Capcom is making it as easy as possible to get into Street Fighter by releasing Street Fighter V as one of the free titles for PS Plus members for the month of September.
Street Fighter V, released in January 2016, has had multiple updates over the years and boasts a larger roster of characters and stages. However, PS Plus members will only get the base game for free; the Champion’s Edition update will be a separate purchase, and it allows players access to every character and stage released for Street Fighter V.
Street Fighter V, while receiving a lukewarm reception upon launch, has become one of the most popular and enjoyable fighting games in the world. It has maintained a solid player base over the years, and it boasts several competitive records, such as the largest in-person fighting game tournament ever, where it brought in over 5,000 entrants at EVO 2016.
Capcom will likely get a surge of players because of this, as well as the consistent popularity of their streaming of online tournaments. Daigo winning a Capcom Pro Tour online qualifier was one of the bigger stories from the FGC over the summer.
Street Fighter V will certainly benefit from this next wave of players as it enters the home stretch of its lifespan; it’s believed that Street Fighter VI will be the next major release in the series, and with the PlayStation 5 coming out this November, it’s only a matter of time before it’s time for a change in Street Fighter.
The September PS Plus games are definitely looking to appeal to the multiplayer fanatics; on top of Street Fighter V being released, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is the other game that will be free for PS Plus members. PUBG is one of the first games that truly popularized the “battle royale” genre, and it continues to be one of the most popular games in terms of players as well as stream viewership.
Both Street Fighter V and PUBG will be available from September 1st until October 6th.