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Street Fighter 6 producer Shuhei Matsumoto recently discussed the critical state of the franchise during the Street Fighter V era. Alongside director Takayuki Nakayama, Matsumoto identified that the series faced potential obscurity within a decade if significant changes were not implemented to re-engage players.
The team observed that the Street Fighter V player base was aging, with many users aged 35 to 45. Matsumoto noted that relying solely on this demographic was unsustainable, as the game had become a distant presence for many, leading to concerns that the intellectual property would eventually fade away.
To reverse this trend, developers approached Street Fighter 6 as if the current generation had no prior knowledge of the series. This strategy involved introducing approachable features such as the Modern control scheme, the Battle Hub, and real-time commentary to help explain the game to new players.
This strategic shift proved successful, with Street Fighter 6 becoming one of Capcom's most popular titles. As of summer 2026, the game has achieved over seven million lifetime unit sales, maintaining a large, active player base across consoles and Steam.
