Trailers for Street Fighter 6 have revealed quite a bit of information about the latest installment of one of Capcom's most popular series, from introducing new gameplay modes and features to revealing which members of the series' expansive cast of characters will make it into the game's roster. One of the most talked-about pieces of information amongst fans has been the announcement that Street Fighter 6 will be a cross-platform release, with versions of the game being available for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X|S consoles, as well as on PC through Steam.

This announcement has been particularly well-received by many Street Fighter fans, who interpreted it as proof that Capcom has acknowledged and addressed their criticisms of the company's decision to release Street Fighter V exclusively on the PS4 and PC. However, while the multi-platform release of Street Fighter 6 will make the game more accessible to both old and new fans of the series, it also means that the game may never be able to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S' capabilities.

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Street Fighter 6 trailer screenshot of Chun Li and Ryu mid fight

While the original Street Fighter was initially released as an arcade cabinet, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior was one of the first video games to ever be released across multiple consoles. Not only did Street Fighter II go on to become one of the highest-grossing video games ever released, but its then-unique cross-platform support revolutionized the gaming industry. While subsequent Street Fighter games were often exclusive releases for PlayStation or Dreamcast, the series once again returned to cross-platform releases with Street Fighter IV, which became one of the most critically and commercially successful games of 2008.

However, when Street Fighter V was announced, Capcom was quick to specify that the game would only see a console release on the PS4 due to an exclusivity deal made between themselves and Sony. Unfortunately, Street Fighter V's initial release was ultimately plagued with controversy, some of which was directly related to the exclusivity. While the game's technical issues and the absence of many fan-favorite characters and game modes were ultimately the results of choices made by the developers, the lack of cross-platform support limited the scope of the game's player base by making it impossible for many of the series' fans to play the game.

Although many players' complaints about Street Fighter V would be addressed through post-launch patches and downloadable content, Capcom's exclusivity deal with Sony stood firm. Despite Capcom's insistence that Street Fighter V's exclusivity would "centralize" the player base, players who were introduced to the series through Street Fighter IV but didn't own a PS4 or PC had no way of playing it at all, dividing the very fanbase Capcom had hoped to bring together.

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Luke and Ryu

By releasing Street Fighter 6 on multiple consoles, Capcom has ensured that the game won't limit its player base the same way Street Fighter V did. Even without the ongoing PS5 shortage, which many in the industry speculate will continue well into 2022, making the game exclusive to one family of consoles would alienate a sizable portion of the Street Fighter fanbase. By giving the game a cross-platform release, Capcom has not only increased the game's marketability, but they've also assuaged the worries that many Street Fighter fans had by ensuring that the game will be accessible to most players in some form or another.

That being said, releasing Street Fighter 6 for the PS4 may mean that the game won't be able to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S graphical capabilities. To ensure that the game can run smoothly on the PS4's less-advanced hardware, Street Fighter 6 will have to be designed with it in mind, potentially limiting the quality of its graphics. While the simple fact that many players aren't able to get their hands on a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, it's disappointing to know that the flashy special moves that the Street Fighter series is famous for may not be as visually impressive as they could have been if Street Fighter 6 was designed exclusively for next-generation consoles.

In many ways, Capcom's decision to release Street Fighter 6 across multiple platforms is both a commitment to address player feedback and an example of the difficult compromises that game publishers have to make when choosing the systems on which to release their games. However, the Street Fighter fanbase's outspoken relief at the announcement that Street Fighter 6 will be a cross-platform release is a definite step in the right direction.