Combo Breaker 2024 is taking place on May 24 – 26, 2024, and is gearing up for an action packed weekend of fighting game action. Despite fans being very excited for the event, as we are every year, there was a little bit of controversy surrounding this year’s major tournament — though not on the side of the tournament organizers.
We recently learned that Street Fighter 6’s Season 2 update and Akuma will be launching on May 22, just two days before Combo Breaker, which made it so that the TOs had to decide whether or not to let the new patch rock or use the current version of the game we’re all playing. After polling the Street Fighter 6 tournament’s entrants, it appears those competing have voted to let it rock.
The situation the Combo Breaker organizers faced here was particularly precarious because generally speaking, official Capcom Pro Tour events require a new update or character be out and in the hands of the public for at least two weeks before they become tournament legal. This makes it so that things are as fair as they can be, giving everyone time to prepare for the upcoming event and familiarize themselves with all of the changes before competing.
A lot of major fighting game tournaments who aren’t a part the pro tournament circuit also tend to follow this rule as it is a solid chunk of time and usually works out pretty nicely for everyone — though these events also have the flexibility to do as they wish. And this is where the decision came into play.
Combo Breaker Event Director Rick “The Hadou” Thiher took to Twitter late last month to share the gameplan for this predicament. In a rare turn of events, the Combo Breaker staff left the decision to either play on the new Street Fighter 6 Season 2 update or not (with or without Akuma) up to those who entered the Street Fighter 6 tournament at the event, and we now have the results.
The players have spoken, and it looks like we will be seeing Combo Breaker 2024’s Street Fighter 6 tournament played with the new Season 2 update in full effect. The upcoming DLC character Akuma will also be fully legal there.
“Street Fighter 6 at CB2024: The patch releasing May 22, 2024 will be used,” began the official Combo Breaker Twitter page. “Akuma will be legal. While CB is displeased with this patch’s release date, we polled our registered players & over 81% of them want it run.
“We hope this will be a novel & fun way to experience CB2024,” the tweet concluded.
Street Fighter 6 at CB2024:
The patch releasing May 22, 2024 will be used. Akuma will be legal. While CB is displeased with this patch’s release date, we polled our registered players & over 81% of them want it run.
We hope this will be a novel & fun way to experience CB2024. pic.twitter.com/DwCXZNmNYw
— COMBO BREAKER (@COMBOBREAKER) May 16, 2024
Thiher also took to his personal Twitter to share his thoughts on the decision. He’s surprised that the players would want the new patch ran in an official capacity like this just two days after it launches, but here we are.
I’m still dumbfounded y’all want this. May the weekend prove a memorable one for the history books.
Brackets, schedule, and activities out tomorrow for CB2024. https://t.co/b6IKTKAu95
— Rick (@TheHadou) May 16, 2024
Regardless of how anyone feels about running the patch or not, Combo Breaker 2024 will undoubtedly be an interesting and exciting event to see play out. The Street Fighter 6 tournament will be extra volatile this time around, but that should definitely add even more hype to what will already be an amazing event.