Street Fighter V PS4 PlayStation 4 1

Street Fighter V looks awesome, this much we already know. However, given the history of the franchise, we suspect that many of you are pondering whether to skip the PlayStation 4 and PC exclusive's inaugural instalment in lieu of a later entry. Well, you won't need to, as the title will be iterated on for the entirety of its lifespan for free. Allow us to explain...

When you buy Capcom's brawler next year, this will be the only version of the game that you'll ever need. Unlike previous editions, there'll be no Super or Ultra re-releases – everything will be updated via the original client. This means that balance and system adjustments will be incorporated on a regular basis, and they will be complimentary for everyone who owns a copy of the game.

At launch, the release will pack a 16 character roster, including four all-new fighters. From there, additional brawlers will be drafted in, which you'll be able to unlock for free through gameplay. There'll be two in-game currencies in the title: Fight Money and Zenny. You'll earn the former by simply playing the game, while you'll be able to purchase the latter through the PlayStation Store. Both will allow you to unlock new characters and content.

It stands to reason that you'll probably be spending a lot more Fight Money than Zenny to get the goods that you want, but Capcom's said that it will be using "later beta phases to test the economy and ensure that it works in a fair way for everyone". We're sure that there'll be some degree of grinding involved if you want the content for free, but that seems like a fair exchange to us.

Indeed, this whole model seems built around the idea of maintaining an engaged community. Not only will this provide everyone with a reason to keep playing, but it will also ensure that the player base is never splintered – after all, everyone will always have access to the same game. The proof will very much be in the pudding, but this all sounds seriously smart to us.

The big question is: are you a fan of the service-like approach – or are you worried that Street Fighter V's going to become a microtransaction-infested mess? Hit us with a finishing blow in the comments section below.

[source blog.us.playstation.com]