Street Fighter V's Confusing List Of What Is (And Isn't) Available At Launch

Street Fighter V is finally launching for the PlayStation 4 and PC this week (February 16th), and series fans and fighting game aficionados are eager to dive in. Much has been said about the title's extensive plans for DLC, which will include not just new characters, but a story mode and an in-game store and currency. Developer Capcom has detailed the schedule for upcoming content, as well as confirmed what will be included with the game at launch.

While Street Fighter V is launching as a full-priced game, players who haven't been following development closely may be surprised to learn how much content and additional play modes won't be available right away. A full line-up of 16 characters will be included at launch, along with the ability to play through their individual backstory mode. Form there, it starts to get weird.

The game's first big update is already scheduled for March. This update will introduce the in-game store, where new character costumes can be purchased, as well as Fight Money, the in-game currency. However, players will unlock the ability to get new costumes when playing their character's story at launch. But they have to wait a month until they can actually buy it.

As for gameplay modes besides the character story, survival, versus, training, and online multiplayer will also be included at launch. But coming later are several others, including battle tips and trials (both in the March update), while targets and extra battle are due sometime "soon after launch." Targets are described as daily challenges to earn Fight Money, while extra battle has player face off against stronger CPU-controlled opponents.

Other DLCs include the free release of the big, actual story mode in June, so that's a four-month wait for the official "Street Fighter V soap opera" version of the story. There will also be a new character released each month through September, however these downloads are to cost real-world money, and pricing is yet to be revealed.

It's all a bit unusual (and confusing) for a game in the fighting genre, and it's unlike Capcom as well (aside from the new character DLCs). It almost feels like the game is being forced to meet a release deadline before being completed, something that may be tied to Sony's exclusivity for the console release.

Then again, the Street Fighter faithful may not even care, as long as the core game is there and lives up to the series' legacy.

SOURCE Capcom