The Impact of Strategy in Street Fighter, StarCraft II, and Beyond

Coaching in Street Fighter was a foreign concept until 2012. That's when Lee "Infiltration" Seon-woo debuted in the scene. He and Changwan "Laugh" An shocked the scene by coaching each other before and after matches. They also reviewed notes on their opponents. This initially shocked and outraged people, but it became the norm, like in online roulette game. Eventually, rules limited players to one coach. Infiltration was known for competing without a coach or notes before matches.

StarCraft II

Coaching is common in South Korea in StarCraft II, but it's less so elsewhere. A coach's main job is to win a Proleague, which is a team-based league. So, they choose the lineups, the players' builds, and the ace if it goes to the ace match. With individual leagues, it's hard to know how much coaches help. We know they analyze opponents' strategies and help their players prepare.

Ryu Won, Choi "Glovebox" Yun Sung, and Kim Min-Ki are three of the most influential coaches in SCII. Ryu Won is credited with the most significant accomplishments in SCII. He helped Mun "MMA" Seong Won and Kim "Soulkey" Min Chul win the GSL and secured many team league titles.

The second is Choi "Glovebox" Yun Sung. He's a bonjwa in StarCraft: Brood War. Many see him as the successor to Lim "Boxer" Yo-Hwan. After the military, he took over as coach of SK Telecom T1. After a poor start in Proleague, he revamped everything. He chose not to stick to the rigid Kespa ways of Spartan training.

The final coach on the list is Kim Min-Ki, who led STX and previously claimed a Proleague championship. While it’s difficult to attribute all the success directly to him, his influence is undeniable. But after STX disbanded, four of his six starters became league champions. For some reason, his players consistently flourished while under his guidance. After years of watching SCII, that coincidence hasn't happened again. It makes me believe he had a hand in making them great players.

League of Legends

League of Legends employs a more organized and formal coaching system. Players must live together for long periods. A coach is vital to prevent building tensions and keep the team from imploding. Beyond that, coaches oversee training, scheduling, analysis, and drafting. Depending on the team, coaches are typically supported by a sizable staff.

Yet, it's harder for coaches in the West to manage players than South Korea. In South Korea, elders have inherent authority, while in the West, everyone is equal. This makes it hard for coaches to establish authority.

Several renowned coaches are within the League of Legends community. The most renowned is Kim "kkOma" Hyun, who has coached SKT since 2013. He failed as an SCII pro player but became a top coach in the League.

Dota 2

Dota 2's tournament formats differ from League of Legends, so coaching is less vital in Dota 2. This is due to its open circuit and major system. Players live at home individually, making the need for a manager less critical. Also, roster shuffles occur more often, so coaches have less impact on teams.

Tang "71" Wenyu and Kanishka Sam "Bulba" Sosale are the most famous coaches. 71 is a highly regarded coach in China, shaping several top teams like EHome and DK. Bulba, a former pro player, is respected for his coaching. He helped Evil Geniuses win TI5.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Coaches like Sergey "Starix" Ishchuk (Na`Vi), Björn "THREAT" Pers (NiP), and Luis "peacemaker" Tadeu (Immortals, Team Liquid) have had huge impacts. They provided vital in-game support, like improving communication and controlling emotions. They also fed missed info. These skills are key for new teams playing in high-pressure environments.

During E3 2018, Sony impressed the audience with an array of first-party titles such as The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and Death Stranding. But the most significant buzz came when Spider-Man was revealed. In the gameplay demo, Spider-Man faced off against five of the infamous Sinister Six villains. It marked a crucial moment in Sony's PS4 success. Sony became the console leader with hits like God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn.

As Sony moves into the PS5 era, it’s relying on Insomniac Games to continue the momentum. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales aims to build on the 2018 Spider-Man game's success. It tells a unique coming-of-age story. Insomniac is also reviving Ratchet & Clank with a twist in Rift Apart. They are ready to deliver top-tier PlayStation exclusives.

Spider-Man games and the new Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart focus on fast, fluid movement. The first Spider-Man game was praised for its web-slinging. Insomniac's clever code lets players connect to buildings, not invisible nodes. In Miles Morales, the introduction of Venom (bioelectricity) added new movement options.

For Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, gameplay trailers highlight fast-paced movement and combat, and seamless, fast switching between dimensions. Creative director Marcus Smith says movement is key to Insomniac's games. It started with Sunset Overdrive and earlier titles like Fuse. Each game was refined for fluid gameplay and high-quality graphics. Spider-Man further perfected this balance, achieving film-like polish.

That lack of complacency is rare in game dev. But it's needed, as Insomniac helped make the PS5 a success. This results in significant pressure on the development team.

"It's a lot of pressure. “You don’t want to screw it up,” joked Cameron Christian, the game director for Spider-Man: Miles Morales at Insomniac Games.