Top players in Street Fighter have been training ahead of the launch of Street Fighter 6 and the upcoming Capcom Pro Tour circuit, but some of them will have to adjust their mechanics following a new ban on a specific controller for this season.
Leverless controllers will have to be updated to be eligible in the circuit as Capcom banned one of the functionalities that make them so efficient at SFV’s highest level earlier today. Those controllers allow players to hit combos easier by using buttons instead of the traditional joystick.
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Using directional buttons to block faster will no longer be allowed, either. It’s done by pressing up and down simultaneously, and then letting go of the “up” button. This is considered the main advantage of the controller over pads and sticks since it’s physically impossible to perform using a movement stick.
“This new rule is designed to ensure all leverless controllers operate to a universal standard regardless of make or model at Capcom-sanctioned events,” the publisher wrote in its new policy.
This decision reignited an old controversy in the SFV community. Some pros say the ruling doesn’t go far enough, while others argue they should be eligible without being modified or that it will be counterproductive and actually advantage leverless controller users even more. “Just ban it,” reacted veteran player Luffy.
Countless high-tier players also wondered how this rule could be enforced in online tournaments since there is currently no way to check whether players deactivate the input.
Leverless controllers appeared over a decade ago, and their popularity has increased since then. More and more Japanese pro players have been switching to them each year, such as veteran Daigo.
Many consider them the best controller to perform better in SFV. “Walk block and leverless defense are broken,” explained Japanese player Mago in a recent livestream. “The days of sticks are ending.”
Capcom has banned the use of specific combos on leverless controllers before. This is the first time the ban has been included in Pro Tour’s ruleset, however, which includes all offline events that are a part of the circuit.
Hit Box, the popular leverless controller’s manufacturer, said it’d comply with Capcom’s new rule, but added it was “a still-developing situation” and doubled down on the standard it established. “We still stand firmly by and believe in this standard: Up + down = Up,” referring to the input banned by Capcom. It’s still unclear if those rules will be adjusted before the circuit kicks off.
Street Fighter 6 is planned to release on June 2 on PlayStation 4 and 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. Meanwhile, SFV will be showcased in the upcoming Evo Japan, which will kick off tomorrow, March 31.
Published: Mar 30, 2023 04:38 am