Super Street Fighter IV releasing April 27, 2010 in North America

Capcom announced minutes ago Super Street Fighter IV's North American release date of April 27, 2010.

Here's the full release:

Super Street Fighter® IV will be coming to the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PS3 system on April 27, 2010 in North America and April 30, 2010 in Europe. The follow-up to the critically acclaimed Street Fighter IV will further redefine the 2-D fighting genre with a host of new features including new characters, new ultra combos, new online modes, the return of the famed bonus stages and retuned online and offline gameplay. Super Street Fighter IV’s new characters include Street Fighter’s first Tae Kwon Do-styled fighter - the deadly female fighter Juri - classic Street Fighters such as Cody, Guy, T. Hawk, Dee Jay, Adon and more to complement the full roster of returning fighters from Street Fighter IV. Featuring all new user-selectable Ultra Combos and advancements to the online gameplay and matchmaking, Super Street Fighter IV is the ultimate vision of Street Fighter. 

A little later than I expected. Oh well, it's probably for the best. I have a stack of RPGs to play before I become consumed by Street Fighter again.

In case you're wondering what I think about this revision/remix/whatever, here are a few articles I've pieced together over the last few months.

Old Idea: Super Street Fighter IV. Better Idea: League of Legends

Capcom remains undecided over Super Street Fighter IV rape price.

Capcom Says Community Decided DLC Delivery Method of Resident Evil 5 "Alternative Edition"

Capcom just sent this out to anyone and everyone on their mailing list:

"Hi Everyone,

You can try to forget the fear but it will never go away…

Following the announcement of Resident Evil 5: The Alternative Edition by Capcom Japan at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, Capcom’s North American and European community sites decided to post polls and determine how fans in the pan-western regions would like the new Resident Evil 5 content delivered to them. The surveys asked the Capcom community to state their preference- either a hard disc with the new content included or as downloadable content. Based on the results of the polls, Capcom is pleased to announce that new downloadable content will be available for Resident Evil 5 owners this spring via XBOX Live and PlayStation Network."

So...community votes on new dlc for a game rather than re-purchasing it to gain access to new and updated content? Big shocker there. Just getting the dlc's cheaper and easier. But I'm a little confused. Why not force Super Resident Evil 5 in disc form down everyone's throats instead? I mean, it's what you're good at, Capcom.

Old Idea: Super Street Fighter IV. Better Idea: League of Legends

Seven months after its console release, Street Fighter IV as we know it is already dead. At least, that’s what publisher/developer Capcom’s leading everyone to believe. Super Street Fighter IV is set to arrive next spring and will place the original’s teeth on the nearest curb and..well, you know what happens next. Unfortunate saps without the new version are left with the bloody and broken pieces of a title once brimming with bright and glittery Edward-Cullen-in-the-sunlight potential (so dreamy!). It’s the sad story of a title continually loved by many, but only briefly by its own creator.

A week after release, two million units of SFIV hit shelves worldwide. Since then, a console title price drop and pc digital download availability probably helped sell an additional million or two, so let’s add another couple of strikes to the tally. As a “thank you” to the millions of gamers who slapped down their recessionary dollars for the product,  the company severed communication and released only one major patch – adding in Championship mode, replays, and a few bug fixes. Compared to Bungie, who provide frequent patches to the Halo titles and run a weekly community-focused blog, Capcom’s continual lack of action tarnishes the legendary company’s name. “Dated” is now the best word to describe the house that spawned Mega Man and Resident Evil.

It didn’t have to be this way. If only they could just…change.

Brick-and-mortar distribution once dictated title modifications, additions, and subtractions be made through reissues at market. “Champion Edition,” “Turbo,” “Super Turbo” – read the subtitles of Street Fighter II’s many releases. There were more, too, and full price was demanded for each. And we paid it. Each and every time. But this isn’t 1993.

Capcom needs to let go. It’s holding on to a business model with a comparatively small and limited financial potential. Worse yet, the handling of said model does little to strengthen the confidence a consumer may have in this supplier. The company needs to evolve, and the best blueprint to follow lies in a free-to-play title available only on the PC.

Read the rest at IPR's Multimedia blog.