‘Still got a bag of Arcade Infinity tokens’
At first I thought it was just the fact that some of this music video is shot outside the now-desolate building where Super Arcade once thrived that was causing my arms to break out in goosebumps, but Zaid Tabani’s new song “Everything Changes (FGC 2021)” has bars for days.
It’s not that the song will leave you feeling all that good – its themed around remembering the rough-edged good times that the FGC traded in over the last 18 months or so as things like COVID-19 and pro player sex scandals have been plaguing us – but Zaid’s powerful knack for extracting truth and artistically portraying it is on full display here.
Hanging out in sweaty, crowded garages late on weekday nights, playing until Xbox 360’s red ring, getting yelled at and threatened for using scrubby tactics… that all sounds a hell of a lot better than some of the problems we’ve faced in more modern chapters.
Those who have tasted FGC culture from before the pandemic, or perhaps from a few years prior, will most certainly hear a few lines that resonate to the core. While the musician certainly brings up larger-scale issues, he also expertly notes some of the small annoyances that we never thought we’d miss (like having to ask to borrow a stick for tournament matches for various reasons.)
Those who only got into the scene more recently, this is a quick glimpse into what things were truly like not so long ago. It also might be a glimpse into where we’ll be going back to, though we certainly don’t want to let nostalgic emotions send us ahead of ourselves.
On top of all this, the music is great as well. Zaid’s delivery is powerful and the melody is easy to listen to. Check it all out for yourself below and then hit up the comments to share your favorite memories of older FGC culture. NSFW language warning.
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