A lot of gamers weren't thrilled when Capcom announced that it was going to add in-game advertisements to Street Fighter V. Surprisingly, however, the studio has now decided to pull them, at least for now.
It's not clear why Capcom reversed its decision. Similarly unclear is whether this is a permanent or merely a temporary change. In any case, the overwhelming backlash might have swayed Capcom's attitude.
Polygon was the first to notice that Sponsored Content ads have disappeared, both from the "ad-style" costumes and the stages in the game. Capcom has yet to explain why they're gone, but series producer Yoshinori Ono said in mid-December that Capcom was "collecting everyone's feedback" on Sponsored Content. Per Polygon, Ono stated that the company is looking for ways to improve them.
Sponsored Content On 'Street Fighter V'
Sponsored Content arrived on Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition in early December. At the time of announcement, gamers fumed at Capcom for what was deemed a shady and sketchy decision, especially for a full-price game. Such complaints likely didn't calm down, which could explain why the ads are now gone.
To be fair to Capcom, the company never said Sponsored Content would become a permanent aspect of the game. Much of the ads centered around the Capcom Pro Tour 2018 seasons, which ended on Dec. 16. Shortly after, Ono said the company was evaluating how Sponsored Content appeared in the game.
"We will continue collecting everyone's feedback to consider how we can improve this new feature for players in the future," Ono announced at the time.
Will Sponsored Content Return?
It's highly likely that Sponsored Content will return at some point, but perhaps in a much less intrusive fashion. Also, Capcom is likely trying to get a new sponsor now that Capcom Pro Tour is over. That means Sponsored Content will likely be a mainstay of the title, whether players like it or not. Hopefully, Capcom improves the implementation, at least.
Street Fighter V
Street Fighter V was released in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, PC, Linux, and arcade. It received The Game Award for Best Fighting Game and currently has a 77 percent approval rating on Metacritic. Arcade Edition was an update released earlier this year and received positive reviews for its improvements on the game's interface and overall content.
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