Capcom’s fighting game franchise has been a video game industry staple for three and a half decades, and the developer honored the series' 35th anniversary with an announcement that fans have been waiting to hear for a long time. With the confirmation thatStreet Fighter 6is officially in development, players that enjoy one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time have something to look forward to again. While the reception forStreet Fight 5might have been a little lukewarm compared to the success of some of its predecessors, hopefullyStreet Fighter 6can learn the lessons from its launch and give players something truly incredible.
WhileStreet Fighter 6’s development was half-leaked during themassive data breach that Capcom suffered, fans are no doubt relieved to have it officially confirmed through the brief teaser shown at the end of the Capcom Pro Tour fighting game exhibition. Capcom also used this announcement to reveal a new compilation of fighting games for PS4, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch called theCapcom Fighting Collection. The collection of ten games will be out on June 24 and will includeHyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition,Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire,andDarkstalkers: The Night Warriors,among others.
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Street Fighter’s Quiet Years
Street Fighter 5was released in 2016, and since then Capcom has been relatively quiet on the franchise. AlthoughStreet Fighter V: Arcade Editionwas released in 2018, andStreet Fighter V: Champion Editioncame in 2020 to switch up the base game and add new characters, the intervening six years have brought little news of the franchise’s continuation. Along with the periodic release of someDLC chapters to keepStreet Fighterfans placated, the final addition of a new character toStreet Fighter 5was teased by Capcom as a link to the next installment, leading to much speculation of what his future significance might be.
Street Fighter 5’s final DLC fighter, Luke, was a brand-new character to the franchise, and would reportedly have a large role in the events ofStreet Fighter 6. This was confirmed in the brief trailer forStreet Fighter 6, which shows a very buff Ryu with his iconic red headband facing off against the newcomer Luke.
It has been theorized by fans that Capcom may be setting Luke up to take over Ryu’s poster boy status for the game, especially as the red headband-wearing badass' personal story arc seems to have beenwrapped up during the events ofStreet Fighter 5. Although the teaser does not show any actual game footage, the realistic designs and attention to detail when it comes to musculature and movement articulation could be an indication that the series will embrace a less cartoonish aesthetic forStreet Fighter 6.
The Next Street Fighter Installment
With only a short teaser trailer to go on and not much else,details surroundingStreet Fighter 6are still vague and fairly limited. Seeing Luke and Ryu preparing for a bout in the highly stylized and atmospheric clip is an exciting insight for fans, particularly seeing series staple Ryu in such impressive shape, but many will want to know when the game will be released, and on what platforms it will be available. While players may not have these details yet, Capcom has promised that more information will be on the way this summer.
WithStreet Fighter 5’s initial slightly rough and bug-ridden launch, it makes sense that Capcom would want to take its time withStreet Fighter 6’s release. That being said, fans have already been waiting patiently for the next installment, and with only a very brief teaser to go on, a lot of their curiosity hasn’t yet been sated.
Rumors circulated the game’s development, including some apparent internal delays after thedeparture ofStreet Fighterexecutive producer Yoshinori Ono, who had been with Capcom for almost thirty years. Ono was reportedly set to beStreet Fighter 6’s director, but with rumors about poor test feedback and a switch-up in the game’s direction,Street Fighter 6might still be a little while away. Despite some apparent problems,Street Fighter 6has been a long time coming, and fans are just excited to see what is on the horizon for the beloved fighting series.
