Haitani Joins Street Fighter 6's In-Game Commentary Roster

Street Fighter 6 has immortalised one of its own, Japanese legend and popular streamer Haitani has been added to the game's roster of in-game commentators.

Haitani's Legacy

In-game commentary was one of the standout innovations introduced with SF6, designed to give players the feeling of having their matches called just like a pro event. The feature launched with Jeremy "Vicious" Lopez and Tasty Steve for the English version, and Aru and Kosuke Hiraiwa for Japanese. Since then, the roster has grown with the additions of James Chen and H.E.Demon Kakka. Haitani is the latest, with Street Fighter dropping the trailer on their official X account.

Haitani was one of the famed 'Japanese fighting game gods', his reputation built above all on Street Fighter IV where he dominated opponents with his Makoto. Even into Street Fighter V, he remained a force, one of the very few high-profile players to commit to Necali, and to devastating effect, winning both Japan Cup and Ultimate Fighting Arena in 2017.

He stepped back from competing after making top 8 at Evo 2023, the first Evo held under Street Fighter 6, and has since embraced the role of streamer and mentor. Currently signed to REJECT, he has made fostering the next generation of fighting game players his mission. His youth player program, Haitani Toryumon, speaks for itself, it was responsible for sending current Capcom Cup winner Sahara and Street Fighter League's top debutant Adelie to their first overseas tournament, the Capcom Pro Tour Singapore event.

A legacy built across decades of competition, and now continued through the players he is shaping, it is hard to think of anyone more deserving of a place in the game itself.