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Capcom and Twitch team up to stream a year-long Street Fighter tournament
Competitive gaming depends heavily on live streaming to build its audience these days, and it's about to get a big boost through a new partnership between Capcom and Twitch. The two are launching the Capcom Pro Tour, a year-long Street Fighter IV tournament. The worldwide competition will have players duke it out across both major events, like DreamHack and EVO, as well as smaller online and local events; Capcom will stream all the big gatherings through its own Twitch channel. The tour experience will be familiar to fans, but it could give eSports a higher profile by introducing many to both online spectating and pro-level play.
Capcom puts apps on sale, releases new characters for Street Fighter IV
Capcom has introduced two new characters to the iOS version of Street Fighter IV (subtitled Volt), so fighters now can jump into the ring with Yun and Fei Long, making the character total on the game an impressive 22. The company has also dropped the price. It's usually $6.99, but until next week, it'll be available for $2.99, so grab it if you haven't yet. The company also has released a new iOS title called Street Fighter Collection, which includes three editions of Street Fighter II: the original, champion and the hyper-fighting edition. You may have already bought these through Capcom Arcade, but this is a standalone version outside of Capcom's big meta-app. And finally, the standalone version of Final Fight (also included in Capcom Arcade) is on sale for 99 cents. There's no real reason for that one, apparently Capcom just wanted to offer up one of its games for a buck. We'll take it!
Kinect combos Street Fighter IV, fires single-fisted boomsticks at the FPS crowd (video)
Oh sure, we've seen the Kinect assist a hadouken or two, but that wasn't the same: here, the YouTube user who brought us Call of Duty via Wiimote, Nunchuk and Kinect is throwing fireballs and taking names in the real game. Demize2010 manipulated the FAAST emulator to recognize a variety of virtual martial arts gestures, including the infamous dragon uppercut and whirlwind kick -- giving him everything he needs for a flowchart victory with only his bare hands. Meanwhile, one Bill Maxwell has taken the Kinect and made it recognize his fist, the better to control first-person shooter games with requiring an Wiimote intermediary. He's developed a "high-speed kinematic tracker" called MaxFPS that monitors his hand's position in real time, allowing him to move, turn, jump, and reload with quick swipes of his paw. How do you shoot? Why, by punching those baddies' lights out, of course. See it on video after the break.
Nintendo 3DS in-depth preview, slight return (update: more videos!)
Immediately following its big 3DS price and release date unveiling, Nintendo had on hand dozens of new titles playing on what we'd surmise is final hardware (or at least near-final, given its February 27th Japanese launch). Our first hands-on experience was just over six months ago during E3, at which point we were very impressed with what we saw. Did this playthrough garner the same excitement? Have our decidedly older but not much wiser selves become jaded by the novelty of it all? Venture on after the break to find out. %Gallery-114669% %Gallery-114714%
Capcom and Bioware disappointed in iPhone app performance
We've heard a lot of interesting things from big companies on the App Store -- some of them have released games and apps with not a lot of success compared to more high-profile indie groups, while some seem to have nailed down a little bit of profit from Apple's platform. Capcom is apparently finding itself in that first group -- the company's latest financial reports state that it is fairly disappointed in the performance of its App Store titles. Resident Evil 4 sales have "increased gradually," while even more anticipated apps like Street Fighter IV and Phoenix Wright have only "achieved their projected sales." Which may be good news, but it's not exactly a glowing result for Capcom's App Store efforts. Meanwhile, EA's partner Bioware is licking its wounds from its first iPhone effort. Greg Zeschuk says that Mass Effect on the iPhone "wasn't even a mistake as much as we took a guess, our guess was wrong, and we learned something in the process -- that the fundamental tactile gameplay is actually the key thing on the platform." He sounds really disappointed with sales -- he says that the company originally believed a strong story could keep players interested even through fairly generic gameplay, but it turns out that iPhone gamers are more interested in the experience than the text that backs it up (not hard to see -- look at Doodle Jump, Angry Birds, or any other huge iPhone games with barely any backstory at all). It's interesting to see big companies dealing with the App Store platform, and struggling to figure out how to implement iPhone apps. I think we'll see even more experimenting on this front from even major software studios.
