In a summer full of major releases, few are as highly anticipated asStreet Fighter 6. When Capcom’s newest entry into the mainline fighting game franchise drops in June, it’ll mark the end of a seven-year wait. With the confirmed removal of the V-Gauge system and changes to frame data and performance gleaned through early beta tests, fans have been able to paint a reasonable picture in their heads of howStreet Fighter 6will look on launch.
With a stacked release roster and a re-energized focus on competitive play promised for2023’s Capcom Pro Tour,Street Fighter 6seems to be set up for success. However, considering the tepid response to the initial release ofStreet Fighter 5, Capcom would do well to keep its ear open and listen to fans' complaints about the next title’s predecessors.
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Less DLC and More Day-One Content for Street Fighter 6
The increased attention on DLC content is not a unique problem to theStreet Fighterfranchise, but it’s one of the most maligned trends across all gaming. For what it’s worth,Street Fighter 5was relatively forgiving with its Fight Money system, which allowed players to gather points by completing missions with purchased characters, which could then be used to unlock more characters. With Capcom confirmingmore characters coming toStreet Fighter 6, the title appears to be trending in the right direction. A total of 18 characters will be available at launch, meaningStreet Fighter 6boasts two more thanStreet Fighter 5- the most for any mainlineStreet Fighterrelease.
It’s unrealistic to believe that Capcom will stray away from DLC in an industry that seems increasingly dependant with the idea, but value needs to be there for fans. If players are going to be spending their hard-earned money on the game - and inevitable DLC packs to follow - they need to be rewarded with a ton of content. When the DLC comes, it should be affordable and contain excitingguest characters forStreet Fighter 6alongside other unexpected surprises.
Street Fighter 6 Needs a Deeper Story Mode and More Character Interactions
Calling for an expanded story mode and a deeper exploration of lore in a fighting game may seem absurd, but fans' reactions to theStreet Fighter 5story mode at least prove there’s an appetite for more. With aprequel tie-in comic forStreet Fighter 6scheduled to drop on Free Comic Book Day in May, Capcom can begin to whet fans' appetites forStreet Fighter 6’s story and set expectations for the game.
It was confirmed last year on Twitter thatStreet Fighter 6takes place afterStreet Fighter 3, meaning the latest title is headed into uncharted waters. With familiar storylines for characters like Ryu and left-field twists like Ken being accused of terrorism,Street Fighter 6’s story has undeniably massive potential, and fans are ready to explore it.
WhileStreet Fighter 5was criticized for its mistakes, one of its major successes was its attempts at a story mode. Though some fans were unimpressed, the light-hearted, self-parodic tone seemed to lay the blueprint for its successors likeStreet Fighter 6. Since a story mode won’t be for every fighting game player,Street Fighter 6would also do well to invest its time into more in-match dialogue, voice lines, and introductory scenes for each character as a way of tying in the lore for players who won’t visit single-player modes.
Street Fighter 6releases in 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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