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Street Fighter 6 DLC – all you need to know about Year 3’s characters
Four more characters are coming to Street Fighter 6, and one of them is a left-field choice.
Street Fighter 6 is a juggernaut in the fighting game genre, combining a deep and open-ended single player mode with one of the most robust multiplayer suites we’ve seen. Now, a little more than two years after its initial release, the game has a loyal and dedicated fanbase hungry for more content. The roster of fighters has grown from 18 to 26, with four more fighters on the way in the Year 3 DLC pack.
Here, we take a closer look at all the new characters that will join the fight in Year 3 and make some predictions (or hopeful wishes) about who could join the fight next.
01
Sagat
Sagat is a legendary character returning to the series
© Capcom
The first character revealed in the Year 3 DLC drop is Sagat, a Muay Thai master who was once one of the highest-ranking members of Shadaloo. Since leaving the criminal organisation, he has dedicated his life to training, becoming one of the most fearsome fighters on the planet.
Standing at a towering 7’ 5", this fighter excels in long-range fighting. He moves slowly, but can deliver crushing blows with signature moves, Tiger Shot, Tiger Uppercut, and Tiger Knee. He is a strong choice for zoning, using his long-limbed frame to force opponents into vulnerable positions.
Sagat brings with him his iconic stage, located in the mountains of Thailand. His look has also received some new flair, with the legendary master looking older, more grizzled and even more determined.
02
C. Viper
C. Viper takes on Chun-Li in Street Fighter IV
© Capcom/Steam Store
The second character to make their Street Fighter 6 debut is the CIA agent Crimson Viper, who sports a sleek new white outfit. Viper has been absent since SFIV, so fans are eager to learn about how her moveset has changed to fit in with Street Fighter 6’s drive-driven gameplay style.
In SFIV’s Viper’s moveset was heavily based around gadgets – jet boots, seismic hammers, burn kicks and more. This quirky toolkit stands in stark contrast to SFVI’s more grounded roster. It’s likely that we could see her gadget-based gameplay toned down to better fit the game’s flow of battle.
Viper is also great for feint/cancel gameplay styles. Her aerial combos make her a great counter to zoning characters, while combo extension allows for some serious damage-dealing potential. She is a strong choice from both mid and close range, meaning she could make some big waves in the meta when she arrives this Autumn.
03
Alex
Alex is a fan favourite from Street Fighter 3
© Capcom
Best known as the protagonist of Street Fighter III, Alex is a grappler inspired by American wrestlers. The New York fighter sports a gritty new look, with a biker aesthetic, more in keeping with Street Fighter 6’s streetwise style. His look certainly suggests a brutal brawler, but there may be more to Alex than meets the eye.
Judging by how he played in previous games (and some chatter on the rumour mill), Alex will likely be an accessible brawler with a strong repertoire of command grabs and anti-air attacks. Grapplers can be tough for less experienced players to get to grips with, so this powerhouse fighter could provide an easier pathway for the grapple-curious.
Alex will land in early spring 2026, just in time for the new tournament season. Expect him to shake up the meta in some significant ways at tournaments like Evo and Red Bull Kumite.
04
Ingrid
Ingrid is the most mysterious new addition to the Street Fighter 6 roster
© Capcom
Ingrid is Year 3’s wildcard addition. Following the announcement of three well-known legends, Ingrid’s reveal left many fans scratching their heads. In the pantheon of Capcom fighting game characters, she’s a relatively unknown quantity, having only appeared in Capcom Fighting Evolution and later in Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX. This will be her official introduction to the Street Fighter canon.
Ingrid is unique when it comes to fighting style, floating around the battlefield using light and telekinetic energy. She will likely be a projectile-heavy character, allowing for rapid movement and long-distance attacks. Her floaty movement is sure to be an interesting counter to rushdown-style characters, which will most likely be offset by relatively low strike power.
Ingrid’s inclusion in this new DLC pack shows how dedicated Capcom is to taking risks with their character updates. It’s also an exciting choice, breaking away from the focus on heavy attacking characters in favour of something more experimental. We’ll be reintroduced to Ingrid when she lands in Street Fighter 6 in late spring 2026.
