‘Street Fighter V’ is kicking off its fifth anniversary celebrations with the release of Dan Hibiki as a playable character.
Dan Hibiki in Street Fighter V
The fighting game – which was developed by Capcom and Dimps – is celebrating five years since it first landed on the PlayStation 4 and PC systems back in 2016, and on Monday (22.02.21) the historic fifth and final season of the game officially began.
To mark the special anniversary, Dan Hibiki – a character who appeared in ‘Street Fighter IV’ and the ‘Street Fighter Alpha’ series – is being added to the game for all players.
Hibiki is the self-proclaimed “Master of Saikyo” and is a training partner of Ryu and Ken, who fights with trademark taunts.
The character can be added to players’ rosters now with the Season 5 Character Pass or the Season 5 Premium Pass, and can also be acquired separately.
Alongside the release of Hibiki as a playable character, players can also utilise the new powerful “V-Shift” battle mechanic, which provides players with all-new defensive options and strategies.
Costing just one bar of V-Gauge, when timed correctly, V-Shift allows players to execute a fully invincible backdash that slows down time for a short period, helping fighters better plan their counter attacks.
In addition, all players can now acquire a new training stage called “The Grid Alternative” for free, as well as an updated battle balance for all playable characters, adding even more gameplay depth and enhancements to the game’s combat system.
The new content marks the start of season five of the game, which will see new content released throughout the season’s duration.
Four more characters are set to join the game later this year, including Rose, who will be released in the spring, Oro and Akira, who will both be added over the summer, and a final character, who is yet to be announced but will be playable in the autumn.
In total, 26 new costumes and two new stages are also being planned for season five, including a Rose stage and Akira stage.