Choose Your Fighter
It should be out by now.I’ll betit was supposed to be out by now.The Royal Rumble deal? the SNL sketch?the Korean rating? C’mon. Still, I’m notcomplainingabout the fact that Capcom’sStreet Fighter 6is still four months away, no sir. And that’s because it’s shaping up to be anincredibly promising release. This is what happens when you allow something to bake to completion, something thatStreet Fighter Vwas most definitely not allowed to do by its fateful launch.
It’s all good, as the drip feed of information has given eager fight fans the opportunity to check out the game’s 18-strong launch roster, performing vital reconnaissance on their personal World Warriors of choice.
The World Warriors
Returning from previousStreet Fighteriterations, we have some of the most iconic fighters in gaming, with veterans Ryu, Chun Li, Dhalsim, Zangief, Honda, Blanka, and Guile all present and correct. In fact, theentiretyof the original World Warrior line-up is on deck, even if Ken is now rocking hisall-newThe Fugitivegimmick. There is, currently, no sign of any of the Shadaloo warlords, givenSF6‘s place in the timeline. But wedoknow that a popular boss characterisen route, courtesy ofthat notorious roster leak.
Surprisingly, of the post-Street Fighter IIcrew, onlySuper Street Fighter IIstars Cammy and Dee Jay are in the mix. TheStreet Figher AlphaandStreet Fighter IIIrosters have zero representation whatsoever (At least for the time being). FromStreet Fighter IV, only my squeeze Juri has made the cut, while the onlySFVdebutants are Luke (who was neversupposedto be inSFVin the first place), and two leaked DLC characters. This lineup embodies the core theme thatStreet Fighter 6is “Veterans vs. Newcomers”
AnewNew Generation, if you will.
NKOTB
Stepping into theStreet Fighterring for the first time, we have an array of colorful and exciting new stars. Led by the poster kid trio Luke, Jamie, and the effervescent Kimberly,SF6offers up several characters that have already captured the hearts of cosplayers, streamers, and the fan artist community, including the lithe grappler Manon, the powerhouse that is Marisa, the wholesome and physics-defying Lily, and the mysterious JP — who may or may not be the villain of the piece.
On social media, there is a welcome sense of acceptance for all of these characters — a far cry from the arcade days of yore, when it cost mucho buckos in order to test out newcomers, and thus often saw them loitering in the shadows. And whileHere Come The Cool Kidsis a risky (and usually foolhardy) venture, some of these combatants have already been excitedly claimed by players — even before they’ve had a chance to check them out in person. That’s a fine omen of character variety, and one which should seeSF6get off to a great start, online and in local competition.
Me?you don’t need to ask. And I can’t wait to get back to it. But some of the youngsters havedefinitelycaught my eye, and I’m hoping to be far more varied in my character choices than I have previously been.Street Fighter 6is looking to allow that variety, from an aesthetic and gameplay stance, and whileSFVwas criticized for its single-minded “This isTHEoptimal combo”, new mechanics such as Perfect Parry, Drive Rush, Drive Impact, and even Burnout look to ensure that adaptation to the moment will be the key factor in theSF6meta. Which will hopefully afford us a more varied player strategy
How do you think the roster is shaping up? And who are you hoping to take to the ring come June? Conversely, who still needs to join the roster in order to truly make you feel at one with the new sequel?
As relevant today as it ever was: Choose Your Fighter.
Street Fighter 6launches July 28, 2025 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Be sure to check out thenew theme song, our thoughts on itsnew protagonists, and the50 things I loved in the beta
