Street Fighter IV to Hit PS3, 360, and PC, Not Wii

Many different sources are reporting that the new Street Fighter game will be hitting the PS3, XBox 360, and PC but not the Wii. "Expected to release this fiscal year and now confirmed for PS3, 360 and PC, the next iteration of the genre-establishing fighting series renders characters and environments in stylized 3D, while the game plays in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective 'with additional 3D camera flourishes'. Street Fighter IV will include the original cast of Street Fighter II along with new brawlers including female super-spy Crimson Viper, lucha libre wrestler El Fuerte and mixed martial artist Abel."

Comments

A new street fighter?

[i kan reed]

I thought all capcom did these days was re-release street fighter II.

No Wii?

[ChocoboKnight]

The best part of SF was playing with friends, and the Wii is the console to have to play with friends at home. I guess online play will come to the rescue but it is not the same. Sad.

What's the story here?

[dyslexicbunny]

Am I supposed to be excited that SF IV is being released OR should I be upset that it's not on Wii? That's actually a serious question. No offense to the editors here but which bias am I supposed to be seeing. Usually you guys throw in a little question that makes it obvious - as much as I hate it at times. Or are we supposed to reminisce about playing SF2 growing up?

I'm not really interested in either case. I loved SF2 and worked my way through mastering every character. But fighting games were a blast when I was young and I've moved on and lost interest in them. Beyond Super Smash, do they even sell well anymore? Regarding the Wii, I'm not surprised. The hardware makes sacrifices so you'll miss some games due to this. I knew that getting a Wii so I just don't see why this is a story in that regard.

Re:What's the story here?

[Ren.Tamek]

It's more like an interesting titbit. Quite a few game developers are avoiding the Wii recently for major releases, even though it is the best selling console worldwide.

For a title like SFIV this is interesting, because the developers readily admit that it's going to be much like the original SF games, only in 3D, therefore there is no inherent need for performance hardware to enjoy the game. Make of that what you will. Maybe it's telling. Maybe it says nothing at all. Maybe that kind of conjecture is pretty useless :P. Who knows!

Re:What's the story here?

[urcreepyneighbor]

Or are we supposed to reminisce about playing SF2 growing up? I remember getting my ass kicked just about every time by Asian guys in their mid teens thru early twenties. :(

Re:What's the story here?

[Duradin]

*cough* classic controller *cough*

*hack* gamecube controller *hack*

Re:What's the story here?

[Jaysyn]

Yeah, I can't stand fun games either, who does Nintendo think they are?

Re:What's the story here?

[Omestes]

Well, this game is 1920x1080 which is a bit above what the Wii can output (480p?). Here's a link to some video of the game play:

Hmmm... so I won't be allowed to play it on my regular old TV? Odd, I thought both of the "Hi-def" consoles could handle regular TVs. I doubt the resolution is a problem, since around 70% of the people I know with a 360 (and the guy with the PS3) have standard televisions.

Processing power, though, may be an issue. Though I don't think the Wii is as gimpy as you make it out, it might still be an issue.

The controller is a non-issue. Of the last two big releases (Smash Bros, and Mario Kart) you had the choice between the GC controller, or the Classic controller, or the Wiimote/nunchuck. As someone else said here, there may be an aspect of some moronic thought that says you MUST use the motion sensors, which is rather stupid. Look what this idea did to the Okami port.

I really don't mind missing Streetfighter though, I never really was a fun of it. The only game I'm pissed about not having is Soul Caliber. Though what I'm really afraid of, is that the Wii will be an RPG wasteland, just like the GC before it. Why does nintendo hate RPGs so much? Why?!

I bought a Wii because I don't trust Microsoft to make a good console, and the Red Ring of Death debacle has made me even more wary. As for the PS3, I'm just not interested, too damn expensive, for not enough pay-off, that and as of now there isn't any games that really make me care about it yet. So far the Wii is a good investment, great at parties, a couple rock-solid "serious" games (No More Heroes, Metroid, Zelda). The PS2 has been doing good at keeping my RPG fixation happy, with a 10 year back-catalog of "new" games for $10-30, it makes it hard to justify hemorrhaging $400 for the next big thing.

I personally don't give a rats ass about graphics. I stopped really caring about "pretty / 1337 hardware" duo after college. I'd rather have good gameplay, and a strong plot now, which is becoming harder and harder to find, even Square has abandoned me.

