Street Fighter 6 Devs Almost Unified M. Bison's Name, But Quit

In an interview at Summer Game Fest, Street Fighter 6 developers Takayuki Nakayama and Shuhei Matsumoto revealed that they considered unifying the character names across all regions but chose not to. This decision means the characters M. Bison, Vega, and Balrog will retain their different names depending on the region. The developers acknowledged the complexity but ultimately decided it was best to respect regional preferences. This naming decision is seen as a charming relic of the past, preserving the game's unique history and appeal across different cultures.

The developers of Street Fighter 6 decided not to unify character names internationally because they recognized that players in different regions have become accustomed to the names M. Bison, Vega, and Balrog in their respective localizations. They concluded that maintaining these familiar names would avoid confusion and preserve the cultural legacy associated with the characters.

Street Fighter has been a cornerstone of the fighting game genre since its debut in 1987. Known for its compelling characters and deep combat mechanics, the series has evolved over multiple iterations while maintaining its core fanbase. The naming convention issue arises from the original Japanese version where characters were named differently to avoid potential legal issues, leading to the mixed nomenclature among international fans.