While this list isn't completely objective, it also isn't totally biased either - this list aims to give solid reasons as to why certain characters would make interesting additions to SF6's roster, while also acknowledging which characters seem to be more commonly requested in online fan discussion across various social media platforms and forums. With that being said, if you have your own personal top 10, feel free to share it in the comments section.
10. Sodom
The Strongest Otaku
Sodom's place on this list is largely in part due to his absence - first introduced in the original iteration of Street Fighter Alpha, Sodom is the character who has gone the longest without reappearing in a new entry since the Alpha games. He was the first in the trend of enemy characters from Capcom's Final Fight series appearing as playable fighters (Hugo, Poison, etc.), and his Samurai-inspired design combined with his heavy grappler playstyle made him very memorable.
Sodom hasn't gone completely unrecognized however - one of SF6's previous battle passes allowed players to cosplay their Avatars as him. He even possibly makes a cameo in the World Tour mode, as some players speculate he retired and is now living the day-to-day life as the Apparel Clerk, Gomorrah - a naming convention that gives good credit to this theory. Whether that's a sign of hope or a token of disinterest/pity on the developer's part is up for debate.
9. Laura
Lightning Quick Grappler
The first season pass of Street Fighter 6 included Akuma, two Street Fighter V characters (Rashid and Ed), and the new character A.K.I. - who serves as a reinterpretation of SFV's F.A.N.G, her mentor. Laura was also introduced in Street Fighter V as part of that game's base roster, so it might seem easy to assume Laura will return eventually, if not soon. Although some would prefer characters from other entries in the series to get in first, Laura is one of the first that comes to mind out of SFV's cast.
Laura offered an electrifying take on the grappler archetype, having fast movement options while also being able to walk behind a short-range projectile. Her playstyle could be very threatening with Street Fighter 6's system mechanics, and perhaps that's why she wasn't one of the first additions. It can be difficult to immediately balance a character's transition to a new game from their first one, but that makes her potential return worth waiting for.
8. Seth
Superior Analysis
Seth is a pretty good example of how different a character can be from one game to the next, as while they were definitely the character who changed the most visually in SFV, they also changed the most mechanically as well.. This leaves Seth's gameplay very open-ended for how it could be in Street Fighter 6, and they could have interesting interactions with the player's avatar in World Tour because of it.
The aspects that make Seth interesting might also make them challenging to implement. For example, if they keep the idea of Seth being able to steal the moves of other characters like in Street Fighter V, it might be a good while before they make a return if they ever do. Once again however, Seth is nothing if not an object of possibilities, and could be something very new entirely.
7. Fei Long
WATAAAAA!
Aside from T. Hawk - who now has a successor in Lily - Fei Long is the only fighter from the Street Fighter II games to have not been in V or 6. SF6's roster already has the original eight world warriors as well as Cammy and Dee Jay, who were introduced alongside Fei Long in the New Challengers edition of SFII. The dissolution of Shadaloo makes the absence of characters like Vega and Balrog pretty reasonable - On the other hand, Fei Long remains the odd man out from the heroic side of SFII, and it makes his absence all the more noticeable.
Fei Long's straight forward playstyle centered around his three strike special move "Rekkaken" has been influential across the fighting game genre, similar to Ryu, Guile, Zangief, etc. Even today, characters with similar moves are often called "rekka" characters - including other Street Fighter characters. SF6 has done a good job of reinventing the wheel with the SFII characters, and the prospect of Fei Long getting similar treatment is one to look forward to.
6. Dudley
The Roll of Thunder
Street Fighter III introduced many new characters as part of its "New Generation" concept and aesthetics. This aspect has garnered more praise in hindsight,and it's possible that III has more characters requested to return than any other era of Street Fighter. Given that SF6 is the first game to canonically take place after the events of SFIII, it's only increased the demand for many fan favorites to make a comeback.
Dudley hasn't won players over solely with his quintessential charm and gentleman nature, although they certainly are a factor. However, Dudley's dash and sway gameplay combined with rapid-fire combo sequences make him a great addition for competitors and viewers in any game he's in. Adding him to SF6 and seeing what he could do with drive meter mechanics could cause quite a spectacle.
5. Makoto
Heir To The Dojo
Following the idea of adding popular SFIII characters to SF6, Makoto's name also pops up quite often in that discussion. This continues a trend of her being frequently requested by fans during SFV's lifespan, to no avail. Considering that the first season pass of SF6 was rather small (only 4 characters) and not very diverse in terms of pulling from Street Fighter's different eras, adding Makoto to SF6 could give the game a good shot in the arm.
