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Capcom Addresses Controversial Street Fighter 6 Decision That Turned Fans Against Them
Tournaments are key parts of the fighting game community because they are communal celebrations that highlight what players love about the scene. Casuals and professionals alike get to come together, build relationships, and witness high-level play. It would seem Capcom, a pillar in the FGC, would understand how to channel these good vibes, but a recent decision regarding charging for Capcom Cup 12 and Street Fighter League: World Championship 2025 for Street Fighter 6 has caused concern, something the company only recently addressed.
Capcom spoke to these concerns in a recent post on social media. While also explaining how to buy tickets for the in-person event in Tokyo running from March 11th to March 15th, it noted how it was “reviewing pricing and related details” and will have “updated information regarding the PPV broadcast, including final pricing and additional context” sometime later this month.
It is unclear if these streams will be free now (although, free replays were always planned for the following week) or if the cost will just be lowered. It is also worth pointing out that even the game’s director, Takayuki Nakayama, said he (and producer Shuhei Matsumoto) was shocked at the news, highlighting the disconnect between developers and the esports division. He also apologized for any concern these decisions may have caused.
Pay-Per-View Street Fighter 6 Tournaments Have Not Gone Over Well
This possible reversal or, at the very least, change is likely a result of massive fan outcry that came after the Tokyo Game Show announcement in late September that both Capcom Cup 12 and SFL: WC 2025 would be premium streams. Each stream would be ¥4,000 (a little over $26) or available through a ¥6,000 bundle (around $40). Some streamers like Maximilian Dood bemoaned the idea because it would tamp down on community-driven rebroadcasts that celebrate the game, meanwhile others noted that it could be a slippery slope where more and more tournament paywalls might pop up if players don’t speak up.
Street Fighter events in Japan have been paywalled before, but the addition of the more globally-oriented Capcom Cup in this new scheme has not sat well with players since many not situated in Japan aren’t used to paying for tournament streams. Many have also suggested that Capcom add cosmetics to Street Fighter 6 that would fund the tournament and offset the pay-per-view cost, which games like Mortal Kombat X, Injustice 2, and even Street Fighter V have done in the past. Capcom revealed in 2017 that the 2016 batch of Capcom Pro Tour Street Fighter V DLC contributed $170,000 to the prize pool, showing the success of such DLC in the past even when it’s in a less popular Street Fighter game.
Nakayama said this never even came up with SF6, so it’s not clear if this will be addressed later on. However, he later stated that he was committed to “[improving] things, even just a little, with other departments,” so it is possible more tournament-focused DLC would be coming in the future if everything lines up and the right conversations are had within Capcom.
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