Street Fighter 6 smashes 2M sales in just 5 weeks

Street Fighter 6, the latest entry in the iconic fighting game franchise, has been a huge success since its release on June 2, 2023. The game has received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, praising its gameplay, graphics, story mode, and accessibility. According to Capcom, the game has sold over two million copies worldwide in just over a month, making it one of the best-selling fighting games of all time.

Also read: Street Fighter 6 Review of Reviews

A strong start

Street Fighter 6 got off to a strong start with one million sold over launch weekend. This was a significant improvement over Street Fighter 5, which sold around 1.4 million copies in its first six weeks and missed its original 2 million sales target. Street Fighter 5 launched in February 2016 with a lack of content and features, which led to a mixed reception and slow sales. Street Fighter 6, on the other hand, launched with a robust roster of 18 characters, a World Tour story mode, a Modern Control type that simplifies the inputs for special moves, and various online and offline modes.

Capcom said that these single-player features were designed to appeal to a broad range of players, from casuals to veterans, and have contributed to Street Fighter 6’s sales success. The game also received positive feedback for its visuals, which use Unreal Engine 5 and ray tracing to create stunning effects and environments. The game runs at 60 frames per second on both PC and consoles, and supports cross-play across all platforms.

A long way to go

Street Fighter 6 still has a long way to go before it tops the sales of Street Fighter 5. That game has shifted over seven million copies in the seven years since its release, making it the best-selling home console entry in the series. Street Fighter 5 also benefited from multiple updates and expansions that added new characters, stages, modes, and balance changes. Street Fighter 6 is expected to follow a similar model, with four DLC characters planned for the first year and more to come in the future.

The first DLC character for Street Fighter 6 is Rashid, a fan-favorite from Street Fighter 5 who uses wind-based attacks and parkour moves. Rashid will be available on July 24 via the $29.99 Year 1 Character Pass, which also includes AKI, Ed, and Akuma. Capcom revealed the release date and gameplay for Rashid in a trailer that showed off his new look and moveset. Rashid is a fast and agile character who can use his V-Trigger to summon tornadoes that can trap or push away his opponents.

The other DLC characters are also expected to bring new gameplay elements and styles to Street Fighter 6. AKI is a new character who uses electricity-based attacks and can charge up her power meter to unleash devastating combos. Ed is a returning character from Street Fighter 5 who uses psycho power and boxing skills to overwhelm his foes. Akuma is a legendary character from the series who uses dark energy and martial arts to strike fear into his enemies.

A bright future

Street Fighter 6 is not only a commercial success but also a critical one. The game has received an average score of 88 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 85 reviews. IGN gave the game a 9 out of 10, saying: “Street Fighter 6 is the most feature-rich a Street Fighter has ever been at launch, but even beyond that, its roster of 18 characters is excellent, the new mechanics revitalize the one-on-one fighting formula, and it absolutely nails all of the little things that make for a stellar fighting game.”

The game also has a strong esports presence, with Capcom investing heavily in its competitive scene. Street Fighter 6 is set to star at the upcoming Evo tournament, the biggest fighting game event of the year. The game is also the focus of the Capcom Pro Tour 2023, which offers a record $1 million first place prize for the winner. The tournament will feature some of the best players in the world, such as Daigo Umehara, Tokido, Punk, Fujimura, and more.

Capcom said it aims to drive further sales growth by pushing Street Fighter 6 esports and providing continuous updates and support for the game. The company also thanked its fans for their continued support and announced that all players will receive a small token of appreciation in-game.

Street Fighter 6 is available now for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.