I don´t think today’s guest needs any introduction – the “FGC mum” from London is well known for her community deeds already. Except there may be a thing or two you still don’t know about Darxy!
Twitter: @darxity_
Twitch: DarxyTV
TikTok: @darxity_
Birth Year: 1995
Country: Poland/UK
If you had to introduce yourself in three sentences to some SoulCalibur player who didn’t know you, what would you say?
Hi, I’m Sheryl aka Darxy, and I’m a London-based Taki enthusiast, casual cosplayer, former-TO, and the FGC mum that will do a head-count every time we go out with the community after a tournament. Regardless if I’m playing the game or not, you will always find me watching Calibur tournaments and getting passionate about the game. Some also know me for mashing, and awful tournament anxiety but I’m working on improving.
What is the origin or meaning of your nickname?
It took me ages to choose a nickname without feeling awkward and I never got a nickname from my friends as my name is fairly unique anyway. As I started attending more locals and was thinking of streaming, I needed to have an original name I would stick with.
One evening, I sat down to seriously think of different name combinations and sounds. Names with “R” and “X” sounds always seemed cool to me so I focused on incorporating that. Eventually, I thought about my then favourite music genre – darksynth and I came up with “darxity” as it resembled the genre name but also phonetically sounded like “dark city” which aligned with my favorite aesthetic. Then I decided to shorten it to “Darxy” which I did not hate. I tried using it at a few tournaments, people started calling me by that and so I made it my official handle. I still use “darxity” interchangeably from time to time though.
How did it happen that you ended up playing fighting games?
We always had video games in our household but it bugged me that most of the games had a male MC and so I couldn’t really connect with the games fully. Conversely, I appreciated fighting games for having an array of characters where I could find myself in one and control them. With SC specifically, it started with my parents getting me a PS2 and SoulCalibur II as presents for my First Communion (I asked for a puppy but in the long run I’m so grateful they got me those instead). Unlike Tekken 3 or DOA2, the other games I had, SC actually had a good variety of characters with unique designs. I also loved that the game was weapon-based which beautifully aligned with character personalities and playstyles.
Who do you main in SC6 and why?
Taki – she appeals to me in every way possible. Initially, when I was 9 and had a pink phase, I picked her because of her suit colour. But then my obsession with ninjas came along (thanks Kakashi) on top of her fast and jumpy play style I adore, which fully utilises the 8WR movement. I’m also the type of player who would rather do multiple small hits than one big bash. Not to mention she’s an absolute badass looks, personality and lore wise. I was so upset that she wasn’t in V and refused to play Natsu, and boy was I glad when she returned in VI.
I’ve only played female characters as they just look cooler to fight as. I tried different characters throughout the series – Sophitia, Ivy, Talim, but when I started taking SCVI seriously, Taki resonated with me on a spiritual level.
What do you consider to be your greatest SC6 achievement and why?
Competitive wise, I think sending Keev to losers at one of the Locked in Your Character tournaments and winning one of the PS Open Series tournaments so I could show my parents you could actually make money from playing fighting games and it’s not a complete waste of time.
Personally, I would say being called the “FGC” mum by the UK community and having people rely on me when it comes to organising events or outings is an achievement I take pride in. When I suggested doing SuitCalibur at CT 2021 as a formal way to conclude the game’s tournament lifespan (as we didn’t know if it would be still featured in majors then), I was delighted to see so many people actually be on board with that idea. Every time there’s an event, I take group photos of everyone as a souvenir and it brings me joy to see the community stay so tight throughout the years.
I’m also proud of what I did as a TO at East London Fighters, which gave me a good foundation to grow within the community.
If you will be able to add one more character to SC6 – either an existing SC character or a guest one – who will you pick and why?
I’m honestly happy with the roster as all characters I would possibly play are there. I’ve never been into guest characters because I enjoy creativity of in-game OCs so I’d rather have a Groh added than 2B for example (even though I’m aware they drive sales for newcomers). That being said, Viola would be a cool addition as I love the originality of her playstyle as well as her design. I’d just ask devs to make her balanced because the way she was in V was not okay.
If SC7 will be released, what do you wish to be changed and/or kept from the current game?
The dev team did a great job at adding mechanics in VI that are easy to grasp and add fun to the game, specifically Soul Charge as a “get off me tool”, and Soul Attacks as combo extensions and/or special moves that are safe. I don’t mind Reversal Edge because I don’t get a big pay off with Taki, but if that were to stay, I wish it didn’t give you a whole bar of metre and I’d like it to be balanced for every character so that there’s an equal risk-reward in a rock-paper-scissors scenario.
For VII, I care more about fixing hitboxes, removing verizontals and making sure the character doesn’t lose tracking for no apparent reason (Taki problems). Also remove Red/Purple Rose Amy.
Please answer a single question that you were not asked but you would like to answer!
What does SoulCalibur mean to you?
Big thing for me is that the SC series is the reason I found my career path and thus is one of the major reasons I got my life together. I grew out of a lot of phases, but my love for the game remained for the 18 years of my life. When VI came out, I finally decided to go out, meet new people, start getting social media and community experience as a TO, which gave me confidence to pursue a career in gaming which now I’m very proud of.
Also it’s cute and funny that I found a real-life partner through this game for which I’m also grateful.
BONUS: If you don’t mind me asking – what is your experience of being a woman in SC (or FG in general) community, which is mostly male?
Generally, I’ve had a great experience with the SC people who have been nothing but sweet and welcoming. I grew up playing fighting games with my younger brother and I had no idea about any communities playing games together. When VI came out and I was straight out of uni and figuring my life out, I met so many amazing people that helped me break out of my shell, practised with me so I could get better and created a great space where I could spend time, especially during difficult COVID times.
As a woman in any fighting game, you will get occasional “nice guys” who try to befriend you to only have a shot at dating you just for the fact that you play the same game and are a woman. I have also met guys whose ego would be much more hurt after I’ve beaten them because they wouldn’t take me seriously as a female player in the first place. Those are the odd ones out though and I focus on the good eggs in the community, and there’s more than plenty of them.
Thank you for the interview!