Capcom's Bold Sales Projection Shows Big Bet for SF6
Street Fighter 6 is looking to reshape the fighting game industry thanks to some big goals and plans from publisher Capcom.
The latest title in the longest-running fighting game franchise is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2023, with exciting new fighters, game mechanics, and colorful gameplay. Now, Capcom has predicted some big sales figures for when the game launches this summer.
Capcom President Haruhiro Tsujimoto recently expressed in an interview with Famitsu that he’s expecting Street Fighter 6 to sell 10 million copies.
This is definitely a big feat for a fighting game. Tekken 7 reached 10 million copies sold in 2022, but that was about five years in the making. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sold 30 million copies, but some in the FGC would tell you that the number is inflated due to the amount of casuals and families playing “party” friendly versions of the game. Since 2016, Street Fighter 5 has sold 7 million. So what makes Street Fighter 6 so promising?
Street Fighter 6 Has Big Esports Plans
The fighting game genre has long been a bit niche in the gaming world, especially compared to games like League of Legends, World of Warcraft, and Elden Ring. However, Capcom has big goals for Street Fighter 6 since they are dedicated to improving the competitive side of the classic fighting game.
During the Capcom Cup Finals in Los Angeles, Capcom announced some plans for the Capcom Pro Tour 2023 — and it was bigger than any official fighting game circuit in history. The publisher revealed a massive $2 million prize pool, with $1 million going to the winner alone.
Now, SF6 is set to have more entrants than any other title at Evo 2023. This iconic fighting game event in Las Vegas will be home to the first big Street Fighter 6 tournament, allowing pros to show off what they’ve been practicing on the new game.
SF6 is creating massive hype with its showcases and character trailers, with fans of the genre growing more and more excited for the action. But to reach 10 million copies sold, this means gamers outside of the dedicated FGC realm would have to scoop up the game this summer as well. Guilty Gear Strive is the current leading title in the FGC, but the the last sales figure released in 2022 was just 1 million copies.
Either way, you should expect the FGC esports scene to grow thanks to Capcom’s dedication and support — especially compared to games like Smash. This alone has left FGC fans blocking out their calendars to get a hold of a copy as soon as possible and start grinding immediately.
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!