Balancing a fighting video game is a daunting task, almost impossible in many cases. To a greater or lesser extent, there will always be a character that stands out and is perceived as more powerful compared to the rest. Consequently, players and pro players make lists known as tier lists to determine which are the most viable fighters to win in online modes and tournaments. It’s easy to think that developers are aware of player tier lists. Now, does that mean they always agree with their opinions? Takayuki Nakayama, the director of Street Fighter 6, spoke on the subject and surprised the community with his response.
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“They are totally different”, director of Street Fighter 6 talks about the tier lists of the players
In an interview with Japan’s Inside-Games (via EventHubs), Takayuki Nakayama and producer Shuhei Matsumoto spoke at length about various topics related to Street Fighter 6. At one point in the talk they discussed the rosters players make and how the development team reacts. After the launch of the fighting title, many players claimed that E.Honda and JP were very good and dominated in online modes. The director assures that the developers did not see them as too powerful characters, and stressed that the opinion of the community and that of the studio are often different.
Find out: EVO 2023 breaks the record for registered players thanks to Street Fighter 6 “I love seeing the tier lists that players publish. They are totally different from our internal thoughts. Even with Street Fighter V, our opinions never aligned with those of the players”, highlighted the Japanese creative. Takayuki Nakayama gave Luke and Alex from Street Fighter V as an example. While the former was considered one of the strongest fighters, the latter was considered one of the worst by the community. “What if I told you that we actually thought Alex was on top? We don’t talk about those things because then it becomes an ‘official statement’, but it’s interesting”, highlighted the director. The Capcom team may rely on the data they collect to judge how strong a fighter is compared to the rest. Certainly, what happens in online environments does not always align with reality in the professional ecosystem of tournaments and competitive events. So it is very difficult to find the perfect balance.
Do you use a tier list to choose characters in Street Fighter 6 or other games? But tell us, what do you think of the creative’s statements? Let us read you in the comments. Street Fighter 6 is now available for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Click here to read more related news.
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