Capcom: Talks to Add Tifa to Street Fighter 6 Began 3 Years Ago

Capcom reported that talks with Square Enix to add Final Fantasy VII character Tifa Lockhart to Street Fighter 6 began three years ago, around the game’s release. Director Takayuki Nakayama and producer Shuhei Matsumoto described how early conversations evolved into a plan to include a guest character.

Initial contact came through a mutual friend at Square Enix who was a fan of Street Fighter 6. Early discussions explored possible collaborations and identified Tifa as a candidate because of her martial arts background and the profile of the Final Fantasy VII remake series at the time.

Square Enix reviewed proposed design changes for Tifa, focusing on how her moves would be exaggerated for a fighting game and on animation and visual choices. Matsumoto noted that the Final Fantasy team, including character designer Tetsuya Nomura, approved those adjustments before Capcom implemented them.

Nakayama recalled that the collaboration developed organically after the initial contact and that Tifa’s fighting style matched Street Fighter 6 mechanics. Developers assessed which Square Enix character would translate well to the game and settled on Tifa.

Capcom said Tifa will use a Materia-based fighting mechanic that differs from other characters. She is scheduled to join Street Fighter 6 earlier in the year as part of the Year 4 character pass, which also adds Yasmine, Arjun and Bosch. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is scheduled for release next spring. Street Fighter 6 launched three years ago.