The Director of ‘Street Fighter 6’ Uncovers Its ‘Modern’ Updates
Street Fighter 6 director Takayuki Nakayama reveals that the game’s much-talked-about Modern controls weren’t just a nod to accessibility—they were an intentional leap toward inclusivity. What began as an experiment with the character Ed in Street Fighter V evolved into a core feature of SF6. Ed’s simplified inputs proved the concept viable, paving the way for Modern controls where special moves require just one button plus a direction (WIRED, DualShockers).
Nakayama stressed these controls are not an “easy mode,” but a different way to engage, maintaining competitive integrity while lowering the entry barrier for newcomers and disabled players alike (Digital Trends, Game Informer, WIRED). To balance things, Modern controls come with deliberate limitations—special moves inflict only about 80% damage, and players have reduced access to variations like light, medium, or heavy versions (WIRED).
But accessibility doesn’t stop at controls. Nakayama’s team also prioritized audio enhancements for blind and low-vision players, expanding upon ideas first introduced in Street Fighter V. Collaborating with ePARA, they refined aural cues—such as spatially distinct sound effects—to improve situational awareness during fights (WIRED).
By introducing Modern and Dynamic control schemes alongside robust audio support, Nakayama has broadened what Street Fighter can be: a franchise welcoming to both veterans and first-timers, players with or without disabilities, and all paths in between. His vision helped make Street Fighter 6 perhaps the most accessible entry to date, without compromising the thrill of combat that defines the series (WIRED, UnGeek).
