 brought the follow up to the Space Invaders National Championships in the 'Atari World Championships'.

Played on Atari's newly release Centipede video game, the 1981 'Atari World Championships' gave us the first woman's world Champion in Ok-soo Han who also happened to own my home Arcade...

'Rainbow Arcade' in Pico Rivera.

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #FGC #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades #Centipede #AtariWorldChampionships #RainbowArcade

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Ok-Soo Han's Influence on me as a young Teen was more more about Culture created by Top Gamers at Rainbow Arcade than anything else.

Ok-Soo wasn't the only competive Gamer at Rainbow Arcade...

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #FGC #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades #Centipede #SF2 #AtariWorldChampionships #RainbowArcade

[Eric Smevold @ESmevold]

@FightersEdge1 @oGchaZZZySoCal Thats crazy you had a local connection! How much of an influence did Ok-soo Han’s success have on you being motivated to start the CA Street Fighter Association?

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Pac-Man grossed $1 billion in quarters in its first year of International release. The following year it earned $3 billion in quarters. And in 1982 Pac-Man earned an estimated $6 billion in quarters.*

This was more than the combined amount of money spent in Vegas casinos and US movie theaters that year.

* Video Game Sales Wiki

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

1980 also saw one of the most Iconic and well known video games of all time released.

Pac-Man.

Even if it wasn't your favorite game it still got some of your quarters. The allure of gobbling these little dots while avoiding the rainbow colored ghosts was insane.

I must admit Pac-Man was not my favorite, but there was something about the game that felt like gravity. You were pulled towards it no matter what. And once you started learning the patterns to beat levels you kinda got sucked in.

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #FGC #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades #SpaceInvaders #SF2

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

Pac-Man grossed $1 billion in quarters in its first year of International release. The following year it earned $3 billion in quarters. And in 1982 Pac-Man earned an estimated $6 billion in quarters.*

This was more than the combined amount of money spent in Vegas casinos and US movie theaters that year.

* Video Game Sales Wiki

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

1980 also saw one of the most Iconic and well known video games of all time released.

Pac-Man.

Even if it wasn't your favorite game it still got some of your quarters. The allure of gobbling these little dots while avoiding the rainbow colored ghosts was insane.

I must admit Pac-Man was not my favorite, but there was something about the game that felt like gravity. You were pulled towards it no matter what. And once you started learning the patterns to beat levels you kinda got sucked in.

#ArcadeEra #Retrogaming #FGC #PacMan #GoldenAgeOfArcades #SpaceInvaders #SF2

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

@mou55981652 The fact that Del Toro will be out of shape for Dauphine could be a good thing for Pogi. That might be telling us Isaac is targeting the Tour to peak instead.

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

@mou55981652 Based on what he did for Pogi at San Remo, he deserves the spot. After the race you could see what digging deep for Pog meant to McNuggets.

That said, I also really dislike the lack of Team discipline at UAE. How has Pog been training all alone in Sierra Nevada all this time?

[The Fighter's Edge @FightersEdge1]

@GooGwaba Hope you mother is doing well in her recovery. Praying that Jesus carries you all through this. 🙏