The History of Street Fighter - From Arcade Pioneer to Esports Titan

The episode offers a comprehensive history of the Street Fighter franchise, detailing its inception as a modest 1987 arcade game and its subsequent evolution into a global multimedia phenomenon. It highlights how the 1991 sequel, Street Fighter II, revolutionized the fighting game genre by introducing unique character rosters and competitive mechanics, thereby creating the modern fighting game community (FGC). The overview traces the series through its major iterations, including the artistic but commercially challenging Street Fighter III, the revitalizing Street Fighter IV, and the successful current entry, Street Fighter 6. Additionally, the text addresses the franchise's significant cultural impact, noting its influence on esports through major tournaments like EVO and Capcom Cup, its impressive sales figures, and its wide array of adaptations in comics and film.