I don't understand why you'd put graphics ahead of fun, as "'fun games not focused on graphics', as they say.. I had enough of that in the 80s and 90s" implies. I haven't had enough of fun games, with or without graphics, fun, to me, is the ONLY deciding factor. But then again I still play Nethack and the original Fallout for fun time to time, and am currently trying to play though the Zelda series (via VC) from beginning to end. And the graphics pimping has ALWAYS been around, remember what Genesis' selling point was? As was the PS1s. Remember drooling at the FMV in FF7? I'm not even going to get into PC games, the 90's was probably the era of pimping your computer to squeeze out every single pixel and FPS you can.

What are the people at Capcom thinking?

[Lilith's Heart-shape]

I wonder how much money Capcom expects to make off of this game. 2D fighters like King of Fighters tend to end up in the bargain bin pretty fast these days, and even 3D fighters aren't much shakes. If you don't have a bunch of like-minded friends to play with, a game like Dead or Alive 4 is only good for a weekend rental. I think gaming has moved on. I don't see Street Fighter IV having any interest for people who didn't grow up on 2D fighting games and still feel nostalgic.

Re:What are the people at Capcom thinking?

[Awptimus Prime]

They'll make some money. I don't have a clue as to how much but that shouldn't be the focus as far as the consumer is concerned. As long as there are plenty of people to play online and it's a fun game, that's all I will be caring about.

DoA4, well everything in the DoA series, has been quick to the bargain bin. It's got a sloppy control system but tends to be released early in the life of consoles, so each time a new one comes out it sells because it's usually the first to utilize the console's graphical abilities. The Soul Calibur series is the only one I found that seemed to be able to balance simple controls and slop with enough depth to expand into tactical, calculating game play without spending lots of time practicing (compared to Tekken 3, VF. or SF games).

As for Virtua Fighter and Street Fighter 2 HF, I never have trouble finding a large number of people to play online. The games (unlike DoA 4) are actually fun and not some little kid riding the wave of latency to get through defenses. As for the Street Fighter 2 HF players on Xbox Live Arcade, there is a mix of old people (like me) and a ton of younger people playing it.

I think everyone was surprised at the mass appeal the 2D fighter still has. Here's some linkage regarding SF2 HF's initial sales:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6155288.html

Additionally, I don't even have trouble finding people to play online to this day even playing Street Fighter Anniversary Edition (an old Xbox1 title people continue to play on their 360s due to the lack of a modern SF game to play, but will probably last beyond the new release dates due to them being different games, with different moves, and different characters).

Personally, I like all good fighters. So much, I raped a wireless 360 controller for parts and built a custom arcade controller using Sanwa parts with a Japanese SF button layout for the above games. It's nice to see such controls actually coming out with decent quality parts from companies like Hori, albeit, none of them are wireless and built by me!

We have an EvsE Street Fighter

[Khyber]

We already made one, it's called MUGEN.

Re:Why?

[Guppy06]

"Hasn't Street Fighter 2 been released on Wii Virtual Console?"

Three times.

Knowing Capcom and Street Fighter

[hyperz69]

I will wait for Street Fighter IV : The New Warriors Turbo Championship Strike!

Give them some time to fine tune the FUN!

Re:Only one question

[macshit]

So that leaves what, exactly? An inherent disdain for the platform itself, which is suicidal for a game company to ignore the #1 platform in the market.

I get the feeling that in Capcom's case, they were simply too gullible, and got caught up in Sony's hype for the PS3 (Capcom management has never been particularly bright).

They thought the PS3 was going to be the only system that mattered, so by the time it became apparent that the Wii was kicking the PS3's ass, Capcom already had a bunch of games in development which assumed super high-powered graphics and bog-standard controllers.

Re:Business mistake

[Millennium]

THE WII CONTROLLER IS NOT DESIGNED FOR ARCADE-STYLE FIGHTING GAMES. The Wii controller is designed for all games, and indeed: all games can be improved through expressive motion control. If only Nintendo would force this issue on developers who want to dip into the Wii's money pit, this would become more evident. As it is, their insistence on allowing developers to support CC/GC controls is just enabling a generation of kinesophobes to cling to their outdated habits.

Wii games need precisely two control options: take the plunge or play on another console.

Not on Wii - controller or graphics issue?

[MobyDisk]

I can think of several ideas as to why it won't be on the Wii:
1) No 6-button controller. From the article:

Six-button controls for the game will return although having seen other fighting games on the Wii, I think a few gestures could more than make-up for that.

