Street Fighter V had a very rocky release when it initially came out in February of last year. Fans were angered that it released with such a lack of content and such a microtransaction-heavy plan for updated content. Since then, Capcom has actually changed the game quite a bit, tapping into both the professional scene and casual scene for feedback on how to improve the game and its systems. With the second season of the game’s content about to get underway, Capcom plans to beta test their biggest changes yet by offering a free week of Street Fighter V for players on Steam.
The beta test is for Steam players only, and will run from 1 PM EST on March 28th through 3 PM EST on April 3rd. Capcom’s blog post on Steam runs through some of the upgrades for Street Fighter V‘s second season. Some of the highlights of the upcoming beta test include:
- All available fighters: The beta test will include all of the characters in SFV, even the premium fighters that can only be unlocked with real world or in game currency. That includes the newest fighter on the roster, Kolin.
- Updated rage quit system: Players who frequently disconnect will be branded with a special icon that identifies them and they will matchmake more often with other rage quitters.
- Better loading times and matchmaking AI.
- Better stats.
- Better friend list.
These are just updates to the game systems, there are also massive balance changes being tested as well. For the full list (and it is really full) of changes in this latest version, the Capcom Unity blog is the place to go.
This beta test will be completely free for both current players and new players (although it will not affect your progress in the main game, such as on the ranked ladder). It begins on March 28th and runs through April 3rd.
Ready to give Street Fighter V a chance? Or did it already lose you with its poor release? Let us know in the comments below.