Stridsspel

Stridsspel is a Swedish term that can refer to two related but distinct forms of competition: physical combat sports and video game fighting titles. In the sports sense, stridsspel describes organized competitions where athletes engage in controlled combat under formal rules. Disciplines commonly included are boxing, wrestling, judo, taekwondo, karate, and mixed martial arts (MMA). Competitions are regulated by national and international federations, with officiating, weight classes, protective equipment, and standardized scoring. The aim is to score points or achieve a knockout or submission, while safety and sportsmanship are prioritized.

In a different sense, stridsspel describes the genre of fighting video games. These are electronic games in which players choose fighters with distinct moves, health meters, and special abilities, and face off in one-on-one or team battles. The genre includes flagship titles such as Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Tekken. Modern entries emphasize complex combo systems, frame data, and online competition, hosting large-scale tournaments such as Evolution Championship Series (Evo).

History and development differ by meaning. The martial arts roots of combat sports go back to ancient combat traditions, with modern sport stridsspel emerging in the 19th–20th centuries through codified rules and international competition. Video game stridsspel emerged in the 1980s–1990s alongside the rise of arcade and console gaming, evolving with online play and e-sports. Today, both interpretations of stridsspel are part of global sports culture, each with its own communities, governance, and competitive ecosystems.