PS3 Fanboy

Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono sat down with Videogamer to talk about the console versions of the latest incarnation of the classic fighting game series. He had a ton of information to share, and here are some highlights:

• Ono recognizes lag as a series problem for online play. They are working on a solution which involves "trying to balance it up at user interface level and input timing by using joystick or something like that." We don't really know what that means either.
• Parrying is gone, in case you didn't know already. Ono wants "Street Fighter IV to be a tool for everyone to enjoy" and parrying is "quite hard for the vast majority to master."
• There will be a story/adventure mode on the console versions.
• There won't be any specific console-exclusive characters, meaning we won't have to buy multiple versions of the game just to play them all. (Editor's note: Yay!) However, there will be characters, such as Cammy, who will appear in the console versions but not the arcade versions.
  

Ono also answers questions regarding post-release patches to rebalance the game, the possibility of Street Fighter III on the PSN, and more. Check out the full interview here.

Lots of funny faces in this new screens update for Street Fighter IV. Now that we think of it, we're sure you'd be holding a silly-looking expression on your face if you too were kicked in the stomach as hard as E Honda is. Poor guy, it just had to be Chun-Li too -- those legs are deadly. Catch the rest of the screens below.

Capcom is offering this pretty rare opportunity, especially for Westerners like us, to vote for who we want to see in the console versions of Street Fighter IV. You can pick from the following list of fighters: Cammy, Hugo, Dee Jay, Ibuki, Fei Long, Sakura, T. Hawk or Dan. Though there are characters from Alpha all the way to Street Fighter III, we can't help but wish we could fill in our own vote. Anyway, what are you still reading this for? Head for to Capcom Unity to cast your vote now!

Capcom's blog has posted some art from the earlier anime trailer -- it includes old favorites like Ryu, Ken, and Akuma (Gouki). Gouken is also shown here, described as the master of Ryu and Ken, and the older brother of Akuma, though we are not sure if it is a literal brother or something else. Finally, Capcom teases about animation that will feature Chun-Li around July 24th. Take a look at all the pictures here.

[Via Kotaku -- thanks, Danny!]

From the moment the first fireballs are shot, your mouth will drop and you will say "wow." This anime clip for Street Fighter IV looks absolutely epic. Too bad there's no subtitles, though. Thankfully, the dialogue mostly consists of explosions and kicks to the face.

Enjoy.

[Via Joystiq]

These posters are such beauties, and we want them. Unfortunately, they are in Japan. A black one with an orange IV logo features Ryu with new characters Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte and Rufus. An orange one with a black IV logo features old favorites Guile, Ken and Chun-Li. Capcom-Unity blogger Kramez has two pictures of the Street Fighter IV posters held up by SFIV producer Yoshinori Ono. Another one after the jump. Check them out and drool.

[Via Capcom-Unity]

Have you ever wanted to star in a video game? Well, this may not be stardom, but it's something. You can become an avatar in the background of the upcoming Street Fighter IV. Capcom-Unity, the cleverly named official Capcom blog, is offering a number of fans to have digital clones of their likenesses injected into the console versions of the fighting game. You'll have to send in "pictures, video, dissertations, limericks, daguerrotypes, singing telegraphs" by next Wednesday, June 18th to be eligible. Check out all the details here.

It turns out that online play and new characters are not the only exclusive content to appear on the home console versions of Street Fighter IV. First and foremost, new content like the introduction of fully animated cut scenes will help flesh out Street Fighter IV's story. The story explaining why M. Bison is alive and kicking will be addressed in these anime sequences. The second major content addition is the possibility of bonus rounds making a comeback. Remember all those barrel busting and car demolishing mini-games back in SF II?

Lastly, an arcade joystick is said to be in the works for all those arcade enthusiasts that can't settle for a d-pad. It's also possible that this arcade controller might come in a bundle with the game. Check out Kotaku for more pics of the anime cut scenes.