Street Fighter IV coming to iPhone
I've wondered before just how a fighting game on the iPhone would work, and now I'm going to find out: Capcom has announced that they're releasing the latest Street Fighter game (they're up to IV now) on the iPhone. You can see how it works over at IGN -- there's a virtual joystiq on one side, and four virtual buttons on the other. I have no idea how it will actually work in practice; it certainly seems like your thumbs would cover up both your character and the enemy while fighting, and that's assuming that your thumb has the dexterity to know which buttons you're pushing without tactile feedback. But we'll see -- Capcom says the game will have a large number of fighters to choose from (though probably not as much as the full retail game), and the ability to play multiplayer via Bluetooth. One other interesting note on this one: Street Fighter IV has only been released on the major consoles, and the iPhone will be the game's first handheld relase (that we know of so far). This could be Capcom's experiment -- if they can release it on the iPhone before putting a port out on the DS or PSP, and see some success, we could see other larger developers releasing ports earlier (or maybe even exclusively) on the iPhone in the future. But let's not count our hadouken before it's completed -- first we have to see if a game like this will even work on Apple's little handheld touchscreen.
Special edition Mad Catz Street Fighter IV controllers set for limited engagement at Comic-Con
Heading to Comic-Con this year? If not, you'll be missing out on a limited edition Street Fighter IV-branded FightSticks and FightPads from Mad Catz, with button layouts designed to maximize your hadouken-throwing efficiency and with a design the Joystiq crew labels as inspired by Sagat (the character) -- a perfect complement to your Tournament Edition sticks. According to Capcom's official blog, only 500 of each have been made, divided evenly between PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The pad will cost you $49.99, the sticks $179.99, and the online auction resale value guaranteed to be even more.[Via Joystiq]
Homebrew Street Fighter IV PS3 controller stands up on its own two legs
Anyone can go out there and put their hands on a couple of commercially manufactured Street Fighter IV joysticks, but there is something really cool about a simple, well executed homebrew mod. This PS3 controller may not be the cutting edge of industrial design, but it does say: "I can't wait for the new Street Fighter. It's gonna be sweeeet." Previously a wooden TV table and some controller stuff, the proper holes have been drilled, the innards affixed to the bottom and a picture of Chun-Li thrown in for good measure. We wouldn't recommend placing a drink on the thing (we know how carried away you get) but who has time for a beverage when you're consumed with vengeance? %Gallery-43740% [Via PS3 Maven]
Mad Catz Street Fighter IV joysticks surface for PS3
We at Engadget will always have a special place in our hearts for Street Fighter, and if you can't help but agree, you might be unable to resist picking up one of these. Mad Catz has introduced a new pair of joysticks for Sony's PlayStation 3: the Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament Edition and the Street Fighter IV FightStick. The first will only be available in "very limited quantities," and it'll pack the exact Sanwa joystick and 30-millimeter buttons found in the official Street Fighter IV arcade machine; the latter is a more commoditized version with a more vanilla 'stick and plain jane buttons. Both devices are scheduled to ship on February 20th of next year, with pricing set at $149.99 and $69.99, respectively.[Via PS3 Fanboy]Read - Street Fighter IV FightStick Tournament EditionRead - Street Fighter IV FightStick
Street Fighter IV to dragon punch Japanese consoles in February
While fighting game fans know they must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance, players in Japan will soon be able to try from the comfort of their couch. Dengeki Online reports that Capcom plans to release the console versions of Street Fighter IV in February 2009, with a feature-length SFIV anime directed by Akira animator Koji Morimoto given away as a preorder bonus. Interestingly, while this announcement currently only pertains to Japan, it echoes an earlier report which indicated that the game and its console-specific roster would "definitely" hurricane kick its way to Western audiences sometime this winter, most likely alongside the upcoming Chun-Li-focused Street Fighter film. Could a global launch announcement be far behind?[Via GameSpot]
We've got Faith No More in the new Street Fighter IV trailer
The font of incredible trailers continues to pour from the bounteous spigot of CAPtivate '08 -- the above trailer for Street Fighter IV went live rather subtly last night, only to deliver a patented E. Honda "thousand hand bitch slap" to our unprepared senses this Sunday morning. It even includes one of our favorite songs to sing from Rock Band: Faith No More's "Epic". We don't know why seeing Blanka go all sparky to the disjointed vocals of Mike Patton gets us so hyped, but our excitement for the revivification of what many would argue is the greatest arcade fighting series ever has just increased tenfold.However, it should be noted that depending on your feelings towards Gamestop and their pre-order policies, you may view the last seven seconds of this righteous trailer as being decidedly un-epic.
