One of the most important names in the Street Fighter community, Yoshinori Ono, has announced that he is leaving Capcom after nearly 30 years with the organization. The news is bittersweet as Ono has had a remarkable impact on the game for decades, and it is difficult to imagine the future of the series without him championing the future of the game and its esports scene.

In leaving, Ono penned a heartfelt letter to fans of the series, as well as to all fans of the Fighting Game Community (FGC). In the letter, Ono describes how since the Capcom Cup in 2013, the Capcom Pro Tour has grown into an annual event due completely to the support of the players and FGC worldwide. It is well worth a read and be seen in its entirety in the tweet below.

Ono first began as a sound producer at Capcom in the early 1990s, working on such iconic franchises as Mega Man, Muscle Bomber, Breath of Fire, and Devil May Cry. Later on, Ono began to have more management responsibilities, and is considered by most as the main reason for Street Fighter’s massive comeback in 2008.

After years of success, the franchise has been in a bit of a rut, and new installments in the series were acceptable, but nothing as captivating to fans as the original games in the series. Ono is known to have pushed hard for Street Fighter IV to return to its roots, and the game was a resounding success.

In contrast, Street Fighter V (upon release), Street Fighter x Tekken, and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite were far less successful, and Ono appeared to shoulder some of the blame, though a close look at each game reveals issues that are likely far out of the hands of only one individual. Still, the series remains strong today and Street Fighter V is in a great spot, with new characters announced for 2021, showing that the game still has an active development roadmap in place.

As for the future, it is not clear what Ono will do after leaving Capcom, and his farewell letter does not hint at anything within the video gaming industry. We certainly wish Ono the best in whatever the future holds and thank him for his ongoing passion for all things Street Fighter!

Source: destructoid.com

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