In 2008, Capcom and iam8bit collaborated to create the underground community event, Street Fighter Club. The first of its kind, it drew 200 eager fans to the darkest reaches of downtown Los Angeles’ scrap metal yards. Since it’s inception, over a dozen “clubs” have popped up around the country, attracting thousands of button-mashers en masse.

On February 3, 2011, the “Fight Club” series was reinvigorated for the launch of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, attracting nearly 2,000 fans, waiting in line for upwards of 19 hours (starting at 1am), for the doors to open. It was the biggest, loudest, most successful “Fight Club” to date, with the crowd wrapping around an entire city block. Performances for the evening included ambience from DJ R-Rated and a rockin’, fanboy-induced set by Miles Mosley and band, as well as surprise vocals by Mega Ran and Leeni. Fans were also treated to the first public demo of the Nintendo 3DS in North America, showcasing Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition; and a carefully curated selection of retrofitted arcade boards and sticks in the “Classics Lounge,” serving as an interactive museum for every, single Marvel/Capcom collaboration leading up to “MVC3”.

As with all Fight Clubs, the early birds were gifted “limited edition” tees and merch, no doubt flipped on eBay to finance a few college degrees.