Game will finally receive Arcade Mode
Back when Street Fighter V launched in 2016, I was conflicted. Part of me was happy that the series that sparked my love for the competitive fighter was entering a new era. The other part of me lambasted the newest entry as a piece of garbage. My reasoning for the hate was that the game was only half of a game. Modes that were considered essential for a fighting game – like an Arcade mode – were absent. Later updates exacerbated my dislike of the series, forcing me to jump through a number of hoops to gain features that should have been present on day one.
A recent announcement by Capcom finally took care of the one major complaint I had with Street Fighter V. Capcom announced the imminent release of Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. On January 16th, a major update will be available. Owners of the base game like me will be able to download it for free. Those who have avoided purchase until now, like Grumpy Joe, can jump in for $40. What do we both get? Actually, quite a lot.
The star of the update will be Arcade Mode. Unlike most simple arcade modes, Capcom has jammed 30 years of Street Fighter history here. Players can choose to play one of six paths. Each path represents a main entry in the series: Street Fighter, Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter III, Street Fighter IV, and Street Fighter V. Progressing through six paths will net illustrations that will be visible in the game’s new Gallery as well as unique endings.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition also throws in Extra Battle Mode. A new series of challenges unlock at different times. Players can use their Fight Money to participate in these challenges and earn a chance to unlock one premium outfit every month.
In addition, the game will get the GOTY treatment. All of the fighters from Seasons 1 and 2 will be included. The full roster will be 28; one of them has yet to be released. Capcom is also adding the ability to pick a second V-Trigger before a match. That will allow players to try out new techniques. To round out the changes, the UI will also see a refresh. As a final tease, Capcom teased more features to come.
The best part of this update is that it will be a free download for owners of Street Fighter V. That means that technically, Capcom is adhering to its promise of only offering one copy of Street Fighter V. Considering that I currently own four different versions of Street Fighter IV, I’m glad it won’t be repeated here. I say technically, though, because there will be a standalone release of Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. That’ll allow folks who didn’t jump on earlier – like Grumpy Joe – to buy in.
And I know that I will buy a physical copy as well. I am both a collector and a moron. Don’t ever forget that!
Although I’m glad that Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition will be a free download for me, I’m also terrified. Downloading Story Mode earlier this year was an absolute odyssey. At one point, I had to delete the data on my PS4 and start from scratch so everything worked as intended. Even basic updates are uneven. Some were downloaded and applied automatically; others required the game to launch before they were downloaded.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is expected to release on January 16th, 2018. I know the download and installation will hurt me. Still, I hold out hope that Capcom will finally deliver the fighting game I wanted since it launched.
