Street Fighter 6 Sparks a Bright Future for Capcom’s Iconic Franchise

Latest Street Fighter is One that Fans and Fighters Can Get Behind

For the past week, I have been sinking many hours into honing my skills in Street Fighter 6, the latest fighting game in a long line of iconic titles from Capcom. For the first time in a long time, I was able to jump into a new fighting game right as everyone started to play — aside from those who played the various beta tests or those who kept playing the game through unofficial methods — equalizing my chances to actually be skilled enough to win matches at locals. Eager to be a more active member of my local gaming scene in Minnesota, I joined a bracket alongside 127 other players for a launch window tournament held at Wisdom Gaming Studios in the Mall of America, which was hosted by Run The Mix. In a day filled with wacky side events, appearances from pro players, commentary by community favorites, a bombastic Tekken 7 side bracket, and a slew of fascinating matches I quickly realized that this is a Street Fighter that everyone can get behind and there is a high likelihood we could see mass adoption from other tournaments. This could result in one of the most vibrant, competitive communities the Street Fighter franchise has ever seen which could bolster fighting game communities worldwide. 

As someone who’s favorite memories are playing Street Fighter II with my cousin, learning how to do E. Honda’s Hundred Hand Slap, and then jokingly using the move and sounds ourselves when we meet up, I am so excited to see Street Fighter in this new state. 

Luckily, I am no stranger to regular community-driven tournaments and streams. I am blessed to have been able to be a part of presenting several gaming tournaments in Minnesota, streaming several events per week while at Black Ice eSports, and then hosting more events on Forever Classic Games channels where I did much of the production and commentated most events. There are definitely more events coming soon where I’ll show off some of the best players I know but just having a local community to support is awesome. I highly recommend seeking out such a group for anyone interested in competitive titles, speedruns, or just fan groups. The sound of buttons furiously being clicked echoing over a space is music to my ears and it’s always a pleasure to go to these events. Some of the best friendships of my life were made through gaming tournaments. Finally, though, I feel like I can get into a Street Fighter game without feeling like the rest of the group are so far ahead that there’s not much hope of me catching up.  

Anyone who remembers the disastrous launch of Street Fighter V might feel the general cognitive shift for the launch of the latest game. SFV was an ugly game that was mostly devoid of a visual identity; it did eventually get support as new characters and patches shaped the meta into a mechanically pleasing offering but outside of watching some of the best players duke it out there wasn’t much of a reason for casual players to try it. The game was lacking substance in single-player content and was expensive with lots of microtransactions that were confusing to navigate.

Street Fighter VI is a stark contrast to its previous title, as Capcom has embraced a graffiti-inspired visual language with character developments for fan favorites and several new, striking additions to the roster complete with catchy hip-hop tracks that clarify the game’s street culture tone. One look at a fighter like Marisa, a massive warrior who uses her Greek ancestry to fuel her interest in Spartan culture and love of combat, is enough to capture the imaginations of new players in a way that previous games just didn’t come close to achieving. Better yet, all of the new characters are stylized in a way that makes the game a joy to watch, adding to the spectacle of playing or during tournament play. 

Comparing SF6 to SFV highlights such an uncanny difference in identity; Street Fighter 6 looks and sounds incredible. The game is a far easier sell to newcomers and sales have already been high. Returning players will also find that many favorites have returned with exciting updated designs and mechanical shake-ups. Ryu for example, now has a larger focus on powering up his attacks for wall-bounce combos with insane levels of impact. Blanka on the other hand can now set up traps by tossing around Blanka-chan dolls and charging them with his electrical powers. My favorite sumo wrestler in games, the aforementioned E. Honda, also has new ways to advance and his physics-defying headbutt is quickly gaining infamy. There’s just so much to love in these characters and now more than ever they feel like complete warriors with more background details about who they are and scenes that move their stories forward. 

