So far, the character roster forStreet Fighter 6is shaping up to have a healthy mix of newcomers andold mainstays. Not everyone’s favorite fighter has managed to make the cut, but the inevitable future DLC means plenty of classic characters still have a chance to make it.
But then there are characters in theStreet Fighteruniverse whose chances of appearing are significantly lower, for one reason or another. For some, it wouldn’t make narrative sense for them to return; for others, they may be part of an already well-represented character style or archetype. And then there are those who simply don’t have the support behind them to make their addition worth the trouble.
6Necalli
One of the four new characters introduced inStreet Fighter 5, the soul-sucking Aztec withthe wild hairNecalli is an example of failing to live up to hype. He seemed poised to become a major antagonistic force withinStreet Fighterlore, but ended up playing barely any role at all. While Bison remained the main villain, Necalli spent most of his screen-time as a minor nuisance, suddenly popping up only to get swatted away just as quickly.
RELATED:Underused Street Fighters That Deserve To Be Revitalized
Necalli’s biggest story contribution was being the catalyst for awakening Ryu’s Power of Nothingness. He was last seen being obliterated by Akuma after failing to devour his body and soul, going out without a single decisive victory to his name. With his mystique stripped away, few are clamoring for Capcom to give him another shot.
5Guy
Guy made hisStreet Fighterdebut back in the firstStreet Fighter Alpha, alongside fellowFinal Fightcharacter Sodom. Many more characters from Capcom’s iconic beat ‘em up, such as Cody, Rolento and Poison, would migrate in their wake. Guy’s last playable appearance was inUltra Street Fighter 4, which had the largest concentration ofFinal Fightcharacters in the series to that point.
Since then, the Bushinryu practitioner has yet to appear on any more recentStreet Fighterrosters. His master Zeku usurped him forStreet Fighter 5’s season 2 DLC, and it seems as though he will similarly be replaced inStreet Fighter 6by his new pupil, Kimberly. She appears to share a few of his moves, albeit with some extra twists of her own, so having both characters on the same roster would perhaps be superfluous.
4Abigail
When this former Mad Gear Gang thug was revealed as a DLC fighter inStreet Fighter 5, thebacklash was practically immediate. Fans were immediately turned off by his absurd musculature, childish personality, and the fact that more popularFinal Fightcharacters hadn’t made the cut instead.
RELATED:Most Iconic Fighting Game Archetypes
Some players eventually warmed to him once they got the chance to play him, but few characters inStreet Fighterever had such a negative initial reaction as Abigail did. Capcom appears to be positioningStreet Fighter 6as a course correction, avoiding many of the pitfalls that5ran into. It would make sense for them to avoid reintroducing such a hugely controversial character.
3Evil Ryu/Kage
Originally appearing inStreet Fighter Alpha 2as a hidden character, Evil Ryu is what becomes of Ryu when he gives into the power of the Satsui no Hado. He was eventually able to overcome its temptation and instead embraced the Power of Nothingness, but shedding his evil side created an entirely new entity known as Kage, a physical representation of Ryu’s potential for evil.
Kage received a mixed reception from fans, primarily due to his awkward appearance and not being as strong asprevious incarnations of Evil Ryu. Kage’s story mode inStreet Fighter 5concludes with him vanishing before Ryu, as he rejects the Satsui no Hado for what appears to be the last time. With this character arc of Ryu’s over, there appears to be little reason for Evil Ryu or his derivatives to make his return.
2Gill
Gill was the main antagonist ofStreet Fighter 3, the leader of the mysterious Secret Society. Unlike Bison and his Shadaloo organization, who committed evil deeds for his own benefit, the Secret Society performed their morally questionable acts towards a perceived greater good. Despite this added ambiguity, Gill was never as popular with the fanbase as hismore malicious predecessor. He was MIA throughout the games until finally reappearing inStreet Fighter 5, set before the events of3.
RELATED:The Street Fighter Bosses, Ranked
It’s possible that Gill, or some other vestige of the Secret Society like Urien or Kolin will return inStreet Fighter 6, if only to give some closure toStreet Fighter 3’s story, but that may not be Capcom’s priority right now. At this time, it is unknown who the main villains ofStreet Fighter 6will be (although theremay be some hints). It wouldn’t be surprising if Capcom would prefer to focus on building up the new antagonists, rather than surrounding them with the foes of old.
1Charlie Nash
Guile’s best friend who was slain by Bison, Charlie became a playable character in the prequel series,Street Fighter Alpha. Since then, his appearances have been sporadic, typically only showing up in spin-off and crossover games. It wasn’t untilStreet Fighter 5that he made his return, literally coming back from the dead as a brooding, Frankenstein-esque creation of the Secret Society, with a new set of moves to separate him from Guile’scharge character archetype.
At the end ofStreet Fighter 5’s story mode, Nash sacrificed himself in a vain attempt to kill Bison via self-destruction. It’s still possible that he could return in a later sequel, especially considering he’s returned from the dead once before, but for now it may be best for Charlie to have another much-needed rest.
