Street Fighter 6is approaching its second anniversary in June 2025, and things are looking up for Capcom’s latest fighting game. The game is almost done with its second season of DLC, so its third year could kick off with the reveal of the next set of characters at the Summer Game Fest showcase. Having finally broken into the realm of guest characters with long-time SNK rivals Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui,Street Fighter 6is on top of its game, and another major balance patch in a few months should keep its player base feeling the same way.
Even with some degree of player fatigue settling in, it’s easy to justifyStreet Fighter 6’s strong position with a quick glance at its sales.Street Fighter 6surpassed 4.4 million units sold by the end of 2024, and Capcom should provide an even greater total once its financial year ends after March 2025. Some Capcom fans will no doubt be occupied by the recent launch ofMonster Hunter Wilds, butboth of Capcom’s best-selling franchiseshave had no trouble coexisting in the past as their post-launch support continued.SF6should continue to sell well, but those sales also have a harsh expectation attached.
Street Fighter 6’s Sales Are Already Pulling Ahead
Compared To Street Fighter 5, SF6 Is Moving Units Fast
In an interview with Famitsu that was posted in May 2023, Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimito stated thatStreet Fighter 6was projected to reach a lifetime sales target of 10 million copies. That sounds like a lot, especially for a fighting game that isn’tMortal KombatorSuper Smash Bros., but the face of the genre is doing well for itself. Selling 4.4 million in less than two years leavesStreet Fighter 6well on its way to meeting its goal, and already in better shape than its predecessor.
By the end of January 2023,Street Fighter 5had sold 7 million units in just under 7 years.SF6drawing near caused its momentum to slow considerably, but it still reached 7.4 million by the end of December 2023. However, as evidenced byTekken 7selling 12 million copies in a similar 7-year timeframe, early disappointment, console exclusivity, andmultiple controversies have heldSF5back. This was quickly remedied whenStreet Fighter 6sold 3.77 million in its first year, more than twice whatSF5moved in its initial year, but the newer entry has a long time to go before it outdoes its predecessor.
A 10 Million Lifetime Sales Target Could Give Street Fighter 6 Trouble
It’s going to take a while forStreet Fighter 6to reach its target of 10 million sales, though. Even with Xbox Series and PS5 skews in addition toStreet Fighter 5’s PC and PS4 platforms,Street Fighter 6is only around halfway to its goal in a couple of years, and it’s going to take more than just a couple to clear the remaining distance. Sales slow down over time, and even thoughStreet Fighter 6has demonstrated an admirable pace that was higher thanSF5’s, Capcom willneed to keep updatingSF6and enticing new players to salvage its momentum.
How Street Fighter 6 Can Meet Its Sales Goals
Some creativity may be necessary to ensureSF6stays afloat, and, for all of its missteps,Street Fighter 5left behind a good blueprintfor keeping sales flowing. Selling an updated version ofSF6, like several pastStreet Fightergames have done, will help people feel caught-up with the continuing DLC. ModernSFis now able to sell these as digital upgrade paths and distinct releases as well, further driving sales. IfStreet Fighter 6can also add some big features to its mode selection likeSF5did with Arcade Mode, it has a shot at hitting its goals in a few years.