While I didn’t get to take my simple Guile strategies to any victories during the tournament, I did get to meet a lot of new players and get advice on how to improve. Some of those players had already discovered astounding combo routes with pretty much every character while others had just picked up Street Fighter for the first time a week prior. There was a mix of legacy players from other titles, younger hopefuls, and those drawn to the energy that lights up a venue when a match is close. I had a ton of fun being in the crowd, cheering as local player John 3:16 battled it out against Kaizur in Tekken 7 for a shot of taking on Arslan Ash in the grand finals. I relished in the crowd’s shift as Kaizur suddenly became the hopeful combatant when facing down the exceptionally skilled Arslan Ash. Later on, when the main SF6 tournament picked up, it was intriguing to see how Arslan Ash played SF6, defeated only by Joey_FGC (who earned second place overall) and then later Fuh in the loser’s side of his pool. I shouted as two Zangief players hyped up the audience to celebrate every successful Spinning Piledriver. I can’t remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did when JAK stared emptily into the camera right before a match against Marine. Everyone was seemingly having a great time. 

The night concluded with a fantastic set between JAK and Joey_FGC, resulting in a 3-1 victory for JAK who used Juri. The entire venue was filled with cheers of support for both players and there are few things more exhilarating than being in that type of crowd. It’s an addictive feeling and it’s resulted in me being a huge fan of just being at tournaments over the last few years. I feel empowered and encouraged to practice more so that maybe next time I’ll get farther. 

Regardless of my personal skill at the game though, going to a local tournament is a fun way to socialize. 

While the Run The Mix tournament at Wisdom Gaming Studios and my personal reaction to the game so far may be a small sample of the current state of Street Fighter 6, I think there is a huge opportunity for something special, especially as the global pandemic’s effects have lessened in our area. Noah “Hamalak” Anderson, a commentator of many games and a solid competitor, noted after the tournament, “Since the scene died down during the pandemic it’s been hard to really get people together. Guilty Gear was a great addition, but something was missing from the scene. With the release of Street Fighter 6, I wouldn’t be surprised to see if things really take off! High hopes for SF6 in the coming months and years to come"

This event was a small taste of what’s possible for players and fans of this game. Street Fighter is a global cultural phenomenon with millions of fans across an array of titles that have lasting appeal. I am over the moon with the fact that Street Fighter 6 is as good as it looked when it was first revealed and I can’t wait to see how the game develops both from a regular and a competitive player perspective. 

Rollback netcode is also steadily becoming the standard, meaning that online warriors are getting a better experience and can keep people playing together in positive ways. Like SFV, SF6 has rollback and the online play feels good on a wired connection. The game’s club feature, which has been used to make hilariously named groups that focus on one specific character, has been handy for regular interaction and the new Battle Hub is entertaining to just exist within. While I personally haven’t been one for online ranked ladder climbing, I have been enjoying just how quickly I can jump into a game in SF6. There’s an ease of use that I appreciate, allowing me to get a few matches in when my time is severely limited.

Granted, mishandled monetization practices could derail this first wave of energy around Street Fighter 6 and I desperately hope that Capcom doesn’t taint the game with these predatory practices or dramatically unbalance the game through misguided patches. Being aware of the game’s audience and keeping open lines of communication will be key to truly unlocking the full potential of the game in the long term. I’ve been one for battle pass content as I like to play on my own terms at my own pace but for those looking to play near daily anyways, it may be a fun addition. Oftentimes, games with these models tend to push players into that battle pass by having their best items and cosmetics in that system, resulting in a fairly greedy feeling game. I do hope that Capcom offers some sort of free content structure as they did so expertly with Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise but time will tell. 

Ultimately, Street Fighter 6 is now in the hands of the players and hopefully, we’ll see support from Capcom that enables them to continue loving a game that’s seemingly brought the franchise back in line with its legacy. 

Learn more about Street Fighter 6 on the official website. A digital PS5 copy of the game was provided for content purposes. Screenshots were captured through native features of the PS5. A full review is in progress.