While this is true, NRS nets sales in the millions for their fighting games. And honestly, they might be able to net more than they do with a solid online experience.
With competitive gaming on the rise and the fact that so many people are playing competitive multiplayer games online (with a number of games designed to ONLY be played online), honestly, there's no room for competition-based games to have disappointing online experiences. Fighting games can go even further than they already have gone, but it won't be achieved solely by the offline scene anymore, tbh. Not saying offline isn't important. You know me. Obviously it is. But with so many people unable to find an offline scene close by, online is oftentimes the only outlet. And let's be super serious for a second...most of these areas have players who just aren't that dedicated to getting better at games all like that...and by close I mean within an hour drive. Telling someone to suck it up and drive 4 hours round trip on a weekly basis for competition is stupid. Having to have done that at one point, it's not just high use of gas, that's some serious wear on your car (or whoever is driving you). If I can avoid having to do that by playing online, I will. And then there's the issue with the availability with good internet. And this isn't just my problem, if anybody's noticed.