Every combating sport has eras dominated by particular gamers, those that merely reside on the prime of that title’s aggressive scene throughout every occasion over an prolonged time period. And since 2019, Avenue Fighter V has been within the period of iDom.
Derek “iDom” Ruffin is used to dominating, as his identify suggests, with 10 first-place finishes beneath his belt competing in SFV final yr and two of essentially the most unimaginable matches the sport has ever seen throughout his Evo 2022 run.
Whereas he’s been a drive in SFV since getting into the sport in 2017, iDom’s blazed a path via the aggressive scene in 2019—ending it with a Capcom Cup title. Now, after greater than three years of delays, he’ll defend that championship in Hollywood when Capcom Cup IX runs from Feb. 14 to 19.
Not solely will this be the most important Avenue Fighter match in years, however it should even be the final true Main for SFV forward of Avenue Fighter 6 launching in June. Whereas making ready for the competitors, iDom spoke to Dot Esports about defending his belt, SFV’s legacy, and early impressions of SF6 from a aggressive perspective.
How excited are you to lastly return to Capcom Cup? You’re technically defending your title because you received the final in-person Capcom Cup in 2019, however typically, how does it really feel understanding you’ll quickly be combating for that title once more in entrance of a crowd at such a novel occasion?
iDom: It’s at all times enjoyable to play in entrance of lots of people at occasions like Capcom Cup. The final large occasion I went to was Evo [2022], and the vitality in that crowd was simply so big.
Capcom Cup and Evo are sort of the 2 large ones in terms of Avenue Fighter, so it’s at all times good to play in entrance of these crowds and I’m excited to play in opposition to the strongest gamers on the earth. This one is sort of totally different because it was a Regional primarily based system as an alternative of simply a variety of Japanese, American, or European gamers. And much more areas means much more range for the gamers and the gameplay.
Capcom Cup will primarily be the final of the true Avenue Fighter V Majors, outdoors of Evo Japan, for the reason that sport is in its tail finish forward of Avenue Fighter 6’s launch in June. How necessary is it so that you can sort of finish SFV with that title and say “the sport goes down, however I’m going down on the prime?”
I really feel like I’ve had a very good finish of Avenue Fighter V. I’ve been taking part in actually good in direction of the tip of the sport so I need to exhibit my expertise.
I need to present that I’m nonetheless top-of-the-line Avenue Fighter V gamers on the market after which actually carry that momentum from my play into Avenue Fighter 6 as a result of, when a brand new sport comes out, I’m a really gradual learner. I undoubtedly really feel like I get higher the longer a sport has been out.
How have preparations for Capcom Cup been for you? After Evo, FGC Majors are likely to dry up a bit when it comes to offline occasions, so how has it been making ready for such an enormous match with solely on-line and smaller offline occasions that can assist you ramp up?
I actually really feel like my preparation has been good. There’s a variety of robust gamers within the northeast space, a complete bunch of nice Ed, Luke, Ibuki, and Cody gamers. So I really feel like I’m in tip-top form as a result of all the gamers round me are actually robust and a few play these robust characters.
You’re solely pretty much as good because the gamers you play. So I’m feeling nice, to be sincere.
You talked about characters there. Since this would be the last peak for SFV when it comes to match play, what characters are you essentially the most excited to see and the least excited to play in opposition to at Capcom Cup?
Clearly the least excited might be Luke. You recognize, as a result of he’s loopy robust proper now and sort of a terror with what number of good gamers use him. I’m most excited to see the gamers who’re recognized for taking part in distinctive characters like Ed, [and] we now have a variety of Ken gamers, so I’m excited to see how they do in opposition to the Luke military.
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Leaping into SF6 impressions, you’ve had the possibility to play the sport fairly a bit because of the web beta exams after getting your first style at Evo’s demo stations final August in opposition to LI Joe. Simply out of your time on the sticks, how have your opinions on the sport modified with extra play time?
I simply need to put this on the document, I nonetheless need my run again in opposition to LI Joe. We performed once I had no thought easy methods to play the sport and that was my first time taking part in. So I would like that run again, however the sport is fairly enjoyable total.
With the betas, I’ve a means higher understanding of the sport than I did at Evo so I believe it’s shaping as much as be actually, very nice. It’s like a unique tempo than Avenue Fighter V and all the different Avenue Fighter video games. I’m actually excited to see how gamers react to the sport and the way they’re going to form up methods as soon as it’s out.
Does something mechanically stick out to you as essentially the most attention-grabbing in terms of the battle system and motion choices?
I like a variety of issues they’re doing with the motion and I believe that will probably be tremendous necessary on the core of the gameplay. I believe Drive Rush is sick and Drive Break is cool. The one factor I’m a bit involved about is Drive Affect, however , perhaps as the sport will get extra fleshed out and other people perceive it higher, these considerations will go away.
Even from what I’ve seen on-line and from Capcom operating a couple of of these tournaments when the beta was up, it appears like gamers are going to have a fairly nice understanding of what to do with these new mechanics.