2) Limited graphics. But I'm not sure if that is the case or not:

renders characters and environments in stylized 3D, while the game plays in the classic Street Fighter 2D perspective "with additional 3D camera flourishes". The Wii has no problems doing some nice cell-shaded 3D stuff. It doesn't sound like they are doing hyper-realistic HDR rendering. And I don't see how that would apply to SF.

3) Wrong market. Maybe Wii gamers just don't play stuff like this. What have the sales been on other Wii fighting games like Bleach?

Re:Poor wii

[phantomlord]

As a Wii-only owner, I have no interest in buying another console. In fact, the Wii is the first console I've bought since the SNES. If game publishers don't want to publish for my machine, they don't want my sale. Nintendo has already made a fortune off me (3 wiimotes, 2 nunhucks, 1 classic controller, Wii Fit, Zapper + 4 first/second party games and the 3 bundled games) and I've bought 5 third party games. I'm still having fun with the games I already have and there are plenty more that I want sitting on the shelf in the store or on the way over the next few month.

If you want my dollars, make your game work on my console. Ditto if you want my computer game dollars - make a Linux version or chances are strong I'm not buying (I've bought about 5 Linux games for every Windows game over the last 10 years since Loki first came about). They're my dollars, earn them by giving me what I want or lose them if you think I'm not profitable enough, just don't expect me to fork out tons of cash to buy another system plus accessories to give you money.

Re:Business mistake

[LWATCDR]

I think that is A lot of wishful thinking.
Yes Nintendo produces the best games for the Wii right now.
I know a few Wii owners.
Most all of them have GH3.
Most of them have Mario Galaxy. One of them is a 35 year old mother of three. She has finished it all ready. Her and her kids stayed up late many nights finishing it.
A lot of them have Mariokart. Many more want it but they can not get.
And a BIG winner is Wii fit.

If you are a publisher you may have a big problem with competing with Nintendo. They are producing some great games that are smash hits.

The real problem I see with the Wii and third party games is simply that most of them are just not very good.
The number of adults and more importantly women buying Wiis and games just blows my mind.
When I get asked by a mother of three about Mario Galaxy and where she can find Mario kart all I can say is Nintendo has opened up a huge new market.

The game publishers better start thinking about the target audience. GTA and FPS are probably not going to be big winners on the Wii.

Re:Poor wii

[phantomlord]

Which is fine... I'm completely ok with not getting a Street Fighter game, just as I was fine with not getting Metal Gear Solid, Halo, Heavenly Sword, Assassin's Creed, etc.

If a company wants my money, they have to give me what I want. If they don't want my money, that's fine too. It's their choice of what audience they want to cater to just as it's my choice of what games I want to buy.

Further, I'd bet I'm a lot more of an average user/gamer than you are. You may be in the top bracket of money spenders on gaming, but most people aren't buying 2 games a month.Your group is probably less common than the people who buy the Wii just for the packaged game. Most people don't have the time or desire to burn through games that fast since they're busy with their kids, job, spouse, etc. Games are a recreation for most people, not a way of life (and I say that as a reformed EQ junkie who played 80-100 hours a week)

Re:Business mistake

[joystickgenie]

I couldn't disagree more. Although the idea of the motion detection seems very promising in implementation it doesn't work out that way. Like the Tetris example. How many degrees must the remote be rotated before it triggers the piece rotating? Does the user have to realign the controller's rotation before they can rotate the piece a second time? What is the entire time that this series of motions would take to perform? Longer then it would take to press a button twice that is for sure. Then there are other problems. During these rotations your grip will be changing causing the thumb alignment on the dpad to change possibly causing errors in input.

Tell me if you have to rotate 2 times and shift the piece 4 times to the left and then once to the right quickly at the end in under half a second(on higher tetris levels is not an unreasonable requirement) what control scheme would you trust more? Rotate your wrist clockwise 45* back to center, clockwise 45*, gesture left, return to center, gesture left, return to center, gesture left, return to center, gesture left, return to center gesture right or B button B button left button left button left button left button right button, when time is a significant factor?

There was actually a perfect example of this already in games. In fight night games they added the total control feature. Instead of using buttons to throw punches the user inputs their punches with swings of the analog sticks. This allowed for more control of the punches, but there was a downside. There was also the option to turn off the total control and use a more traditional button input configuration. This created a dramatic imbalance. Where player one had to pull the analog stick back and move it in a half circle motion forward to perform a hook all player 2 had to do was press X. Players using the old style controls always ended up having an advantage in the fact that their input had a faster response time then players using the new motion style.

Don't get me wrong gesture input can be used to great affect. But in many cases buttons are defiantly superior.