C. Viper Sparks the Street Fighter 6 Meta — But Still No Balance Patch

C. Viper is officially in Street Fighter 6. The electrifying agent from Street Fighter IV has made her long-awaited return, bringing her trademark mix of high execution and big payoff to Capcom’s latest fighter. Early footage shows she still has the flashy tools that made her a fan favorite, though now fine-tuned for the SF6 engine.

Viper’s release also comes with a few new extras. Players get Zangief’s fourth costume, new emotes, a new master in World Tour mode, and more small additions sprinkled throughout the update.

But one thing missing has players talking: there’s still no balance patch. Even though Season 3 has been mostly well-received, many fans were hoping for a few mid-season tweaks. JP and Luke are still giving players headaches, and characters like Mai remain untouched despite community calls for nerfs. It’s especially noticeable since Terry’s release last year came with a small balance update that gave Ryu, Marisa, and others some much-needed buffs.

As for Viper’s strength, it’s too early to tell where she’ll land in the meta. The first impressions are always shaky, remember how Mai was dismissed as weak at launch? Now she’s considered one of the strongest characters in the game, with several pros picking her up as either a main or a pocket. Viper could follow a similar path once players dig into her toolset and figure out her mix-ups.