Do I Need To Play Anything Before Street Fighter 6?

Capcom is firing on all cylinders when it comes to how it’s treating Street Fighter 6. The latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise is set to release across multiple platforms in 2023 and the initial trailers for the game are impressive.

High graphical fidelity is on display thanks to Capcoms RE Engine, and we’ve seen some of the new fighting mechanics in action during matches with characters like Chun-Li and Ryu. This includes the new Drive system which should give players more control over both offensive and defensive options.

Since the game is the sixth mainline entry in the Street Fighter series, it features returning characters with updated looks. Newcomers might be wondering if they need to play any other games in the series to catch up.

Do I Need To Play Anything Before Street Fighter 6?

For most players, the answer will be a clear-cut no. If you’re a gamer who wants to check out Street Fighter 6 for its exciting gameplay, you do not need to play any prior games in the series. The controls are easy to understand, and Street Fighter 6 will also include a Modern Control type which simplifies them even further. With Modern Controls enabled, you’ll only need to use a combination of directional inputs and single-button presses to perform flashy attacks.

The Street Fighter games are first and foremost fighting games. Gameplay matters most to fans of this series, and while there is a story to experience, Street Fighter games have not done a great job at telling it. Actual cutscenes and dialogue between characters are sparse, so understanding the lore of Street Fighter will require research on your part. That would involve checking out outside media, such as anime and manga.

The Street Fighter canon is somewhat messy to pick apart. Rather than getting bogged down in understanding the multiple endings of each game, win quotes, and non-linear timeline, we would recommend reading or watching a concise summary online.