Street Fighter VI has been out for a month now. With a bombastic tournament over the weekend, the debate around character balance is back. But are the players too happy? This conversation is as old as internet forums and arcade brawls, and it’s made even louder today by the influx of new players into Street Fighter VI.
There’s no question that Street Fighter VI does have characters that many gamers find problematic. For the less skilled, the Honda’s butt banging and head banging are daunting obstacles to rank progression. For those higher up the skill ladder, Cammy and JP held back further progress, while at the forefront, Driverush Deejay and Jamie were far above all other competitors.
These characters with powerful tools in Street Fighter VI resulted in a stronger need for nerfs than usual. But here’s the question: Are the bitches people complaining about? Since the game has only been out for a month, the entire community hasn’t really had time to adapt and experiment with the current meta. These calls for nerfs come at a time when some of the best and brightest Street Fighter VI players haven’t really figured out what to do with the game’s characters.
Maybe it’s just a sign of a ton of new active players, but man, the culture of demanding nerfs before you can handle the game is at an all-time high.You look silly, go to the lab
— Brian_F (@Bri4nF) July 2, 2023
iGamesNews
“This may just be a sign of a ton of new active players, but man, the culture of demanding nerfs before you’re good at the game is at an all-time high. You look stupid for entering a lab” wrote fighting game pros and content Creator Brian F. “I’m brainstorming things to make the game more competitive/fun, but a lot of people just want to carpet bomb the characters that are cooked in the rankings lol, you’re probably as bad at the game as everyone else” .
If you’re wondering why you care about new players, it’s because of cultural differences between generations of players. Obviously this is a generalization, but the good old days before the always-on, real-time service nightmare we live in today didn’t exist for new players accustomed to the patch-heavy modern gaming environment. Back in Street Fighter IV, you had to wait for a major version update to fix balance issues. Patches appear often now. You are all spoiled for choice!
Over time, the tough but fair ones and the real losers will be separated. Take Jamie for example! Initially considered low-level, he gradually rose through the ranks to become one of the most fearsome characters in the game. If weakened quickly and loosely, he could very well be a monster right now, with few others able to share the spotlight.
Those with patience and graft needn’t worry too much, though, as the dev team hasn’t signaled that a major nerf is imminent. We know the team will soon be addressing real issues, like the auto-throw breakout tech discovered last week, so it’s not an absence either.
But tell us what you think? Is there a character in Street Fighter VI that needs to be nerfed? Or should we back off, train, and let things work out first? Let us know in the comments below.
For more on Street Fighter 6, check out our article: CEO 2023 Is FGC’s Most Inclusive Work, Despite Looming Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