Fei Long, Dan join Street Fighter IV home roster
Following this morning's news that the recently announced home versions of Street Fighter IV would come packing the extra punch of online play and an expanded cast, a new report confirms two familiar fighters who will be added to the game's hurricane kick beyond the arcade. According to IGN, Japanese publication Famitsu Xbox released concept art illustrating Bruce Lee-inspired Fei Long and Alpha vet Dan Hibiki, adding that both fighters will be home version exclusives. While Fei Long certainly makes sense, the laughably weak Dan has always served more as comic relief, though we look forward to the hilariously drawn out Dan vs. Dan online throw downs to come when the game is eventually released.
Street Fighter IV home port to include new characters, online play
Gone are the days when arcades represented the superior video game experience. While a part of us may cry coin operated tears at this realization, Capcom is quick to remind us that there is even more fun to be had at home, or at least there will be when the recently announced domesticated flavor of Street Fighter IV is released for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. Speaking in an interview with Japan's Weekly Famitsu, producer Yoshinori Ono revealed that the home version of the upcoming fighter will include features not found in the arcade original, among them online play and exclusive characters.As we've come to expect from our Street Fighter IV news, Ono offered few specifics, saying only that the team is "watching the overall balance" in designing additions to the home version's roster. He added that the devs "won't be adding unnecessary stuff" to the online experience, dashing our dreams of an internet thumb war between Blanka and Chun Li.
Rumor: Street Fighter IV heading to PS3, Xbox 360, PC this winter
Since announcing Street Fighter IV, Capcom has given us a number of things to ponder about the upcoming sequel, from 3D graphics to giant thumbs, but one thing the company hasn't given us is a release date, not to mention where exactly we'll be able to play the game once it finally makes its way to retail. However this may be about to change, as according to French blog Jeuxvideo, Capcom recently made mention on a press site that the fighter is headed to the PS3, Xbox 360, and -- surprisingly -- the PC as well, with all three versions slated to hurricane kick retail shelves this winter.Unfortunately, the site neglected to link to the press site in question, and Joystiq ninjas have since returned from Capcom's press tower with nothing to show for their trouble, leaving us to flag this particular morsel of information as a rumor, albeit one we'd very much like to come true. [Via Big Download]
Collectibles cast Street Fighter in plastic, ink
If there's one thing we enjoy as much as playing games, it's collecting various odds and ends that reflect our passion for the hobby. Whether it's a Lunar Ghaleon puppet on the mantel or the Varia Suit statue on the coffee table, there is never any question where our loyalties lie. Now UDON Entertainment has added another collectible to our radar in the form of a limited edition art book dedicated to the numerous brawlers who have thrown down in Capcom's storied Street Fighter franchise. The hardcover will feature the artistic styling of such artists as Penny Arcade's Gabe and pin-up style comic cover artist Adam Hughes, among several others. The book is available for pre-order now, with orders placed today dropping you in the running for Capcom's IGN-branded Okami for the Wii. At $80, the book isn't cheap, but really, when it comes to the things we adore, what price can do love justice?And while we have Street Fighter on the brain, we'd be remiss not to mention an interesting blog post over at Camp Capcom, as the company is apparently entertaining the idea of creating a collection of figurines based on the upcoming Street Fighter IV, and as such are looking for input on which characters deserve to make the cut. So, of the faces we know, both old and new, who would we most like to see make the leap from polygons to plastic? E. Honda? Vega? El Fuerte? Hit up the poll on Capcom's blog and let your voice, albeit anonymously, be heard.%Gallery-22939%
New Street Fighter IV screens punch out classic bosses
