Street Fighter 6‘s reveal has built tremendous hype as the first new core entry in the storied fighting franchise since Street Fighter V launched way back in 2016. With its overhaul of both visual presentation and gameplay systems, Capcom aims to modernize Street Fighter for a new generation while attracting veteran players craving innovation after years without fresh content.
Set to launch on June 2, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC platforms, anticipation runs high to see how Street Fighter 6 pushes the genre forward. Let‘s analyze the details revealed so far about SF6‘s launch roster, game modes and what we can expect from this sequel when it releases in a few months!
Overview and Expectations
As one of the most revered fighting game series ever made, the Street Fighter franchise laid crucial foundations for the entire genre. However, some fans felt the last few titles stagnated in terms of evolving gameplay and mechanics. Street Fighter 6 looks to directly address that by revamping combat with the new Drive System while still retaining the precision and depth veterans expect.
Additionally, modern presentational upgrades were sorely needed as well – Street Fighter 5‘s graphics already felt dated in 2016 and don‘t hold up compared to recent fighting games. Thus SF6 leveraging Unreal Engine 4 with gorgeous character models and flashy effects helps it feel like a true current-gen title.
Further excitement stems from Capcom promising features catering to players of all skill levels. Veterans have in-depth training tools and frame data to master. Meanwhile, newcomers can utilize simplified control schemes and the World Hub provides fun solo content for those not ready to battle human opponents online yet.
If Capcom manages to balance depth for pros with accessibility for mainstream appeal, Street Fighter 6 could propel the series back to cultural phenomenon status last seen during the unprecedented popularity of Street Fighter II.
Street Fighter Series Sales Over Time
| Game | Year | Copies Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Street Fighter II | 1991 | 15.5M |
| Street Fighter Alpha 3 | 1998 | 1.2M |
| Street Fighter III | 1997 | 0.9M |
| Street Fighter IV | 2008 | 4M |
| Street Fighter V | 2016 | 0.7M |
Now let‘s explore what details have been revealed regarding SF6‘s launch lineup and game modes.
Street Fighter 6 Launch Roster
SF6 boasts 18 playable fighters at launch, with several classic world warriors returning alongside a selection of intriguing newcomers.
Ryu
The poster boy of Street Fighter remains Ryu. Though his traditional martial arts gi shows some wear and tear now, Ryu‘s fighting philosophies stay constant as he continues honing his skill via battle.
Ryu retains his iconic projectile Hadoken fireball and rising Shoryuken uppercut. But his toolset expands with the V-Skill Denjin Renki boosting his fists with Power of Nothingness energy for huge damage on his next attack. Ryu also uses Hashogeki to discharge ki from his palms at short range.
With 8 appearances over 35 years spaning ports and sequels galore, Ryu fills the basic yet enduring shoto archetype, incorporating fundamentals that continue alluring newcomers while veterans exploit his subtle nuances acquired over decades.
Chun-Li
The first lady of fighting games returns sporting her signature ox horns hairstyle and spiked bracelets ready to destroy foes with lightning fast kicks.
Former INTERPOL detective Chun-Li now cares for an orphan named Li-Fen in her adopted hometown of Shenzhen, China while teaching martial arts. Her iconic moveset remains intact with tricky upside-down Spinning Bird Kicks plus massive damage and corner carry from her Kikoken fireball into Tenshokyaku barrage kicks.
Chun-Li also employs the new V-Skill Serenity Stream, entering a grounded stance using counterattacks. Street Fighter 6 incorporates some lore elements regarding Li-Fen‘s mysterious past – perhaps Chun-Li‘s detective days aren‘t completely behind her yet…
Luke
Luke debuted as the final Season 5 DLC character added to the Street Fighter V roster. This French mixed martial arts instructor works for a private military firm applying his combat sports expertise to secret missions.
Utilizing crushing throws and brutal combinations, Luke excels up close. His special techniques include the Sand Blaster projectile and Blaster Combination grab attacks. Luke gets enhanced versions called Fatal Shot and DDT Throw in Street Fighter 6 – expect his already potent rushdown to become even more terrifying!
