Street Fighter’s free mobile RPG is finally coming to the West after years of silence

If you have ever wanted to play a Street Fighter game with less focus on traditional fighting game mechanics while still providing some classic action, Street Fighter: Duel might be your chance to hit the streets in a new way. This mobile RPG is going to give players a chance to collect classic fighters, build their own teams, and go head-to-head with Shadaloo or other players online starting in February.

SF: Duel has been something of a white whale for the global Street Fighter community for years as it was originally announced in late 2019 and saw a China-only release in November 2020. From there, the game was listed as “coming soon” and even given major advertisement slots at Capcom fighting game tournaments and during various Street Fighter V loading screens. 

At launch, the game will include 40 classic Street Fighter characters to collect and build teams with. This will include plenty of alternate costumes, which fans have been excited about for years, and might also feature some of the original characters that have been added to the game too.

“Street Fighter has been an iconic game for generations, and we know anime fans love to go on exciting adventures with beloved characters,” said Terry Li, general manager of Crunchyroll Games. “We’re excited to collaborate with Capcom to bring Street Fighter: Duel and its incredible roster of iconic fighters to anime and gaming fans alike.”  

The game itself mixes RPG mechanics with a “real-time” three-vs-three battle system. There is a single-player story mode and a number of other ways to enjoy the game, such as online battles with other players and friends. Just be aware that SF: Duel is going to feature microtransactions and Gacha elements, too. 

This is the first real update Street Fighter fans have received on the game in a long time, but it comes with big news as the game is live for pre-registration on Android and iOS in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and select European countries—with more availability being added. 

The more players who pre-register for the game will increase the total number of bonus items everyone will get once the game does launch. Right now, it’s slated to drop in February, though no specific date has been given yet.