The Street Fighter 6 roster is expanding on 27 September 2023, with the arrival of the ‘Mistress of Poison’ A.K.I. – a brand new, original downloadable fighter for the game. When the latest update launches, A.K.I. will join the Fighting Ground and Battle Hub game modes, and she’ll appear in World Tour in the new Tian Hong Yuan region, where she’ll task players with gathering herbal medicine and learning an array of snake-inspired moves.
A.K.I.’s fighting style is inspired by the Poison Hand and Fanged Snake Style martial arts, according to game director Takayuki Nakayama. She’s a specialist in long-range attacks, and can poison enemies with laced weaponry – much like her teacher F.A.N.G., who appeared in Street Fighter 5. She has access to a special Serpent Lash which hooks enemies from a distance, and she can trigger a unique Toxic Blossom explosion that weakens opponents.
Her ‘Nightshade Pulse’ attack sends a blast of poison across the battlefield, with a Chaser move allowing her to pop the bubble for instant poisoning. You can see these moves in action in the newly-released A.K.I. gameplay trailer.
Read: Street Fighter 6 Review – The King of Fighters
Speaking to the PlayStation Blog, game director Nakayama said the Capcom team aimed to make A.K.I. visually striking, with a unique and lithe appearance that mirrored a “white snake that carries poison”.
“The character design we landed on was a pale-skinned disciple with her fighting style being a combination of the Poison Hand and the Fanged Snake Style martial arts,” Nakayama said. “Her snakeskin Chinese dress has a beautiful sheen like a black mamba with material that looks ominous when it shines and animates. The serpentine pattern you see from her chest to her stomach was meant to resemble the belly of a snake.”
“Her distinctive hairstyle was an idea that came from outside of the design team, which incorporates the symbol of an assassin: “kasa” (umbrella in Japanese) through her hair.”
How to unlock A.K.I. in Street Fighter 6
Players keen to nab A.K.I. can purchase the Street Fighter 6 Year 1 Character Pass DLC, or purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition of the full game, with each providing access to a range of new fighters. A.K.I. can also be purchased with Fighter Coins, the game’s digital currency which is purchased using real-world money.
A.K.I. will arrive on 27 September 2023 and will be discoverable in Fighting Ground, Battle Hub, and World Tour Mode, where players can learn her moveset and befriend her.
Anyone keen to trial A.K.I. can also spend an unlockable Rental Fighter Ticket (obtained via the game’s Fighting Pass) to “get a taste of her poison” for an hour of gameplay.
On 1 September 2023, a new Street Fighter 6 Fighting Pass will launch (Free and Premium tiers), and this includes new A.K.I. inspired accessories, as well as fresh emotes, classic games, music, wallpapers, photo frames, and other avatar gear.
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