Capcom launching Street Fighter esports league in Japan
Publishing ramps up competitive gaming efforts in home market with tournament kicking off next spring
Capcom has released the first details for the official Street Fighter League in Japan.
The competition will be one of Capcom's first major esports initiatives in the region, having previously announced plans to enter the esports market earlier this year.
The Street Fighter League will centre around Street Fighter V Arcade Edition, with its first matches due to be held in Japan in 2019. The format is currently planned to focus on three-on-three team battles.
Six teams will be formed from a mix of unlicensed competitors and those licensed by the Japanese eSports Union (JeSU), which was formed at the beginning of 2018.
The Street Fighter League will compliment activity the publisher has already run in North America working to establish Street Fighter V as a popular esport.
The game has sold 2.1 million units worldwide since launching in 2016. Capcom told GamesIndustry.biz shortly before its release that it had high hopes for the title's potential as an esport.
The series' total sales now stands at more than 41 million units - including 6.3 million units for Street Fighter II, which is also used in esports tournaments.