I read this article on IGN...

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/917/917964p1.html

Its a cool read...but this part is somewhat concerning.

"By the time we got to 3 and the refinements of 3 and all the way to Third Strike, we kind of shrunk the market on our own by increasingly aiming for the hardcore gamers, making it increasingly harder to get good at it…Third Strike was kind of the pinnacle…this is what we can do with Street Fighter, we've done it, we really couldn't go any further."

as well as

"…I don't want to use the word 'casual' because that's a loaded word, but we decided to make the game less hardcore, less focused on the true experts, and something a wider variety of people could pick up and play."

Now I am ok with games trying to be fun for all...whole family etc. And that is what the spin-offs are for...Marvel VS Capcom, SNK VS Capcom...its a mish mash or unbalanced gameplay and good drunk fun.

However if you are going to name a game Street Fighter IV (the next chronological step in the series), you better make sure its focused on the people that have stuck with you throughout the series. 3: Third strike was a very deep fighter, but it wasn't like people couldn't play it and have fun with it without reading the guide on how to do a red parry.

Its kinda like making Godfather 4 and making it in to a romantic comedy. Sure Analyze This with Robert Deniro is great, but it wouldn't go over so well with Godfather.

Thoughts? Opinions?

It looks good, but I think 3 looks, and will be better.

That'snot even what he's trying to say.

As simple as I can put it... it's all about making the game more accessable, not "family friendly". They're trying to go back to what made street fighter so popular back in the early ninties, and that's getting two players, pro or a newcomer, into a game and making it not feel like one-sided pummeling.

You're gonna get that anyway, but whatever.

As much as I love 3rd Strike (I'm a fighter nut), it definately is an elitist community. And that won't help street fighter going forward.

Capcom didn't make Street Fighter IV with the intention to stick with the Street Fighter III community, they made it to try to recapture the audience that was at the arcades playing Street Fighter II. They realized they may have made Street Fighter III lean too much towards the hardcore audience so they tried to tone it down a bit. I haven't tried the game myself but from everything I heard Street Fighter IV should be a great game.

Really, the original arcade roster for SFIV was the non-Super Turbo SFII cast and four new characters (Abel/Viper/Rufus/Furte), and at least two members of the new challengers from Super Turbo (Cammy/Fei Long) will make it into the home version. This game is really catering much more to the SFII fans and doesn't even seem to really care about SFIII. At the very least, I hope Dudley makes it into the game. Because he's rich.

You seem to missunderstand my post.

Street Fighter 2 introduced the fighting game to the masses...and each subsequent game was a gameplay upgrade.

Upgrade doesn't mean "hard to play". While Street Fighter 3:Third strike did require a lot of dedication to master, it wasn't hard to play at all. Jump in-throw...2 in 1s...worked as good as ever.

No one is a "Street Fighter 3 only" player. The ones in to part 3 played every street fighter to date. Hopefully there is something in SF4 for us.

Ther are roumors that Hugo and Ibuki may be coming back fo 4 btw...

Hopefully. With Sakura being announced, I'm hoping that leads the way to either Makoto or Ibuki.

I think you should go and watch some videos recently uploaded. I don't think their any questions on how "hardcore" or "casual" the game is.

well dis, I played the game and it seemed just as much 'fun' for the hardcore as SF3. The way i see it is if ur a very skilled player playing another very skilled player, then its very 'hardcore' just as much as SF 3 (w/o the parrying). Honestly, to me, its like its a Next-gen HD remake of SF 3 (plays the same, just w/o parrying). All in all, I think it will be good IMO.

Streetfighter's always been casual.

Thanks...this is good to know. SF is very dear to me and my gamign friends and Capcom beter not screw it up.

U and me both. check out my impressions of when I played it.
http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=40852