Sherry Nhan, also known as SherryJenix in the FGC, recently launched a passion project called EFightPass.
From her years traveling to compete all around the world, she came across a player known as El Tigre in Mexico in 2018. He placed third at Thunderstruck, making him the highest placing player outside of the Americans. Though he was highly ranked, he could not compete in the United States because of the risk and cost of attempting to acquire a visa.
Throughout her time in the FGC, she has encountered many situations just like El Tigre’s. By starting EFightPass, Sherry is providing a program that gives overseas players the opportunity to not only acquire a visa, but also have their flight, hotel, and tournament registration costs covered. If you are looking to apply, this is how EFightPass works.
We had the opportunity to talk to Sherry about her mission with EFightPass and the impact that it has in the FGC.
How did your background help you with starting EFightPass?
I would say my love for the community and competition is what gave me the motivation and idea to start EFight Pass.
Who are your biggest inspirations for starting EFightPass?
My biggest inspirations come from the players. I have had the opportunity to travel around the world and play with a lot of talented people. Seeing how these players have overcome barriers such as lack of equipment, funding, etc. to becoming one of the best in the world in their field is truly inspiring.
Why did you choose the Fighting Game Community specifically?
I chose the Fighting Game Community specifically because this is the community I have been a part of it for almost 10 years. Our community is very unique in terms of how we operate and how we interact. There is so much history behind the FGC and as eSports continues to prosper, our community will also continue to grow.
What are the common problems that players come across and how will EFightPass help?
Common problems foreign players come across is acquiring a visa. A lot of players either do not have the means to pay the nonrefundable fee, or they are lacking the information needed in order to acquire a visa. EFight Pass is designed to give a basic understanding of the steps needed to get a visa and allows the top echelon of foreign players to have their visa fees covered.
How do you think EFightPass will impact the gaming community?
It was just two years ago when a player from the Dominican Republic, MenaRD, qualified for Capcom Cup, the most prestigious invitational tournament of the year, and won the championship. This was just the start of opening the rest of the world’s eyes to the potential of players that exist and go unseen. With EFight Pass, I hope that more hard-working players get what they deserve, a fair shot at the Capcom Cup championship.
What are some differences that you see in the gaming industry when you travel to compete?
The scenes outside of America remind me of the community that I was a part of in earlier times (2009-2014). Players would gather at someone’s house almost every day, play for hours on hours, and end up passing out on the couch, floor, anywhere. To me, it is really refreshing to be amongst players who truly have a passion for the game and only care for becoming the best.
Are there other initiatives that are currently helping players?
To my knowledge, there is no other established program to help foreign players. I believe EFight Pass is the first of its kind and is currently a work in progress. I am hoping that I will be able to make this a successful and efficient program as it continues to develop.
With the success of EFightPass, what does the future look like for players?
I am hoping to see more players from all over the world at multiple tournaments within the Capcom Pro Tour season. The majority of Premier tournaments are in the United States and the more foreign players that are able to compete in it, the more our community will level up as a whole.
I am also hoping that the program will be able to branch out to other games. Although its current focus is on Street Fighter, I would love for it to reach Tekken, Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Smash Brothers, and much more.
Do you have any tips for aspiring gamers trying to compete in America?
For any gamer that is passionate about a game, they should continue to keep playing. A lot of times, players’ efforts go unnoticed, but as social media and streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube continue to become such powerful tools, opportunities will arise more often for those dedicated gamers.
How can those in the industry and fans help?
Right now, the program is open for donations. You can either donate directly to the players who have had their visas approved to help cover travel costs (hotel/flight/tournament registration) or donate directly to the collection pool for visa fees.
I have a couple of upcoming projects that should be released soon that will be other avenues of generating funds for the program. This way, the program won’t rely on donations solely.
Whether or not the industry/fans can financially help, just spreading the word about the program helps as well. As word of the program spreads, more players can be reached and who knows, it could lead to the discovery of our new Capcom Cup champion.