This year marks the 35th anniversary of Capcom’sStreet Fighterfranchise, and the prolific Japanese publisher is celebrating in a big way.Street Fighter 6has been revealed, and a wealth of information is being shared about its gameplay and characters. After a full console generation spent withStreet Fighter 5,Street Fighter 6looks to bring something new to the table. With a colorful spray paint aesthetic and a new Drive System that updates old mechanics,SF6could be what the franchise needs to reclaim its throne.
The revisions toStreet Fighter’s iconic cast members, and some energetic new faces, are contributing toSF6’s warm reception.Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile, and Lukeall look great in their new outfits, and newcomer Jamie is garnering fans. Fans have picked up on another big change in the character descriptions and developer statements:Street Fighter 6is set to be the latest game inStreet Fighter’s chronology, making it the first true sequel sinceStreet Fighter 3: 3rd Strikein 1999.
RELATED:Street Fighter 6: History of Guile
Street Fighternarratives gave the various colorful fighters a reason to show up, but story was never the series' focus. Nowhere is this more apparent than the awkward situation aroundStreet Fighter 1. It is the first game in the timeline, butStreet Fighter Alphais considered both a sequeland soft replacement. TheAlphatrilogy’s Japanese title,Street Fighter Zero, cements this, and is likely the result of Capcom wanting to set a better game as the series' starting point.Street Fighter 2is set after1andAlpha, andStreet Fighter 3occurs a long time after that.
Street Fighter 3used its aged setting as a reason to introduce substitutes and newcomers. The mostly new cast, combined with theSF3’s initial fumbles and fighting game competition, contributed to it being a commercial failure. When Capcom returned to the franchise withStreet Fighter 4, it set the game between2and3to justify old cast members returning. This was the right move for4, butStreet Fighter 5launched as another interquel preoccupied withconcluding the M. Bison Shadaloo arcfor good, while setting the stage forSF3’s Illuminati. Despite most of the cast having their stories develop over time, fans were getting tired of retreading the same fundamental settings.
Street Fighter 6 Takes the Story Into a New Era
In the lead-up toStreet Fighter 6, fans weren’t sure what to expect. DLC stories inStreet Fighter 5seemed to set up every possible direction the franchise could go, including time travel.Luke’s story and role as anSF6teaserseemed to indicate that the next game would take place after5, but that could have also meant a retelling of3’s battle against the Illuminati. Now thatStreet Fighter 6has been revealed, Capcom confirmed that6takes place after3on Twitter.
At long last, fans will be treated to a brand-new chapter ofStreet Fighterhistory. Exact dates and ages have not been a part ofStreet Fighterfor a long time, but the designs and attitudes of returning fighters reflect their progress.Ryu abandoning the Satsui no Hadohas been reflected by his new moves and an outfit based on his master Gouken. Chun-Li is now raising the girl she adopted inStreet Fighter 5’s “A Shadow Falls” story mode, and Luke has found new work as a PMC contractor. Every character has picked up some new techniques, and Jamie’s backstory mentions that he was inspired byStreet Fighter 3’s Yun and Yang. With Shadaloo and the Illuminati absent for now,Street Fighter 6will be stepping into a new era full of possibilities.
Street Fighter 6will be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
