Street Fighter Update: Season 3 Adds Elena, Reveals Sagat, C. Viper, Alex, and Ingrid for Year 3 DLC

Capcom has released the Season 3 update for Street Fighter 6, and it’s the biggest patch the game has received so far. The update went live after server maintenance started at 7 p.m. PT and ended around 2 a.m. PT. Even during this time, players could still download the update and use the new content offline.

The most noticeable addition is the new character, Elena. She was first introduced in Street Fighter III: New Generation and now joins Street Fighter 6 as the final DLC fighter from Season 2. Her addition brings the total number of characters in the game to 25.

Capcom also released new Outfit 3 costumes for four characters: Elena, M. Bison, Terry Bogard, and Mai Shiranui. M. Bison now wears a fur-lined coat, has a new haircut, and wears chaps. Terry Bogard’s new look includes a basketball jersey, vest, athletic pants, a different hat, and sneakers. Mai Shiranui wears a long, open kimono, has her hair down, and a hair ornament. Elena wears bright, festival-themed overalls and has a new hairstyle. These outfits cost 300 Fighter Coins each, which is equal to about $6.

In addition to new characters and costumes, the update also changes how the game plays. Capcom made changes to the game’s universal systems and adjusted all 25 characters individually, which affect move properties, combos, and the balance between offense and defense.

Perhaps the biggest system change is to the Perfect Parry mechanic. Before, any successful Perfect Parry would cause the screen to freeze. Now, this screen freeze only happens if the player blocks in the correct direction—down-back for low attacks, and back for high or overhead attacks. It makes parries more precise, and Perfect Parries on projectiles do not freeze the screen and still work as they did before.

Due to this change, low attacks have been adjusted accordingly. Many characters' crouching medium kicks have new combo scaling, especially when used with Drive Rush, which makes them deal less damage than before. Some characters can no longer avoid throws by using Drive Rush into light attacks after their crouching medium kicks are blocked. Also, crouching light kicks now deal more reward to help with defense and wake-up options, which were too weak before.

Capcom also changed how throw escapes work. Now, when a player escapes a throw, they gain more Drive Gauge and Super Art gauge. The developers said they made this change because throw escapes were not being used often and had less value compared to jumping or backdashing.

Sweeps were changed, too. The hurtbox on the first active frame of most sweeps is now smaller, making it more likely to beat out pokes. However, after a sweep that lands as a normal hit or a counter hit, the opponent can now recover and get back up faster. This recovery does not apply when the sweep lands as a Punish Counter. Bear in mind that these changes don’t affect ground-sliding attacks.

Every character in the game got specific changes. For example, Akuma’s Gou Hadoken and Kikoku Combination have less pushback when blocked. Blanka’s Overdrive Wild Hunt can now be used in grounded and aerial combos. Cammy’s Heavy Cannon Spike has a new hitbox to match other characters’ anti-airs. Chun-Li’s Hundred Lightning Kicks now have different properties depending on strength, and her Overdrive version deals more damage.

Dee Jay’s Heavy Jackknife Maximum starts faster, and his Overdrive Jus Cool can now lead into more follow-up options. Dhalsim’s Yoga Blast is now better as an anti-air. Its Overdrive version is air-invincible, except near the feet. Ed’s throw advantage and spacing are different, and Psycho Flicker can now cancel into Kill Rush. E. Honda can now link Overdrive Taiho Cannon Lift from Power Stomp, with better follow-ups in mid-screen.

Guile’s Sonic Booms disappear off-screen more quickly, allowing him to act faster afterward. Jamie’s Standing Medium Kick now has a different startup and recovery and can lead to new combos on a Punish Counter. JP’s Overdrive Stribog deals more damage when hitting at the tip, and some of his moves now scale combo damage more than before.

Juri’s Jumping Heavy Punch has a larger hurtbox, and her crouching light punch's hitbox was raised. Ken’s Light and Medium Jinrai Kicks and the Kazekama Shin Kick do less Drive Gauge damage and are easier to punish. Kimberly’s Shuriken Bomb Spread can now detonate faster or slower depending on input. Lily’s Desert Storm starts faster, and her forward dash covers more ground. Luke’s Light Rising Uppercut now has a higher combo count limit.

Manon’s À Terre and Temps Lié now have different hit effects on Punish Counters, and her Light Rond-point no longer causes a knockdown. Marisa’s Crouching Heavy Punch can now cancel into Super Art during its first frame if canceled from another move. M. Bison’s Standing Light Punch and Backfist Combo have more recovery, and some of his special moves leave him in better spots on hit.

Rashid’s Forward Throw now puts him farther from the opponent, which weakens his pressure in the corner. Ryu’s Hadoken damage has changed, and his Denjin Hadoken now gives a better reward. Terry Bogard’s Power Drive now does more damage, and his Round Wave is now a low. Zangief’s main hurtbox was expanded forward in all states. His Overdrive Screw Piledriver and Double Lariat now have larger hitboxes to match this.

Capcom also added four classic games from the Famicom (NES) era to the Gallery section. These games are Bionic Commando, Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight, Mighty Final Fight, and Mega Man 3. All four are the original full versions, not demos, and can be played from beginning to end.

In Bionic Commando (1988), the player controls Rad Spencer and uses a grappling hook instead of jumping. Street Fighter 2010 is a side-scrolling action game that stars a cybernetic version of Ken Masters. Mighty Final Fight is a smaller version of the arcade game with RPG-style levels and experience points. Mega Man 3, released in 1990, is one of the best-known games in the Mega Man series and includes bosses like Snake Man and Shadow Man.

Just days after Elena’s release, Capcom revealed the full Year 3 DLC roster for Street Fighter 6 during Summer Game Fest on June 6, 2025. The announcement was made through a trailer that featured professional wrestler Kenny Omega dressed in Street Fighter cosplay. The Year 3 DLC roster includes four characters: Sagat, C. Viper, Alex, and Ingrid. These fighters will be released over the next year as part of the Year 3 Character Pass.

The release schedule for the new fighters is as follows:

• Sagat — Summer 2025
• C. Viper — Autumn 2025
• Alex — Early Spring 2026
• Ingrid — Late Spring 2026

Sagat is the first DLC fighter coming this year. He appeared in the trailer using his signature Tiger Shot, Tiger Knee, and Tiger Uppercut attacks. He also showed what looked like new knee-based attacks during a sequence with Ryu. Sagat first appeared as the final boss in the original Street Fighter game and returns with his large frame and long reach.

C. Viper, last seen in Street Fighter IV, also returns. She is known for her electric and fire-based attacks and her role as a special agent. In SFIV, she was a technical character who used mix-ups and feints to pressure opponents from multiple angles. Her appearance in Street Fighter 6 will mark her first appearance in the series since 2008.

Alex, who debuted in Street Fighter III, is also coming back. He was originally positioned as the new main character in that series. Alex is a grappler who uses pro-wrestling-style attacks, combining strong strikes with throws. His aggressive play style may benefit from Street Fighter 6's offensive mechanics.

Finally, Ingrid will join the game in late spring 2026. She is a rare character who first appeared in Capcom Fighting Evolution and made a guest appearance in Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max. She is a small character with magical powers and is one of the lesser-known additions to the roster. Her inclusion was unexpected, especially since fighters like Vega and Balrog have not yet returned.

All content in the Season 3 update—Elena, the character changes, the new outfits, and the NES games—is available now on all platforms. Capcom has not yet announced release dates for Outfit 4 sets, though they previously confirmed those will begin to launch in Summer 2025.

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