Makoto's greatest appeal is her fighting style - a form of pure karate that compensates for a lack of flashiness with brutal combos. Makoto has always been a hard hitter, and this explosive gameplan makes her very scary - perhaps too scary for some. Already known for her exceedingly slow walk speed and one of the fastest dashes to catch opponents off guard, one can only imagine what she could do with drive rush.
4. G/Q
Mystery Man
Prior to G's reveal as a DLC character in SFV, Q was also one of the most requested characters to return from the SFIII era, possibly more so than any other. Once people saw how G played, however, people noticed that G and Q have a mysterious connection to one another. It's currently unclear whether they are supposed to be the same person or not (for the purpose of this list they certainly are), and G's position as the true "villain" of SFV is one that left players with a lot of questions.
G and Q have pretty similar moves and a gameplan that involves buffing themselves up to three times. Comparing them side-by-side creates some interesting implications when you remember that SFIII takes place some time after the events of SFV. Would G returning in SF6 mean he's now a degraded version of himself like Q, or is there another layer to his story that hasn't been told yet? Perhaps only time will tell.
3. Sakura
Former Schoolgirl Superstar
Sakura has been a popular character ever since her debut in the Alpha series, and it's easy to see why. Sakura is self-taught in Shotokan karate, the same fighting style practiced by Ryu and Ken. This is interesting for giving a cool spin on a familiar archetype - such as her having a slower, chargeable version of the hadoken. This endeared Sakura to many players very quickly, and she was often featured in many other titles such as Super Puzzle Fighter, Rival Schools, Marvel vs Capcom 2 - and was even added to Fortnite of all things.
For all that, Sakura represented a turning point in Street Fighter's direction with her return in SFV. No longer a scrappy schoolgirl, Sakura in SFV was one of the first times a Street Fighter character felt like they moved on to a different stage in their life - as she is now a young adult who's not sure what direction she needs to take. Character development like that is always welcome, and most would love to see more of it.
2. C. Viper
Motherly Super Spy
Of the Street Fighter 4 characters not named Juri, C.Viper is the most popular of the bunch -intentionally so, to a degree. Some developers who worked on SF4 at the time are on record stating that they developed C.Viper to appeal to American players in particular, based on their own research. There are surely a variety of reasons for why that is, but it's safe to say they had the right idea regardless.
Seeing as how she was one of the Street Fighter representatives in Marvel vs Capcom 3, it seemed like C.Viper would be a top candidate to be a mainstay in future titles. That's not exactly the case - C.Viper's absence in SFV was pretty peculiar, as she showed up a handful of times in different characters' stories, but was never playable. Perhaps in another season pass, C.Viper will return and get to live up to her potential.
1. M. Bison
Emperor of Evil
Despite his apparent death, M. Bison's legacy lives on - if one of SF6’s previous Street Voter events that took place a few months ago is anything to go on. Bison had a pretty clear lead against the other villains, which just goes to show his iconic status in the series. For many players, Bison is THE final boss, and it wouldn't be the first time a character previously thought dead made their return - this could be Bison's third time he's pulled it off for that matter.
However, there is merit to the idea of keeping Bison dead, as it allows the team behind Street Fighter to find other ways to keep the story going and develop new characters out of it. Yet at the same time, Bison was always scheming to find a replacement body for himself in the event of his death(s) and to contain his psycho power, which influenced the storylines of many other characters - so it would be no surprise if those plans actually came into fruition. As can be seen in Ed’s recent gameplay trailer that shows a new stage, there appears to be a body that looks familiar to Bison (or possibly another clone of SF4 Seth) growing in a tube and his trademark hat shown in the background.
So it may not truly be the Dictator we know and loathe that we see in the future, but a sort of successor or otherwise unnatural manifestation of him wouldn't be too far-fetched.
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Regardless of who gets to be DLC in SF6's future season pass - new or returning - fans across the world will be waiting with high expectations.
You may also be interested in:
- [Street Fighter 6] 10 DLC Characters We Want In The Game
- How To Win Street Fighter 6 Matches [Top 10 Tips]
- 15 Characters That Should Be in Street Fighter 6
- Street Fighter 6: How To Create the Best Avatar
