Street Fighter 6 is set to release later this year, and theories have begun regarding which characters could make their return to the classic franchise. The new entry seems poised to deliver a modern take on the series. The only two title characters revealed are veteran poster-child Ryu and the newcomer from Street Fighter 5's final season pass, Luke. The teaser showed Luke and Ryu in what looked like Capcom's proprietary RE engine, highlighting their muscles and veins in incredibly realistic detail, before shifting into the two preparing to trade blows in different ink splash styles, which may signify a mix of realistic and artistic sensibilities.

Additionally, as Capcom has stated that Luke is the future of Street Fighter, these styles may give an idea of what types of characters may see their return in the new title. The types of characters that could return may rely heavily on what art-style Capcom intends to take with Street Fighter 6 to keep the cast feeling unified. Characters like Twelve and Q from Street Fighter: Third Strike may be odd choices if they're attempting realism over the varied wild aesthetics the franchise is known for. Despite the various timelines the series hops across, there's no shortage of options, with a staggering 81 playable characters over the series' 35-year history.

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Still, it's safe to assume series regulars like world warriors such as Ken, Ryu, and Chun-Li will return to Street Fighter. Street Fighter 5 already introduced 16 new characters, including the series newcomer Luke and a crossover character named Akira from Rival Schools, a Capcom classic. Capcom may be seeking to bring back fans old and new, so mixing a blend of the old, the unknown, and the expected may be the route the studio feels will be most successful. Keeping the classic cast in mind, potential art direction, and thinking that Street Fighter 6 will take place in the timeline post-Street Fighter 5, here are a handful of potential combatants that could enter the ring later this year.

Thunder Hawk Needs To Return For Street Fighter 6

T Hawk SF Alpha 3

First arriving in the original, car-destroying Street Fighter 2, T. Hawk is a Native American hailing from the fictional Thunderfoot tribe in Mexico. He appeared in SF 2, Alpha 3, and Street Fighter 4 but skipped out on the fifth entry. One of the enormous characters in the cast, many will remember T. Hawk's flying presses all too well, barreling down on them with a most imposing presence. A burly fighter with hard throws and intense strikes, T. Hawk is a significant fan favorite, with many lamenting his lack of presence in the most recent title. A more modern and respectful redesign is also due, and Street Fighter 6 could provide it.

Characters Who Should Return In Street Fighter 6 - Sodom

Sodom's Street Fighter portrait

An oddball for sure, Sodom first showed up in the Final Fight series as a boss in Mad Gear Gang similar to Poison, who was one of Street Fighter 5's DLC characters. Strange as he is, Sodom eventually earned the right to make a singular appearance as a playable character in Street Fighter Alpha 3. Sporting various parts of Samurai armor mixed with blue denim, Sodom is an American who happens to be a Japanese Otaku.

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Though he has a grasp of Japanese culture, he constantly muddles up the language, as evidenced by his purposely poor translations when winning a match and the fact that he incorrectly painted the kanji for death on his chest. He switches between two sai and katanas in combat and is a relatively fast and burly fighter. Sodom certainly is a weirdly animated character, but his realistic outfit and flair for the dramatic could make him a perfect fit in Street Fighter 6.

Guy Could Make A Return In Street Fighter 6

Ninja crouching down in orange gi

Another Final Fight alumni, Guy is a ninja from Japan and the former best friend of fellow fighter Cody who first made his Street Fighter debut in Alpha. His most recent appearance was in Street Fighter 4 as a high-speed fighter designed to pummel and overwhelm opponents. Though his master, Zeku, made his return in the more recent Street Fighter 5, it'd be nice to see a slightly older Guy appear. If Street Fighter 6 were to continue Street Fighter 5's focus on high-pressure style gameplay, the Bushinryu style Ninja would be a dead ringer for the franchise's future.

Sean Should Return In Street Fighter 6

Sean Matsuda Street Fighter V

Nothing more than a cameo and a side character to his sister Laura, a new addition in Street Fighter 5, Brazillian-born Sean more than deserves another shot in Street Fighter 6. Sean was panned mainly for his poor performance in the Street Fighter 3 iterations, being a weak disciple of Ken Masters. But if his story at the end of the title is canon, he lost in a fight to Ryu and then had to spend a year training with the legendary world warrior.

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Taking a cue out of rebalancing characters for lore similar to how Street Fighter 5 balanced Dan Hibiki, Capcom could utilize the fruits of Sean's labor and show a character that maybe mixes elements of his family's renowned Matsuda Jiu-Jitsu with Ryu's Karate style. Doing so could make for an intriguing new short-to-mid range fighter.

Street Fighter 6 Possible Returning Characters - Remy

Man with teal hair holding hand out

The young French boxer from Paris with a chip on his shoulder, Remy, would be another character fans of the legendary Street Fighter 3 titles would enjoy seeing a return of. Remy is a character with a reason to return, as we've still yet to solve the mystery of who Remy's father is. He is the reason for Remy's spiteful personality. Some speculate Abel may be a potential character in Street Fighter 6, but there's not enough evidence to suggest it. A tall fighter with long legs and arms, Remy takes the skills of Guile and Charlie. He incorporates them into his Savate training, making him a capable zoner with a versatile multi-range attack kit to deal with those pesky Hadouken spammers.

Street Fighter 6 Should Bring Back Makoto

Makoto from Street Fighter in a martial arts pose.

A boisterous and powerful girl from Japan, Makoto first arrived in Street Fighter 3, with her next appearance coming in Street Fighter 4. Makoto wears an iconic yellow headband and a beige-colored gi that hangs loosely to her tiny stature. Though her story is mainly about rebuilding her family's dojo and has no significant relevance to the overarching plot, Makoto's specific style of Karate isn't represented in Street Fighter 5. She can combo juggle Street Fighter opponents efficiently, quickly stun foes, and catch players off guard with the juxtaposition of her speeds. Even though she missed out on this last tournament, Makoto is a hard-hitting fighter that feels like she'd be right at home in Street Fighter 6.

Crimson Viper (C. Viper) Needs To Come Back In Street Fighter 6

Woman in business suit, red hair and yellow glasses

C. Viper, also known by the alias of Maya, is a femme fatale CIA agent/mother from the United States with Batman levels of tools/gadgets in her suit. Her first and only appearance in the Street Fighter series was Street Fighter 4, and since then, she has made one other appearance as a character in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. C. Viper is a unique fighter that would fit right at home in the modern era of Street Fighter, with her slick business style and her quick move set featuring electric knuckles and flaming kicks. It'd be nice to see her return with an updated design and a few new secret agent tools added to her kit to tangle with the cast of Street Fighter 6.

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