With the announcement of Yujiro Hanma as a DLC fighter in Tekken 8, the development team behind Street Fighter 6 is taking notice. Director Takayuki Nakayama and producer Shuhei Matsumoto shared their thoughts with Dexerto, expressing that this news has reignited their interest in a potential Baki collaboration for SF6.
Matsumoto didn’t hold back: the confirmation of Yujiro in Tekken 8 pushed him to advocate harder for the Baki license at Capcom. Nakayama agreed, highlighting that the character fits perfectly within Street Fighter’s roster due to Baki’s strong martial arts background. While neither of them made any firm commitments, they both seemed to view this as unfinished business rather than something they’ve abandoned.
The timing of this news is crucial. Street Fighter 6 debuted in June 2023 and continues to enjoy a solid presence on Steam, boasting 24,407 concurrent players. The character lineup for Year 3 hasn’t been revealed yet, leaving room for new additions. With Bandai Namco securing Yujiro first, there’s a competitive edge for them. If Tekken 8 gains both the IP association and the player engagement from a high-profile anime collaboration, Capcom will have a strong reason to push for a Baki deal soon.
Anime crossovers have proven to boost player numbers quickly in fighting games. Street Fighter 6 is already capitalizing on increased anime visibility, especially with an SF6 anime adaptation set for 2026. Plus, the game’s voice cast recently made an appearance in Orbital’s Switch 2 title. Adding a Baki character could harness this momentum and attract a fanbase that leans toward the intense, strength-focused themes found in both the manga and fighting games.
Street Fighter 6 enjoys an impressive 83% positive rating from 30,431 Steam reviews, a solid foundation for a game that’s three years old and priced at $39.99. The game was featured prominently at EWC 2026 just this July, showcasing top players like Daigo and MenaRD. This active competitive scene gives Capcom an advantage when negotiating third-party licenses since publishers are more inclined to feature iconic characters in games with thriving tournament ecosystems.
| Steam Review Score | 83% positive |
| Total Steam Reviews | 30,431 |
| Current Steam Players | 24,407 |
| Current Price (Steam) | $39.99 |
| Release Date | June 1, 2023 |
However, recent Steam reviews reveal some negative community sentiment around SF6, with many players voicing concerns about technical stability. One reviewer mentioned: “I bought this game for the 1v1 experience, which feels pretty good. The Fighters edition on sale at $40 is a moderately fair price for the game’s content. However, the frequent crashing…” This recurring issue indicates that Capcom needs to make significant content announcements to maintain player goodwill while they work on ongoing technical improvements.
What To Watch
- Whether Capcom officially announces a Baki licensing deal in the Year 3 roadmap for SF6, especially with Tekken 8 making the first move.
- How Tekken 8 retains players after the Yujiro Hanma release — if it creates a noticeable spike, it could motivate Capcom to expedite similar negotiations.
- Updates on SF6’s technical stability on Steam, where complaints about crashes are lowering review scores and could undermine the positive buzz from any major DLC announcement.
Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is the Reviews and Guides Editor at Explosion.com. With a background in game design studies and 6 years of gaming journalism, Sarah brings technical insight to her reviews and creates comprehensive guides that help players get the most out of their games. She has reviewed over 200 titles across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms. Her current obsessions include FromSoftware titles and indie roguelikes.