While Capcom's Street Fighter IV wowed us in February with its new fangled graphics and animation, it was the game's decidedly retro feel that grabbed us by the neck and assaulted our head like a barrage of Yoga Noogies. As it turned out, for all its 3D charm the fighter played like a sexed up Street Fighter II, which to be fair is just fine by us.Now Capcom has released screenshots of Street Fighter II's bad guy quartet, Balrog, Bison, Sagat and Vega, all of whom make a return in the upcoming sequel. We can hardly wait to face down Vega's (or M. Bison for those of you with a name hang up) ever-annoying Psycho Crusher, something judging by the above pic has Ryu equally enthused.%Gallery-21918%
Classic SFII combos work the same in SFIV
If you read our hands-on impressions of Street Fighter IV from GDC, you know the game bears more than a passing resemblance to Capcom's classic Street Fighter II (with admittedly updated graphics). Well, the folks at GamesRadar wanted to see just how far that similarity went, and found that many classic combos from the original game work exactly the same way in the new one.The video evidence (also available below the jump) highlights the cosmetic differences in the two games while at the same time showing how seemingly identical the basic gameplay is. We can't say this is necessarily a bad thing -- Street Fighter II is a classic for a reason -- but that classic is already available as a Virtual Console download, an upcoming HD remix, and even a PS2 Anniversary collection. Why are we supposed to trudge out to the arcade for a dressed up version of a 15-year-old experience that we can get at home?
Meet the new Street Fighter: El Fuerte
As you probably already guessed from the illustration, El Fuerte is a luchador in the lucha libre style of Mexican wrestling. But now, he's trading the glitz and glamor of the ring for the newly-3D world of Street Fighter IV, as the third character to be announced for the game.But El Fuerte isn't just another bag of muscles, he's a sensitive aesthete, who "divides his professional life between Lucha Libre wrestling and gourmet cooking." So, he's like Alton Brown, if Alton Brown could crack your skull open like a walnut? ... Color us petrified.
Street Fighter IV to be playable at Japanese Amusement Expo Feb. 15
Valentine's Day is swiftly approaching, like a bullet train made out of chalky hearts and overpriced chocolate. How are you planning on spending yours? Gents, perhaps you're taking your special lady out for a candlelit dinner and a romantic comedy, perhaps starring Matthew McConaughey, or Jennifer Lopez, or both. Ladies, maybe you have a special evening at home planned for your man, involving a sizable steak and a selection of the most sensual massage oils.Well, screw that noise. You should be traveling to Japan on St. Hallmark's Day, where the cool kids will be attending the AOU 2008 Amusement Expo in an attempt to get a look at (and possibly play a few rounds of) Street Fighter IV before the rest of the world. Doors will open for industry people on the 15th of February, and for the rest of the Hadouken-hungry crowd on the 16th. Sure, you might be spending your Valentine's Day alone in a Japanese hotel, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you were the first kid on your block to play one of the biggest titles of 2008.After all, who needs love when you have Zangief?
Street Fighter IV: first details revealed
We'll spare you the suspense: Street Fighter IV will feature fully-3D graphics, but gameplay will be purely 2D, retaining the feel of the classic non-EX Street Fighter titles.Now that you can breathe again, we'll let you know that 1UP has scored the first exclusive details on Street Fighter IV. The first publicized screenshot (above, and taken from the in-game engine) confirms the unique art direction for the sequel, as first hinted upon in the teaser trailer. 1UP reports that Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Dhalsim are all returning to the series, although a more complete character roster has not yet been revealed.Gameplay-wise, it's classic Street Fighter, utilizing a six-button control scheme while introducing new moves, features, and locations to the repertoire. No word yet on which platforms the game is headed to, although we can certainly hazard a few guesses. Even more details on Capcom's latest fighter will be revealed in the January 2008 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, so keep your eyes peeled on the news stands.