Take an in-depth look at how Street Fighter 6 characters are created:
05
Characters we want to see
Seth
Seth would be a fan-pleasing addition to the Street Fighter 6 roster
© Capcom
A favourite of 2023 EVO Champion Amjad 'AngryBird' Alshalabi, Seth was the main antagonist of Street Fighter IV. The CEO of Shadaloo's weapon division is one of many genetically engineered replacement bodies for M. Bison, possessing formidable strength and fighting ability.
Much like Dhalsim, Seth boasts high elasticity, giving them formidable range and utility in fights. In Street Fighter 5, Seth has extremely powerful anti-air moves, making them a good all-rounder against varied opponents. They could also switch sides with ease, allowing players to zip around their enemies at lightning-quick speeds.
Seth has been so powerful in past appearances that it has caused balance issues, so the dev team will need to be careful if they decide to implement them into SF6. Still, the character is a fan favourite and would certainly make a strong first announcement for the second year of DLC fighters.
Rufus
Rufus is a deceptively fast and agile character
© Capcom
First appearing in Street Fighter IV, Rufus is a loudmouthed, obese American kung-fu fighter and self-professed rival to Ken Masters, who doesn't know who Rufus is and why he’s so upset with him all the time.
Rufus is an offensive rushdown character with high damaging combos and strangely above-average mobility for a character of his size. In Street Fighter IV, Rufus’ Galactic Tornado was a spinning palm strike that could bypass projectiles confusing zoning efforts. His Messiah Kick was an overhead kick that provided follow-ups with varied height and startup, and his Snake Strike gave him a nifty anti-air option.
We haven’t seen Rufus since Street Fighter IV, so it would be fun to see a character with such a strange dichotomy of appearance versus playstyle come back as DLC. It’ll be a chuckle to see the RE Engine handle his belly physics too.
Dudley
It would be great to see the gentlemanly boxer, Dudley, return in the next Street Fighter 6 DLC character pack. First introduced in Street Fighter III: New Generation, Dudley serves as a counterpoint to the arrogant American fighter, Balrog. His charming attitude isn’t the only reason I’d like to see him return, though.
Dudley would provide a great change of pace for the roster due to his focus on the fundamentals of combat – jabs, uppercuts and fluid dodges. He’d be an accessible character for new players, as well as a fresh gameplay proposition for experienced players.
Dudley is also well-loved amongst series fans. In a Reddit poll, he ranked number one to make a return in Street Fighter 6. Between his dapper threads, refined manners and powerful boxing skills, he’d be a fine addition to the already stacked roster.
Dan
Dan is widely considered a joke. But jokes are fun, right?
© Capcom
First appearing in Street Fighter Alpha. Dan is an arrogant, overconfident, and feeble self-taught martial artist who runs a failing dojo. Dan uses the Saikyo Style, a self-proclaimed "ultimate" fighting style that he created by mixing several techniques, mainly his father's fighting style, unprofessional Ansatsuken that he learned during his short training with Gouken, and pompous grandstanding.
Dan’s moves are slow, short, and clumsy. His Gadoken is a projectile with a comically short range, his Dankukyaku is a triple-hitting flying kick that’s super easy to block, his Koryuken is an anti-air uppercut with very little horizontal range, and his Premium Sign is a wholly ineffectual move where he autographs a portrait and flings it at the opponent. In short, he’s a joke character.
Why would Dan make for good DLC? He’s a popular pick if someone wants to handicap themselves as a taunt right from character select. It can make for some entertaining moments when a player decides to go all-in on a Dan pick. They will either get their ass handed back to them, or win and garner supreme bragging rights and a wonderful anecdote. It’s sometimes nice to embrace the lighthearted side of fighting games, and letting Dan into the roster can open Street Fighter 6 up to some competitive silly times. I might not be inclined pay actual money for him, but Capcom could tack him onto a season pass or as a bonus with another character and I’d be pleasantly surprised.