How prepared are you to get that contemporary, combating sport launch feeling with a brand new Avenue Fighter sport once more? Most gamers say the primary few months with a sport are the perfect as a result of individuals spend the time taking part in and studying along with everybody else, so how excited are you for that to occur with SF6?
I’m fairly excited. I do know lots of people view that as a honeymoon section the place everybody’s tremendous excited and nobody is aware of what’s occurring. So it’s actually hype and also you get to see stuff you’ve by no means seen earlier than principally every single day as a result of the sport remains to be new.
I’ve at all times been excited for brand spanking new stuff, however I do assume video games are at their peak when everybody is aware of what they’re doing, like when a sport is totally fleshed out.
Even on the finish of Avenue Fighter V’s lifespan proper now, clearly a variety of gamers are taking part in Luke and have methods locked in already, however I believe that’s fairly hype to see. Everybody’s already utilizing the perfect stuff and is aware of easy methods to optimize these methods and combos as a result of the sport is so previous I assume.
With this being the sundown for SFV, what are you going to overlook most concerning the sport?
To be sincere, and I do know everybody’s in all probability gonna hate me for saying this, however I’m gonna truly miss V-Set off. I believe V-Set off was a superb mechanic. It was fairly enjoyable and also you truly diversify your playstyle round it.
Responsible Gear Try confirmed simply how a lot on-line enhancements may influence issues like on-line tournaments and working towards with different gamers from totally different areas. How do you assume the improved on-line efficiency and matchmaking for SF6 will assist the aggressive scene?
I’m so excited for this. I like a variety of the web tournaments and I play Try, so I do know a variety of the web capabilities of the sport are actually good. I can play principally any area within the U.S. and even additional with out coping with too many points.
I do assume on-line is nice for the aggressive group, however I additionally assume individuals ought to nonetheless come out to their locals and go to offline occasions. I do assume there’s a ardour there that simply can’t be matched on-line, however it’s clearly a superb factor to have good netcode and stuff like that.
During the last three or so years, a variety of combating sport gamers have primarily entered the scene by taking part in solely on-line as a consequence of COVID and different elements, in order that they could be making ready to enter their first offline occasion with SF6. What sort of recommendation would you give to these gamers who may get pleasure from a sport however are a little bit nervous about going to even one thing like a neighborhood?
My recommendation can be to only do it. I bear in mind in 2012 once I went to my first native for Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I had a good time as a result of I obtained to take a seat down and play a variety of casuals with robust gamers whereas we had been simply hanging out. It actually helps you enhance and get higher on the sport.
Whether or not you want to enhance and get higher otherwise you simply need to make buddies and stuff, going to locals is means higher than simply doing it on-line. Taking part in on-line and making buddies there’s nice, however assembly them in particular person remains to be means higher.
How do you are feeling taking part in different combating video games like Marvel vs. Capom or Responsible Gear Try will aid you in adapting to SF6? A whole lot of execs are speaking about how totally different the sport is and the way arduous it could be for some gamers to understand these new or returning ideas.
I at all times really feel just like the extra combating video games you’ve performed all through your life, the larger of a bonus you’ve over individuals who have simply centered on one sport or sequence as a result of you may see issues from a number of views.
As a Avenue Fighter participant, you may take a look at one thing in a sure means that’s totally different from a Granblue or Responsible Gear participant, or no matter it could be. For myself, I believe I’ve a fairly good outlook and am optimistic concerning the totally different views I convey to easy methods to play any sport.
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On the content material facet of issues, how excited are you for all the bizarre modes and single participant stuff SF6 will convey to the desk?
There’s a variety of content material I need to do in terms of the sport with all the bizarre mini-games like that one the place they whack the barrel again at one another and the aggressive content material for tournaments goes to be nice. SF6 is only one large avenue as a result of there are such a lot of new characters and issues to indicate off to individuals. One thing like a contemporary begin.
Would you enter a match primarily based round all of these mini-games? You recognize Jebailey and a number of the different match organizers are going to have them as facet occasions at their Majors.
In the event that they do tournaments for stuff like that basketball or barrel mini-game, I imply, I’m all for it. I’ll enter as a result of I identical to seeing stuff like that.
There are such a lot of combating video games popping out or getting updates this yr, with Granblue getting a brand new iteration with rollback, SF6 popping out, and Try nonetheless releasing new characters. Do you assume you’re nonetheless going to have the ability to juggle your core video games alongside these new ones you need to strive?
Yeah, I’m fairly positive I can juggle all the video games I need to strive as a result of I’m excited for them and have been doing one thing related already.
I can’t await SF6 and I actually do like Responsible Gear Try, and Marvel 3 is the primary sport I actually began taking part in at that prime degree. I’m additionally excited for Granblue [Fantasy Versus: Rising] after which there are video games like Diablo 4 popping out too. You recognize I gotta get on Diablo 4 however man, I didn’t understand they put that sport on the identical weekend as Avenue Fighter.
I’ve obtained a variety of grinding to do. I gotta discover a technique to make time to play all these video games developing.
