Yoshinori Ono Says Support For Street Fighter V Planned Up To 2020, eSports is Priority

Famitsu recently sat down with Capcom's Yoshinori Ono and Tomoaki Ayano to talk Street Fighter V. In the interview, Ono reiterates Capcom plans to expand SFV well into the future, up until 2020 in fact. When asked about other Capcom titles besides SFV, Ono said he'd like to work on them but efforts are currently focused on solidifying their eSports presence with SFV. Thanks to MajinTenshinhan from Eventhubs for translating the interview (below).

Famitsu: So, moving back to the earlier subject, how far does your current road map for Street Fighter 5 development go?

Ono: It's not just a 1-2 year thing. We're looking pretty far ahead... We've planned out as far as 2020 or so.

Ayano: Street Fighter 5 is a title we're adding on to as it goes along, so we're working on it while planning ahead on the best way to develop it further.

Famitsu: Are we going to see other titles than Street Fighter during that time, as well... ?

Ayano: That's not something I'd know, at my level, haha. Please, Ono-san, take over.

Ono: I'd be happy if we could. But first, we'd have to solidify Street Fighter 5 as an eSports title. I said in the beginning that we've seen a higher number of entrants than we had in the Street Fighter 4 era, but we'd like to heighten that even further.

The more people participate, the bigger tournaments we can host, and the more people are going to watch them, which is directly connected with our sales, and that's going to decide the future.

In related news, Ono also stated that the recent Akuma teaser trailer "might not be what people expect". Below is Ono's statement to Famitsu on the topic:

Ono: We actually never said that a new character is coming at all. We just said that people would be able to experience what we showed in that video, that’s all, haha.

Famitsu: That’s what it meant?! Well then, at least we can confirm that there’s something to personally experience at the PSX?

Ono: Yes. That’s undeniable. But it’s going to be something that betrays everyone's expectations, in a good way, I think.

Famitsu: Betrays everyone’s expectations?!