Street Fighter 6 is one of the most anticipated fighting games to come along in a while. Developed and published by Capcom, it is (obviously) the newest installment in the long-running and wide-ranging Street Fighter franchise. This latest iteration won’t just arrive with improved visuals and a new gi for Ryu — it brings new gameplay mechanics to the series, and a host of new characters with unique fighting styles. As a result, Street Fighter 6 promises to be a major hit among those in the competitive fighting game community and casual players alike. So: here’s everything you need to know about Street Fighter 6.
What is Street Fighter 6?
Street Fighter 6 is a fighting game developed and published by Capcom. It is the latest title in the Street Fighter franchise and only the sixth mainline entry in a series that spans 35 years and 29 (!!!) games. The game expands on Street Fighter V with new moves, new characters, new levels, new gameplay modes, and new supers for fans to learn and master.
and is set to release on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game features an expanded roster of characters, each with their own unique fighting styles and movesets. Street Fighter 6 also introduces new gameplay mechanics and modes, making it an exciting addition to the fighting game genre.
What Is The Release Date For Street Fighter 6?
Street Fighter 6 will officially launch on June 2, 2023. If you’d like to get a little taste of it now (and you own a PlayStation console), you can download a free demo for PS5 or PS4 from the PlayStation Store.
Which Platforms Will Street Fighter 6 Release On?
Street Fighter 6 will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. It will also launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to serve those players still running previous generation hardware.
Will Street Fighter 6 Support Crossplay?
Yes! Street Fighter 6 will feature cross-platform play at launch, meaning no matter what platform you play on, you’ll be able to battle your friends online.
Street Fighter 6 Features And Gameplay
Let’s dive into some specifics around SF6 and the changes it makes to gameplay.
First, there’s the game’s expanded roster of characters. So far, Capcom has confirmed a total of 18 characters at launch, and they are (in order of announcement):
- Ryu
- Luke
- Jamie
- Chun-Li
- Guile
- Kimberly
- Juri
- Ken
- Blanka
- Dhalsim
- E. Honda
- Dee Jay
- Manon
- Marisa
- JP
- Zangief
- Lily
- Cammy
- A.K.I.
- Rashid
- Ed
- Akuma
The final four characters on the above list — A.K.I, Rashid, Ed, and Akuma — have all been confirmed as Year 1 DLC characters. Capcom will launch a new character each quarter following the game’s release, giving players time to get to grips with their movesets and how they fit into the wider playing field before the next arrives.
Second, there’s the new gameplay mechanics. SF6 is built around the Drive Gauge system. Players can use the gauge across five different techniques, like parries, focus attacks and EX moves. Knowing when to burn your gauge, and what to burn it on, is half the battle. Long-time SF fans will be well prepared to handle this as the series has used variations on this mechanic in the past. The Drive Gauge revises the system yet again in hopes of generating more player creativity and flexibility fight-to-fight.
Third, the new game modes. Street Fighter 6 features three main modes for play — Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. Fighting Ground is where the casual SF fans will reside– it’s where you’ll find all the local and online versus battles, as well as Arcade Mode and training. World Tour is the game’s primary single-player campaign. You’ll create a character of your own with their own fighting style and embark on your very own version of Russell Crowe’s Fightin’ ‘Round The World, issuing beatdowns until you finally reign supreme. This mode also drops you into fully 3D neighbourhoods you can walk your character around in. Yes, Street Fighter now includes a little bit of Yakuza action. I’m interested. The final mode is Battle Hub and this is where the die-hards will live. Battle Hub contains all the game’s online modes, including ranked and casual matches. There’s also special events for players to take part in, and even older Street Fighter games playable in an emulator.
Street Fighter 6 Trailers
Street Fighter 6 was first announced on June 2, 2022, a year to the date from when it would eventually be set to launch. The game was announced with the following trailer:
Over the year since, Capcom has rolled out numerous trailers for the game, spotlighting upcoming features, mechanics and characters. Take this one that features Zangief, Lily and Cammy, for instance:
As the release date nears, the final set of trailers has begun to drop, mostly concerned with the game’s extant modes like World Tour and Avatar Battle.
Street Fighter 6 has fans about as hype as they’ve been in a long, long time. The long reign of SF5 is finally coming to an end, and in its place, a new challenger approaches. With an expanded roster of characters, improved visuals, revised gameplay mechanics, and multiple new game modes, fans will have a new fighter they can sink their teeth into for years. Whether you are a long-time fan of the franchise or a complete newcomer to fighting games in general, it seems Street Fighter 6 has a little something for everyone.
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