Capcom Locks Finals Behind Paywall Upsetting Street Fighter Fans

Capcom has managed to do the unthinkable, and not in a good way. For the first time in Street Fighter’s long esports history, the Capcom Cup 12 Finals and Street Fighter League World Championship are going pay-per-view (PPV). Fans are furious, pro players are disappointed, and the fighting game community (FGC) feels blindsided by what many are calling a “cash grab.”

The finals are set for March 14–15, 2026, at Tokyo’s iconic Ryōgoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena.

• Online viewers will need to cough up around $40 USD for a digital pass. (Kotaku)
• If you’re broke or just stubborn, you’ll have to wait. Replays become free one week later.
• In-person front-row tickets are set at about $135 USD.
• Prize pool? A whopping $1.28 million, but no increase despite the new revenue stream. (SI.com)

Capcom insists that earlier rounds will remain free, and only the finals will be locked. But fans aren’t buying the justification, as they should.

Fans’ Perspective

The Fighting Games Community (FGC) has always thrived on accessibility and inclusivity. Free twitch streams, co-streams, and watch parties are the lifeblood of all esports, including Street Fighter 6. Putting the finals behind a paywall feels like Capcom ripping out the community’s heart just to see if it can make a few bucks.

Critics warn that regional pricing makes the $40 fee brutal in countries with weaker currencies. Co-streams and watch parties will likely be blocked, which is going to silence one of the FGC’s most fun traditions. Viewership could tank, hurting sponsorships and exposure. The move looks greedy as hell, prioritizing revenue over the grassroots community that built Street Fighter’s legacy.

As The Escapist pointed out

This isn’t just about money. It’s about trust. Alienating your biggest fans when you’re still growing the esports scene? Risky business.

Pro Players Aren’t Happy Either

Some of Street Fighter’s biggest names are calling Capcom out:

Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II, the two-time Capcom Cup champion and Evo 2025 winner, hails from the Dominican Republic and noted that locking esports behind a paywall particularly impacts fans from regions where the financial barriers are already higher. He wrote:

納得しがたいです

日本ではこれが普通だと理解していますし、ありがたいことにコミュニティはまだこの方法で支え合えています。

しかし、私の地域を含む多くの地域では、このゲームをプレイする余裕すらほとんどない。ストリートファイターの頂点を楽しむ機会を阻まれるべきではない。… https://t.co/DAVzvxvUWu

— WBG MenaRD🇩🇴 (@_MenaRD__) September 28, 2025

Translation:

I find it hard to accept

I understand that this is normal in Japan, and thankfully the community is still able to support each other in this way.

But in many places, including my own, it’s almost impossible to even afford to play this game, and no one should be denied the opportunity to enjoy Street Fighter at its peak.

I think it’s still too early

Arman “Phenom” Hanjani suggested Capcom at least funnel a cut of PPV revenue into prize pools and player payouts.

Adel “Big Bird” Anouche asked the obvious question, why not monetize with in-game cosmetics or Capcom Cup outfits instead which is something the FGC has always accepted?

Even grassroots tournament organizers (TOs) added fuel to the fire, pointing out that they already run global qualifiers with little financial help from Capcom, and now Capcom wants to cash in on the finals too?

A Risky Experiment

Capcom Cup streams, traditionally, have been free and widely accessible. That open approach has always built hype, boosted Street Fighter’s relevance, and helped esports grow. Switching to PPV puts all that at risk.

It’s understandable that Capcom likely wants to cover esports production costs and explore new revenue models. But the timing and execution are just not right. Well, let’s just say the community thinks it’s tone-deaf. Unless the plan changes, Capcom could end up shrinking its audience right when Street Fighter 6 is finally building momentum.

Future Speculations

Capcom hasn’t issued a formal response to the backlash yet. The PPV plan is still in place, and the finals feel like they are right around the corner. The big questions now:

Will Capcom stick to its guns or backtrack under pressure?

Will fans actually pay $40, or will streams be a ghost town?

Can Capcom find a middle ground, like cheaper regional pricing or monetization via cosmetics?

It is absolutely clear that this isn’t UFC or boxing. Esports as a whole isn’t mainstream enough to lock fans out. The FGC runs on passion, accessibility, and hype, not pricey tickets. If Capcom wants longevity, it should fuel the community, not put it behind a paywall. Right now, this feels less like innovation and more like Capcom punching itself in the face.