SCARZ Bets Big on Street Fighter 6 as It Opens Fighting Game Division

Japanese esports organization SCARZ, founded in 2012, is branching out from its strong roots in battle-royale and FPS titles into the fighting game space. The team historically gained traction with games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Rainbow Six Siege, but now it has confirmed a dedicated fighting game division that will feature titles such as Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. 

SCARZ has already signed Ryusei (formerly of FAV Gaming and a 2017 EVO champion in BlazBlue: Central Fiction) as a content creator for its SF6 division. They’ve also added Kincho, a highly rated Terry player in SF6, and Storm Kubo, a former pro player turned content creator and commentator, before even making their foray into SF6. 

SCARZ’s readiness to enter the FGC is timely. The Street Fighter 6 scene in Japan has been booming, helped along by mainstream collaborations such as the partnership between Capcom and McDonald’s Japan. Capcom The game also earned “Esports Game of the Year 2024” at the Japan Esports Awards, further underscoring its growth.

It’s worth noting that for an organization like SCARZ, historically dominant in FPS and battle-royale, moving into fighting games signals the increasing commercial viability of the FGC. From a growing base of players to global streamer interest and strong event viewership, the landscape is changing fast. With their new fighting game division, SCARZ joins a wave of Japanese orgs investing in fighters, and the move could pay off heavily as SF6 and Tekken 8 continue to grow in competitive prominence.