Street Fighter VI might be getting a Midgar-style visit in Season 4 this year. With that said, there are major spoilers ahead, so consider yourself warned.
According to the leak, Tifa Lockhart could be joining the World Warriors as part of the Season 4 pack. Tifa, from Final Fantasy VII, is a well-known hand-to-hand fighter, making her a natural fit for the roster. Vega, Gouken, and Final Fight’s Mike Haggar are also mentioned. The leak originated from RnK_Clan, a now-deleted Reddit account that previously and correctly revealed Season 2’s additions, including M. Bison, Terry Bogard, Mai Shiranui, and Elena. Because of that track record, this leak might carry some weight. With Ingrid’s rumored return and her reality-altering abilities, it is hard to say how accurate all of this is.
With Sagat and M. Bison already back in the spotlight and the story hinting at Vega’s return, parts of this leak line up. Haggar, however, has never been a playable roster addition in Street Fighter, only appearing in backgrounds and story moments across various titles.
Street Fighter V notably positioned Cody as the mayor of Metro City, while the Mad Gear gang returned to cause chaos. That alone makes a strong case for Haggar finally stepping in as a playable character. He has already appeared in three Marvel vs. Capcom titles, so his moveset is practically ready to go, complete with pipes, throws, and devastating dropkicks.
Gouken is the more questionable addition, especially since Ryu has already adopted elements of his master’s style in Street Fighter VI. The story has also moved well beyond Gouken’s last playable appearance in Street Fighter IV. Still, this is a fighting game, and characters rarely stay gone for long, so his return is not out of the question.
Bandai Namco has handled similar crossovers before, particularly with Square Enix characters. Clive from Final Fantasy XVI joined Tekken 8, though his inclusion left some fans disappointed. Before that, Noctis from Final Fantasy XV appeared in Tekken 7, showing that Square Enix is open to lending out its characters.
There is even some historical precedent, as Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring featured Final Fantasy VII characters in a fighting game setting, published in arcades by Namco. Tifa herself was playable there, which makes her potential inclusion here feel less far-fetched. With another entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy on the horizon, the timing would not be surprising either.
Source: EventHubs