The full launch roster covering all playstyles includes other returning fighters Cammy, Juri, Guile, Ken and Dhalsim. Rounding out the lineup are newcomers consolidating their own cultural fighting disciplines like Capoeira dancer Lily, Vale Tudo fighter Jamie and French kickboxer Manon.
Game Modes
Fans criticized Street Fighter V‘s lack of single-player content but Capcom addresses that by structuring SF6 across three distinct gameplay modes:
Fighting Ground
As its name suggests, Fighting Ground offers local versus play with friends alongside AI battles. Training mode and tutorials reside here too, helping players learn fundamentals and character movesets. Veterans can analyze frame data to develop optimized combos and setups as well.
Expect Fighting Ground to incorporate familiar arcade ladders where you fight consecutive CPU opponents on increasing difficulty. Legacy extra modes like time attack or survival challenges will likely return here too.
World Tour
An all-new single-player story campaign, World Tour incorporates open world exploration including Metro City. Previously just a minor stage, seeing Metro City fully realized involving various locales and characters should prove exciting.
Details remain mysteriously scarce thus far. But the customizable player avatar promises creating your own fighter who then actively participates against the Street Fighter cast during World Tour‘s narrative. Perhaps certain choices influence the story a la visual novels? We‘ll have to await more reveals.
Battle Hub
This online hub facilitates player interaction including spectating matches and hosting lobbies. Battle Hub incorporates a virtual arcade storing classic Capcom titles playable locally or with friends online as well.
Battle Hub builds a connected community around SF6. Veterans can study tournament footage within Replay Theater for insight countering certain tactics. The Hub lets casuals drop by just to chat, keeping user engagement strong… and microtransaction potential high if Capcom ever adds DLC costumes again!
Gameplay Enhancements
Among gameplay enhancements, the new Drive System condenses multiple classic mechanics into one gauge. By expending Drive Stocks, you activate options like:
- Drive Parry – Reflect attacks back at opponents
- Drive Impact – Absorb attacks without blocking
- Drive Rush – Quickly traverse the stage
- Overdrive Art – Empowered EX special move
- Drive Reversal – Launch an invincible counterattack
This modernizes Street Fighter 6 while retaining beloved systems veterans know. EX moves and Super combos utilize their own meters still. But the Drive System supplements your moveset with extra possibilities that shake up the flow of battle.
Additionally, Street Fighter 6 supports rollback netcode for smoother online matches. Implementing rollback alleviates the input delay frustration plaguing past series entries. Now attacks properly connect against opponents regardless of connection strength.
| Feature | SFV | SF6 |
|---|---|---|
| Netcode | Delay-based | Rollback |
| Input Delay | 6+ frames | 3-5 frames |
| Crossplay | No | Yes |
Let‘s speculate on what else we could see when Street Fighter 6 launches in June 2023!
Predictions
As Capcom‘s development cycle enters crunch time heading into SF6‘s release, plans likely involve post-launch support rather than more base roster additions pre-launch. Season passes adding 6 DLC characters worked well for Street Fighter V, that strategy should continue with the first wave satisfying fans wanting mainstays like Sagat or Sakura at launch.
Interestingly, story elements shown thus far reference classic Street Fighter plotlines – the Black Moons from Street Fighter V make a return while World Tour brings us back to Final Fight‘s Metro City. This suggests an ambitious narrative scope driving SF6‘s experiences, perhaps creating a definitive, consolidated canon across various games and media.
Furthermore, the customizable avatar fighter incorporated into World Tour bears monitoring. Will they only participate within isolated single-player content? Or does your unique character play a broader role against others online as well? Capcom may integrate feedback on World Tour‘s features to shape post-launch DLC priorities.
Above all, with the sheer amount of content planned already, Street Fighter 6 shapes up as a dream entry for series devotees once it hits shelves June 2023!
