Street Fighter 6 fans kick off after Capcom changes “iconic” Ryu theme

Philip Trahan
ryu street fighter 6 key art with logo header

Capcom has released Ryu’s new theme music in Street Fighter 6, but some fans are quite unhappy with the pivot away from his “iconic” Street Fighter 2 theme.

Capcom recently debuted a bunch of Street Fighter 6 content following a Sony State of Play event which aired on June 2.

During the reveal, fans got a much better idea of the new hip-hop and funk-inspired direction Capcom would be taking the iconic fighting game series in Street Fighter 6.

Now, Capcom has unveiled Ryu’s new theme music for SF6, and many fans are not happy with the turn away from remixing Ryu’s most iconic theme from Street Fighter 2.

Capcom reveals Ryu’s new theme for Street Fighter 6

an image of Ryu from Street Fighter 6
Ryu’s new look reflects the growth the character has made since his journey began in the arcade title, Street Fighter.

The official Street Fighter Twitter account sent out a tweet that reads “Listen to Ryu’s new theme to feel the journey he has been on and his enthusiasm for the new one awaiting for him in Street Fighter 6.”

Ryu’s new theme is oozing the funk and hip-hop DNA that permeates Street Fighter 6’s aesthetic, making for a new bombastic reinvention for the series’ leading man.

However, many fans are not pleased with Ryu’s new theme, citing a massive departure from Ryu’s iconic theme that debuted in 1991’s Street Fighter 2.

“Yea… we’re gonna need their iconic themes as an option lol. Out of everything amazing that’s been revealed, the music so far has been their weakest reveals” said Twitter user lariat_dubman.

Other fans echoed the sentiment, like kabrutustallone who replied “Everything in this game is looking fantastic but these new themes are just… unnecessary. Classics are classics, don’t change something that doesn’t need to.”

However, many fans have taken to the replies to defend Capcom’s decision to reinvent Ryu’s theme in Street Fighter 6.

“I see people hating on this song…This is a new generation of Street Fighter and I’m going to be honest. I don’t want to hear Ryu’s SF2 for the 100th time. This theme is funky. Will listen to it on repeat,” wrote Twitter user KeybladeHero_05.

While some may not like the new direction Capcom is taking with the Street Fighter 6’s soundtrack, it’s clear that Capcom is ready to reinvigorate the Street Fighter franchise in some pretty big ways moving forward.

About The Author

Philip is a Staff Writer at Dexerto based in Louisiana, with expertise in Pokemon, Apex Legends, and general gaming industry news. His first job in the games industry was as a reviewer with NintendoEverything.com while attending college. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication focusing on Multimedia Journalism, he worked with GameRant.com for nearly two years before joining Dexerto. When he's not writing he's usually tearing through some 80+ hour JRPG. You can contact him at philip.trahan@dexerto.com.