With the 2025 season now underway, Road Fighter 6 has incorporated an additional battle pass to fuel player enthusiasm, boasting a wealth of cosmetic additions for character avatars, stickers, and online challenger portraits. Despite anticipation running high among fans of Street Fighter 6, the news that the main cast will not be receiving new costumes has fallen flat.
Viewers who venture onto YouTube or Twitter to watch the Battle Cross trailer are likely to encounter an overwhelming tide of negative comments and responses. Despite controversy surrounding it, the cross has faced scathing criticism on social media, with some labelling it as subpar or even deplorable. Conversely, a YouTube commenter, misterbranches4362, offered a poignant critique: “I might somewhat don’t have anything.” Thanks”.
How did we get to this juncture, and what’s behind the widespread discontent? Ultimately, Street Fighter 6 marks Capcom’s inaugural successful attempt at a modern live service game. Although it’s not a traditional free-to-play game, its monetization model has relied heavily on post-launch battle passes, as well as revenue generated from the sale of recent characters and their associated costumes. While new characters and full-costume updates are slow to emerge, smaller cosmetic additions like avatars, stickers, and other novelties seem to maintain a consistent pace?
While data on the popularity of avatar battles is scarce, it’s reasonable to assume that players engaging with avatars have a high level of dedication and passion for the game. Skilled gamers opt for intense combo-labbing sessions, meticulously honing techniques with iconic Street Fighter characters such as Rashid and Ryu, rather than engaging in virtual combat. While combos may appear appealing based on their in-game avatars, they remain reliable and effective regardless of appearances.
This is some additional context. The last time we received character costumes in Road Fighter 6, a crucial update for those frustrated fans, was in December 2023 with the Outfit 3 pack. The game’s initial release features a selection of pre-orderable skins and outfits for its starting lineup of playable characters. The “Outfit 3-pack” for the primary wave of DLC characters was re-released in May. Without cosmetic sales in sight for nearly every character for over a year, players are eagerly awaiting a treat from their favorite franchises. Evaluating the highly anticipated Road Fighter 5, we notice the abundance of new costumes tied to the Capcom Pro Tour, which understandably sparks frustration among veteran gamers who feel left out of the loop.
The debate’s essence condensed: What remains a pressing concern is the motivation behind Capcom’s decision to offer post-game support. The developer, who had previously struggled to adapt to a live-service model, has now acknowledged the need for consistent post-launch support, yet opted for cosmetic measures such as avatar clothing and stickers to achieve this. In rare instances of inter-franchise collaborations, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover, we’ve managed to secure Avatar-themed merchandise.
While we’re unaware of Capcom’s internal plans, it’s possible that a significant subset of players enjoy exploring game mechanics, collecting cosmetic items, and engaging in leisure activities like visiting the in-game arcade. There appears to be a genuine appetite for such content, but so far, we’re not observing concrete evidence of this online. Perhaps, as a more cost-effective option, we could craft this type of elegance? Rather than reworking an entire character model, it may prove more expedient and cost-effective to develop garments specifically designed for the Avatar rig. What’s driving Japan’s fascination with Road Fighter 6 and its increasingly popular monstrous characters? Not a realistic goal, whatever anyone may demonstrate at this stage.
Ultimately, one crucial issue awaits Capcom’s attention: a hard truth that Road Fighter 6 players will need to accept if no adjustments are made. What’s striking in this entire situation is the emergence of a distinct, highly persuasive tone among gamers who assertively express their desire to purchase novel attire. While online demand may not directly translate to actual gross sales, this phenomenon remains an intriguing topic for analysis and serves as a valuable case study for other fighting game developers looking to leverage live service revenue streams.
