Capcom bans former EVO Champion- Filipino Champ

The Fighting Game community is one of the oldest gaming communities that have always stood up for equal gaming rights. Recently, the community's one of the most well known players was banned by Capcom for making an irresponsible public remark on Twitter.

Ryan Ramirez, who goes by the name 'Filipino Champ' or 'F Champ', is a former Evolution Champion for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. He received his ban after posting a picture that could be taken as a dog-whistle for people against the Black Lives Matter movement.

The ban by Capcom is completely justified as no one is owed the ability to enter a tournament regardless of how well they play. If the tournament organizers decide they would rather not have F Champ at their events, that is entirely their decision and should be respected.

F Champ Banned from Capcom Pro Tour

Filipino Champ Banned from all Capcom Fighting Game Tournaments Globally After Watermelon Lives Matter Tweet https://t.co/3gnLqSqUuU pic.twitter.com/GHa8T4uGO1

— Niche Gamer (@nichegamer) June 17, 2020

The Fighting Game Community should be responsible

The Fighting Game Community isn’t like a lot of other eSports communities out there. It developed organically and began in environments where personal and communal codes clashed with what the games allowed players to do.

The community is older than widespread online gaming. As a result, a lot of its culture comes from a time when being able to compose yourself in public was a part of playing. This means if you couldn’t handle losing and getting taunted for it then you shouldn't play the game. No one was going to hold your hand, so you had to be tough.

However, this doesn’t mean that players need to just let people like FChamp get away with their disrespectful and irresponsible behavior. The fighting game community has grown up, and the players need to grow up too.

The Fighting Game community and Black Lives Matter

Perhaps one of the best parts of the fighting game community is just how diverse it is. The Fighting Game Community is one where the only thing that sets you apart is your ability to play, whatever game you pick up.

It doesn’t matter what skin color you have, what language you speak, where you’re from, who your parents were, or what grades you got in school. If you can play well, you can make a name for yourself.

By making these kinds of racist jokes, Ramirez is making the community a less welcoming place.