Street Fighter 6 TMNT Skins Draw Criticism for Exorbitant Pricing

dennisklmnert · Post by **dennisklmnert** » Fri Aug 11, 2023 11:06 pm

The freshly introduced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) skins in Street Fighter 6 are causing dissatisfaction among fans due to their steep price tags. Launched in early June, Street Fighter 6 has embarked on a promising year for the fighting game genre, with the upcoming releases of Mortal Kombat 1 in September and the highly anticipated Tekken 8, rumored to arrive before the close of 2023.

In a span of just over two months since its summer debut, Street Fighter 6 has already engaged in several collaborative ventures with other franchises. The prelude to Capcom's Exoprimal launch featured a trailer showcasing a mechanized rendition of Ryu, the iconic face of Street Fighter, as an upcoming addition to the dinosaur-themed third-person shooter. Furthermore, beloved Street Fighter characters like Chun-Li, Cammy, Luke, and Ryu have ventured into the realm of the battle royale game PUBG. Most recently, as part of the annual fighting game event EVO, Street Fighter 6 unveiled its latest DLC character A.K.I, along with a partnership involving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, aligning with the release of the new animated film, "Mutant Mayhem."

While collaborations add a layer of excitement, Street Fighter 6 enthusiasts are voicing their frustration over the exorbitant pricing of these TMNT skins. Twitter user UltimaShadowX highlighted the fact that each individual TMNT costume commands a price of $15. Should players wish to acquire all four turtle costumes, the collective expense reaches a staggering $60 – equivalent to the cost of the Street Fighter 6 game itself. This sentiment is compounded by the understanding that these costumes are exclusively usable for players' created avatars within the World Tour mode or online Avatar Battles. Notably, players cannot equip these costumes for the established cast of Street Fighter 6 characters.

It would have been more reasonable for Capcom to offer a bundled package containing all four TMNT characters for $15. Though still a substantial cost for a set of four avatar costumes, this approach would have been more palatable than offering them individually at $15 apiece. Alternatively, the collaboration could have introduced a singular turtle costume, allowing players to swap characters within the "change color" menu of World Tour clothing shops. Although the likelihood of Capcom reducing the prices of the TMNT skins seems uncertain at present, there may be a chance of adjustment once the fervor surrounding the Mutant Mayhem movie subsides.

This collaboration marks the first instance of characters from an external franchise entering the world of Street Fighter 6, prompting curiosity about the pricing strategies for future collaborations with other renowned franchises. The gaming industry has been grappling with discussions surrounding monetization, ranging from season passes and loot boxes to the current popularity of battle passes. As Street Fighter 6 proceeds with its post-launch plans, featuring A.K.I's arrival in the fall and the introduction of at least two more DLC characters in early 2024, players hope that future avatar costumes will not command a price comparable to the game itself.