Description
In the context of the fighting games industry, 'Freefall' refers to a period where a game, series, or even an entire company experiences a significant decline in popularity, sales, or competitive engagement. This can happen for several reasons, such as poor game updates, unbalanced gameplay, lack of community support, or the rise of more popular competitors. During a freefall, the affected party may struggle to maintain their player base, see a drop in tournament participation, and suffer from negative community feedback. It's a challenging phase that requires strategic changes and improvements to recover from.
Examples
- Street Fighter V's rocky launch: When Street Fighter V was released in 2016, it faced significant criticism for its lack of content, server issues, and gameplay imbalances. This led to a noticeable decline in its player base and community support, putting the game in a state of freefall shortly after its launch.
- Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite's decline: Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite struggled due to its lackluster graphics, limited roster, and poor reception from both casual and competitive players. Despite being part of a beloved series, the game entered a freefall and couldn't recover, leading to its quick fade from the competitive scene.
Additional Information
- Freefall periods often require substantial updates or even reboots to regain momentum.
- Community feedback and support play a crucial role in helping a game recover from a freefall.