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The Street Fighter 6 Hype Proves the Franchise Is Bigger Than Fighting Games

The game's new open beta highlights that the original World Warrior has developed a legacy far greater than a mere genre.

The hotly anticipated Street Fighter 6 is almost here. On June 2, classic characters like Blanka and Ryu make their return alongside fresh-faced newcomers. The game offers several new gameplay elements that separate it from Street Fighter V, including streamlined control schemes for novices, wacky new modes where you set different win conditions, and the RPG-like World Tour that tasks you with creating an avatar to rumble in an open-world, single-player adventure.

Street Fighter 6 is part of a fighting game renaissance that sees everything from niche anime fighters to crowd-pleasing platform fighters finding audiences. Yet Street Fighter still commands the most respect, even when it stumbles. Why? The past decades have proven that Street Fighter is more than just the grandfather of its genre; it’s a cultural juggernaut wholly unto itself. Street Fighter is bigger than fighting games, and you can get a taste of its latest incarnation by participating in the Street Fighter 6 open beta that runs from May 19 to 21.



Here Comes a New Challenger

Here’s a crash course history lesson on how Street Fighter became an icon. Although the first Street Fighter and even older games featured intriguing combat ideas, the fighting game genre didn’t truly come into being until 1991’s Street Fighter II. The cast of international characters, varied special attacks, innovative combo moves, and emphasis on head-to-head multiplayer was unlike anything anyone had previously played. Its massive popularity made Capcom’s game the king of fighters (not to be confused with SNK's King of Fighters).

Throughout the 1990s, Street Fighter’s iconic status was cemented by the fact that basically every fighting game was a reaction to it: Here’s Street Fighter, but it’s a silly comic book crossover (Marvel vs. Capcom). Street Fighter, but in 3D (Virtua Fighter). Street Fighter, but with vampires (Darkstalkers). Those imitators enjoyed various degrees of success, but they weren’t Street Fighter. Even Street Fighter III, a gorgeous game with brilliant mechanics, initially turned people off because it ditched many characters fans grew to love via games, cartoons, toys, and the Jean-Claude Van Damme/Raul Julia movie.

Street Fighter is so powerful that it also single-handedly revived the fighting game genre in the new millennium following the death of arcades. No genre truly goes away, but only Street Fighter IV, with its mix of modern presentation and throwback Street Fighter II sensibilities, could revive mass interest and bring back lapsed players. Just like Street Fighter II, Street Fighter IV kicked off a fighting game renaissance we’re still arguably living through. Street Fighter carries fighting games on its big, burly, Ryu-sized back.


Franchise Fumbles

Capcom’s failure to recognize Street Fighter’s status as more than just another fighting game is perhaps the source of the franchise’s biggest problems over the years, in terms of gameplay and cultural relevance. After all, it wasn’t until Street Fighter III received its 3rd Strike update—something more closely resembling what we expected from Street Fighter—that Capcom secured its legacy. And even still, both it and Street Fighter Alpha remain more or less niche hits.

Kimberly SF6

Or consider Street Fighter V. Now that the game is finished, we can look back on what went wrong. As the follow-up to Street Fighter IV, in a new world much friendlier to fighting games, Street Fighter V seemed poised for success. However, missing features, awkward seasonal character rollouts, and a narrow focus on the competitive aspect alienated too much of its potential audience. Developing a game meant to create exciting pop-off moments at Evo tournaments was a good idea. Everyone needs something to aspire to. Still, Street Fighter V only had that core, and not the meaningful layers surrounding it that do unsung work in bringing people to a game and making them stick with it. Street Fighter needs to be more than just another fighting game.

Compare this with another franchise people are passionate about as being more than just another fighting game: Mortal Kombat. Initially just Street Fighter with a gory twist, Mortal Kombat quickly established itself as another phenomenon too big to stay contained in arcade cabinets. Even if you have absolutely no idea how to throw a fireball or do a dragon punch, you probably know that Scorpion is a yellow hell-ninja who has beef with a blue ice-ninja named Sub-Zero. Mortal Kombat's fighting gameplay has improved over the years, enough to sustain a healthy competitive scene. Recent games also intelligently recognize that they'll bring in more casual fans, new and old, through lavishly produced story modes that highlight these characters we love so much. Street Fighter V's story mode, ironically enough, is just a weak imitation.


Street Fighter 6 Looks to Recapture the Crown

Fortunately, Street Fighter 6 seems to be going in the right direction with lots of fresh ideas, and fans can't wait. The storyline jumps forward in time, hence Guile's new facial hair. Folks are stoked for new characters, such as Jamie and Kimberly, to fight alongside old favorites. The new art style moves away from Street Fighter V's somewhat redundant take on IV's ink brush and leads into a modern look that mixes realism with bold graffiti. Street Fighter is emphasizing the street. 

Regarding gameplay, simpler input options let more players have fun without grappling with complex button combos (meanwhile, veteran players have new systems and gauges to learn). The free-roaming World Tour single-player game looks fascinating, even if it's still unclear just how it works. All I know is I can't wait to painstakingly customize my character's muscles, and sumo headbutt into random people in the crowd or use a spinning bird kick to fly across rooftops. Live commentators will bring tournament excitement to casual bouts at home. And in an excellent meta twist, you can play older Street Fighter games online against others in a virtual arcade.

One disappointing game or two won't knock out a brand as strong as Street Fighter; it's bigger than any one game, any one genre. The Street Fighter 6 open beta runs May 19 to 21. The last time Capcom announced a Street Fighter 6 beta, the sign-up site promptly crashed. So, suffice it to say, people are ready for a comeback. If Capcom can stick the landing and give us a Street Fighter game worthy of its singularly extraordinary pedigree, Ryu and friends will keep their legendary status for years to come.

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About Jordan Minor