Road Fighter 6 producer Shuhei Matsumoto revealed how dire issues had been for Capcom’s flagship combating recreation franchise through the Road Fighter V period and defined how he and director Takayuki Nakayama labored collectively to avoid wasting the collection from dying.
It’s no secret that Street Fighter V stumbled massively when it launched in February 2016. Many gamers felt that it was shipped out in an unfinished state, because it lacked fundamental parts like an arcade mode or story mode, on high of its extremely unstable netplay.
Shuhei Matsumoto — who stepped in as producer for Road Fighter V close to the top of its lifetime following Yoshinori Ono’s exit from Capcom in 2020 — alongside director Takayuki Nakayama, acknowledged that the franchise as a complete was in peril, and believed that the Road Fighter IP would possibly really fade into obscurity throughout the subsequent decade in the event that they didn’t act quick.
“When the 2 of us had been speaking throughout Road Fighter V, we realized that if we did not do one thing about Road Fighter, the Road Fighter IP would in all probability die in 10 years. It was vital. So, we needed to make it a recreation the place folks would get to understand it once more and play it once more,” Matsumoto stated throughout an October 2026 interview with Karin Ohira.
Matsumoto defined that SFV’s growing old playerbase was one instance of this problem, saying Capcom wanted to focus on youthful gamers if it wished Road Fighter to reside.
“At the moment, the participant base for Road Fighter V was roughly 35 to 45 years outdated. In 10 years, these folks might be 60. It’s tough to maintain the franchise if we solely depend on that group,” he continued.
“…It had grow to be a distant presence. Folks knew of the scene, however weren’t really enjoying the sport, which made us suppose, ‘That is dangerous.’ Ultimately, we’re a recreation firm, but folks weren’t enjoying our recreation. Is not that probably the most deadly factor? In order that was the most important hazard. We did not know if these folks would proceed with the identical degree of ardour, and naturally, there is a lifespan to issues, proper? That is after we talked about how, if we left it because it was, the IP would seemingly die in 10 years.”
So, how did they handle to show issues round so dramatically with Street Fighter 6? Matsumoto stated that the workforce averted counting on its energy as a historic IP, and determined to start out with a clean slate, as if nobody within the present era knew about it, in any respect.
“Whereas folks say Road Fighter has excessive identify recognition, we should not be overconfident. We determined to behave as if the present era would not know us. We have now to correctly clarify issues to those that are simply beginning to play video games now — like who these characters are and the right way to play — so we do not take that familiarity without any consideration.”
Matsumoto additionally stated that the event of SF6’s Trendy management scheme was integral to reaching a brand new viewers, alongside different approachable options like World Tour Mode (which has since been paused for the forseeable future), the Battle Hub, and real-time commentary from neighborhood figures like Vicious and Tasty Steve.
Matsumoto and Nakayama’s plan paid off massive time; Road Fighter 6 is considered one of Capcom’s most profitable Road Fighter video games of all time, having bought greater than seven million lifetime items as of summer time 2026. It’s extraordinarily fashionable each in Japan and overseas, and boasts an enormous playerbase throughout each Steam and consoles.
It’s an enormous yr for Road Fighter followers and Capcom typically; the developer has launched three critically-acclaimed titles in Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and is gearing up for the Street Fighter movie on October 16, which comes on the heels of the Resident Evil adaptation directed by horror savant Zach Cregger.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s Information Editor. With ten years of expertise reporting on video games and leisure, she’s acquired a storied background within the combating recreation neighborhood, influencer information, and viral on-line tendencies. Discover her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.