Mr. World Wide (StaticGorilla) talks about his experiences at CEO 2025 and its return back home to Orlando. They discuss the surprise announcement of Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls made by Arc System Works, as well as EVO 2025 registration leaderboard. They talk a bit about the importance of supporting your locals, and dig into the outlook for fighting games through 2026.

Timestamps

00:01:35 CEO 2025 Experience
00:26:22 Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Reveal
00:50:42 Evo Registration Leaderboards
01:01:45 Evo Registration Discussion
01:07:32 Fighting Games Through 2026

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3on

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss the latest Street Fighter 6 updates, including Elena’s debut and our take on how she could shift the meta. We also break down City of the Wolves newest patch means for characters like Hotaru and Hokutomaru. From our personal Combo Breaker experiences to exclusive stories behind-the-scenes, we share what made this year’s event special. Plus, we explore the Nen x Impact demo and how its mechanics stack up against classic versus-style fighters.

Timestamps

00:01:47 Street Fighter 6 Patch
00:15:10 City of the Wolves Patch
00:21:52 Guilty Gear Strive UNIKA
01:00:15 Nen X Impact Demo

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ob

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evo Japan brought major news across the FGC, and we’re breaking it all down. From Virtua Fighter's long-awaited return to a surprising Street Fighter x Overwatch crossover, this episode is packed with hype and controversy. We dive deep into the MK1 “Definitive Edition” and whether it signals the end—or just another chapter—for NetherRealm. Plus, we explore Tekken 8’s polarizing DLC direction and what fans are calling the “NRS curse.” All that and the stacked Team Reject roster reveal for Street Fighter League!

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3o5

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Bonus Round we break down Evo Japan 2025. We chat about incredible third strike comebacks during the Cooperation Cup, along with the diversity of playstyles in both Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. Along with the highs came some lows, particularly those technical difficulties that interrupted several matches. We also take issue with organizers sticking with PS5 consoles despite their well-documented overheating problems, making the case that competitive fighting game tournaments should really transition to PC setups to ensure fair play across the board.

Episode URL: [episode_short_url]

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Bonus Round we discuss the rich and often overlooked lore of fighting games. Joined by Ambie Award-winner Aaron David Harris, we explore the narrative power behind iconic characters from Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Guilty Gear. From family drama to mysterious origins, discover how story, design, and personal connection shape who we choose on the character select screen. Whether you're a casual fan or a hardcore FGC lore buff, this episode validates the storytelling genius hidden in every fighter.

Timestamps

04:04 Design and Story of Characters
11:08 Narrative Elements in Fighting Game Stories
18:21 Favorite Characters
22:57 Characters with Hidden Depth
30:15 Father FIgures in FIghting Games
34:34 Fighting Game Crossovers
40:58 World Building in Fighting Games
44:45 Joke Characters
51:20 Boss Characters and Villians

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3nv

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots happening in the FGC right now. We have Evo Japan registration numbers rolling in and showing another huge turnout for Street Fighter 6. We discuss why that could be, and also talk registration numbers for other games. We dig into the character showcase for City of the Wolves, and also discuss the current community feelings around the game and its characters. In the last 2 weeks Tekken 8 has been in turmoil. The season 2 patch seems to be killing interested in the game. Finally, we discuss Elena's World Tour trailer.

Timestamps

01:03 Evo Japan Entry Numbers
15:02 Is CotW the Strive of SNK?
17:21 City of the Wolves Character Showcase
24:18 Community Reaction to SNK Decisions
32:26 Tekken 8 in Shambles
40:30 Feelings on 2XKO Launch Status
45:37 SF6 Elena World Tour Reveal

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ni

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots has happened over the last 2 weeks! We talk about the 2xKO Alpha Lab 2 coming over Easter weekend, featuring new characters and mechanics, and debate the pros and cons of launching with just ten characters. We recap our experience with CotW Beta 2, and discuss Ronaldo as a guest characters. We break down the intricacies of Venom in Guilty Gear Strive, discussing his playstyle and viability. We wrap up by recapping Ark World Tour 2024, including the final matches and the controversial decisions that impacted the competition.

Timestamps

00:01:35 2XKO Update
00:17:34 2XKO Alpha Lab 2 and Roster Size
00:41:11 CotW Beta 2 and Ronaldo
01:00:52 Guilty Gear Strive Venom
01:16:25 AWT 2024 Results

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3na

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Bonus Round we welcome back Aaron David Harris to discuss what makes these fighting games we love so much special. We discuss what actually is a fighting game, the music and art of fighting games, and the unique fighting game community.

Timestamps

00:03:47 Defining Fighting Games
00:12:33 Music in Fighting Games
00:18:09 Competitive Spirit in Fighting Games
00:25:52 Unique Community
00:29:33 Challenge and Appeal of Difficulty
00:33:09 Complexity vs Accessibility
00:44:43 Lack of Originality and Diversity
00:57:13 Modern Trends in Fighting Games
01:12:13 Why FIghting Games will Endure

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3n6

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evo 2025 early registration reveals there might be a shake up in the big 3, with City of the Wolves taking 3rd place behind Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. We also talk about the cost of going to Evo 2025 and what would make it worth it. We move into some Guilty Gear Strive updates around Venom, Dual Rulers, and AWT finals. We talk about the T-1000 Kombat Kast and updates coming to other MK1 characters. Finally we get into changes coming to Capcom Cup 12.

Timestamps

01:20 Evo Registration Leaderboards
11:51 Evo 2025 Costs
34:47 T-1000 Kombat Kast
48:04 New Mechanics in MK1
59:21 Capcom Cup 12 Changes

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3n2

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss the highlights and analysis of Capcom Cup 11, celebrating the triumphs and failures of the best Street Fighter 6 has to offer. We cover everything from the Grand Final's intense matchup between Blaz and Kakaru, to the controversial tournament format and the production elements; notably the shift to using PCs. Insights about specific matches, the variety of character picks, and the surprising performances from both seasoned veterans and new challengers like Blaz, a 15-year-old Ryu player. We discuss the tournament's success and its implications for the future of Street Fighter competition.

Timestamps

02:01 Event and Production
11:55 Tournament Format and Player Management
15:46 Group Stages
25:28 Group Stage Favorites
29:43 Top 16 and Grand Finals
41:00 Grand Finals
43:25 Final Thoughts

Episode URL: [episode_short_url]

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices