ShareThis
Here’s an odd one. Rumors are circulating that Capcom doesn’t actually own the naming rights for its hit video game series, Street Fighter. Allegedly, that honor goes to a rival—Namco. This bit of information started doing the rounds following the publication of a YouTube video by Yoshiki Okamoto, the producer of Street Fighter II.
In the video, Okamoto states that Namco holds the rights to “Street Fight,” and with Street Fighter being so close, Capcom had no choice but to pay up. If this sounds familiar, the tale has some roots. For many years, fans have wondered why the PC Engine port of the original Street Fighter went by the name Fighting Street. A longstanding rumor/explanation for this involved a trademark for a pair of shoes, but this revelation from Okamoto would replace Namco as the true second party involved.
1/2
Remember Fighting Street, the PCE version of Street Fighter? Well, the long rumored reason for the name change (pre-existing tm, shoes etc) is apparently just that: a rumour!?#StreetFighter pic.twitter.com/bVFbwCGRVS— James Wragg (@Captain_Pixel) May 4, 2021
Interestingly, Okamoto goes on to state that Capcom eventually agreed to the licensing fees for Street Fighter II and III, but the question now remains as to whether or not Capcom pays Namco every single time it invokes the Street Fighter name. There have been similarly convoluted naming/IP rights issues over the years—Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons springs to mind—but this would be an especially strange thing to know is true given how prolific Street Fighter is, not to mention synonymous with Capcom as a company.
Capcom hasn’t offered any insight into the validity of these claims, but if that changes we’ll be sure to let all of you know.
Soure: James Wragg Twitter Page