The embargo from Capcom's 2008 gamer's day (Captivate 08) as ended and game media is starting to flood the internet from the event. This includes a couple of Street Fighter IV trailers which show off some new characters, along with plenty of in game footage and some more of that gorgeous ink-and-watercolor style concept art. Check after the break for another video which shows off some more of the incredible art style. Enjoy!

It's the "epic return" of Street Fighter, according to Capcom's newest TV spot. We don't know how we feel about the use of Faith no More's appropriately-titled "Epic" as the trailer music, but using any popular music does seem to make a game more appealing to the mainstream. There isn't any new footage to be found in this brief trailer, but it makes us happy to finally see the PLAYSTATION 3 logo at the end of anything SFIV-related.

It seems the home console versions of Street Fighter IV are going to be where it's at. Japan's Famitsu magazine squeezed the information out of the game's producer, Yoshinori Ono, in a recent interview. The console versions will allow you to play against friends via online modes as well as add in some console-exclusive characters. We aren't sure if this means "console specific" like Soul Calibur IV, but some of the exclusive characters have recently been confirmed as Dan and Fei Long. Oh, Dan. You are so very weird. There's also a list of five new characters up on Famitsu, but these aren't console-specific characters, we don't think.

All right, what have we got here? It looks like we're seeing more Street Fighter IV characters. The guy on the left, named Rufus, is morbidly obese and obviously training in the same dojo as Tekken 6's Bob. The fact that he is holding a tub of popcorn could mean one of either two things: he loves movies so much that after watching the new flick (and ogling over Kristin Kreuk) he plans on becoming a street fighter himself, or they just want to exude the fact that this guy is carrying a few extra pounds.

The other guy, Seth, seems to be a mysterious mix of the Silver Surfer and a Buddhist monk. Or so it seems due to that Yin Yang for an abdomen. Throw in his Hebrew name and then he's an even bigger enigma to figure out. Perhaps you'll just have to see more of these characters to understand who they are. You can catch some more pics over at Famitsu's website.

Capcom has confirmed that the next installment in the confusingly-numbered Street Fighter franchise will definitely be made available on PS3. This announcement comes after months of silence regarding a home-console version of Street Fighter IV and fears that it would be made exclusive one way or the other. This isn't the case, however, as the game will be made available on the 360 and PC too, with only the Wii missing a piece of the action.

There's no word on a release date or details of any differences between the console and arcade versions, but all that info will no doubt come in time. Until then, it's nice to know that at some point in the future we'll be fighting it out on the streets in HD. From the comfort of our own home.

[Via Press Release]

Bison is one tough guy. He cannot be stopped, can he? Like a cockroach (on steroids) that can't be stomped out he's survived numerous close calls. Think back, he's toughed out Ken and Ryu's dual hadoukens in the animated movie. Even more devastating, he went through the horror of Jean-Claude Van Damme's butchery of Guile. But now, the criminal overlord somehow miraculously survived Street Fighter II and will make a return to Street Fighter IV.

The pupil-less baddie isn't the only old school boss making a comeback. Balrog, Vega, and Sagat are all in the new game, completing the four horsemen of yesteryear's fighting glory. We're sure that the inclusion of all classic bosses and characters will bring back all those good memories; however, we're still in the dark about what system this gorgeous title is going to. When are you going to let us know Capcom? While we ask that question, you can check out some pics in our gallery below and many more over at Capcom's blog.

The 1UP guys are making us celebrate over one single freakin' screenshot. Of course, when it comes from Capcom's brand new Street Fighter IV, celebration is quite necessary.

For now, this image will be the single encapsulation of information of Capcom's anticipated fighter. From a quick glance, we see that the graphics have received quite a significant overhaul. Yes, it's in 3D -- but the gameplay will be strictly in the second dimension. Characters confirmed for the upcoming game include Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Dhalsim, but we'll have to wait and see about another familiar mainstays making a comeback.

Make sure you check out the January issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly to get the full scoop.

[Via Joystiq]

[Update: Two more screenshots have mysteriously surfaced at this random gaming blog. Thanks, Lobato!]