Street Fighter 6 Patch Notes: Mai Shiranui Dominance Targeted in December Update
Street Fighter 6 patch notes have officially dropped ahead of the December 16 update, confirming significant balance adjustments designed to curb the oppressive strength of Mai Shiranui. While the current data shows other characters performing well, Capcom's balance team has laser-focused on Mai's interaction loops and corner pressure as the primary issues to solve in this cycle.
Key Takeaways:
- Mai Shiranui Nerfed: Restrictions on her "Kachousen" loops and throw situations aim to reduce her ability to lock down opponents.
- New Challenger Buffs: Elena and Sagat receive usability improvements to help them compete with the established high tiers.
- Top Tier Status: While Mai takes the hit, current statistical leaders like Ed and Ryu remain largely untouched in this adjustment.
Curbing the Kunoichi
The latest "Battle Change List" specifically targets the frustration factor of fighting against Mai Shiranui (CPV: 64.61). Despite statistically ranking third behind Ed and Ryu in our tier list, her ability to force checkmate situations in the corner has been a defining feature of the competitive season. The developers noted that her offense created a "barrier of difficulty" that was too high for defenders to manage consistently.
Conversely, the patch offers a lifeline to the struggles of Sagat and Elena. Sagat, currently sitting in D-Tier with a CPV of just 5.13, receives critical updates to his combo routes. Elena (B-Tier) also gets usability buffs intended to stabilize her gameplan and help her climb the ranks.
"The adjustments we've made are aimed at reducing the barrier of difficulty with countering Mai's offense, and its tendency to loop, so we've made it more difficult for Mai to induce Burnout." — Capcom Battle Design Team
Universal Changes & System Updates
Beyond individual character adjustments, the patch introduces universal system changes. The most impactful is the adjustment to Crouching Light Kick (2LK). The hurtbox around the feet is now invincible to cross-up attacks just before the hitbox activates, giving players a consistent answer to ambiguous jump-ins.
Additionally, a visual update to the Drive Gauge will now change the block's color if even a small amount of Drive remains, improving clarity in burnout situations.
Current Character Tiers
The following table highlights the current meta leading up to this patch. While Ed currently holds the top spot statistically, the patch's focus on Mai addresses a compounding issue: saturation. Not only is she a strong character, but her extreme popularity meant players were forced to face her oppressive loops constantly in both tournament brackets and online ranked matches, making her adjustments a priority for the health of the game.
| Tier | Character | CPV | Top Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Ed | 99.99 | Asia |
| S | Ryu | 72.05 | South America |
| S | Mai | 64.61 | Asia |
| S | Blanka | 58.10 | North America |
| S | Akuma | 55.21 | Asia |
| A | JP | 46.68 | South America |
| A | Ken | 45.47 | South America |
| A | Cammy | 43.84 | Europe |
| A | Chun-Li | 43.78 | Asia |
| B | Elena | 31.09 | Asia |
| D | Sagat | 5.13 | North America |
What’s Next
With these changes set to go live on December 16, the immediate question is how Mai specialists will adapt their routing and pressure strings. While she remains a potent character, the removal of her "autopilot" corner loops may force players to take more risks.
Competitors will be watching closely to see if Ed's avoidance of the nerf hammer solidifies his position at rank #1, or if the buffed Sagat can finally rise from D-Tier. Be sure to check back on our Character Stats page as we track how these changes impact the CPV ratings in real-time.