Street Fighter 6 is set to release on June 2, 2023, and all eyes are on the game’s new poster boy: Luke Sullivan. This character debuted in Street Fighter 5’s final season pass, though not much is known about Luke in the current game besides the fact that he once worked with one of the most popular characters in the franchise. However, Capcom is continuously revealing new details about Street Fighter 6 as its release date nears, including new information about Luke’s gameplay and lore.
The official Street Fighter 6 website features all the characters available at launch, each with short summaries about their personalities, fighting styles, height, and weight. The official description for Luke is that he’s a private military contractor who uses his military experience for mixed martial arts coaching. Now, fans may be interested in hearing more about Luke before Street Fighter 6 launches next month.
Luke Sullivan’s Story Leading Up to Street Fighter 6
Luke joined the army because he was inspired by his father, Robert Sullivan, who died protecting other people from an improvised explosive device. However, he grew tired of his line of work and decided to quit a few years later. Moments after his resignation, Luke met US Air Force Major Guile in the gym.
He soon learned that his commanding officer asked Guile to talk him out of his decision to leave. Luke didn’t budge and told Guile that he doesn’t like where his life in the military had led him. Guile understood and agreed with Luke’s explanation, and told him that he knows fighters like him who also chose a different path. After the two finished their sparring session, they went for a drink and made a toast to Robert, and Luke’s new lease on life.
In Street Fighter 6, which is the chronological sequel of Street Fighter 3, Luke has become a seasoned and accomplished competitive fighter. He’s also more level-headed compared to his younger self in the previous game, which is a vital trait since he is now an instructor at Buckler Security, a private military firm. Here, he coaches the player character as part of the campaign’s basic training course.
Luke’s Gameplay in Street Fighter 6
Luke is an all-rounder, making him a perfect fit for players who main similar characters like Street Fighter 6's Ryu, Guile, and Ken. He can play at mid- to close-range and can send out projectiles for long-range attacks. His standing punch lets him close a small distance toward an opponent, making it a useful tool in punishing whiffs. He also has a jumping uppercut called the Rising Rocket, which is a strong anti-air similar to the Shoryuken.
Luke’s signature special move is the Flash Knuckle, which can be executed by doing a quarter circle back and pressing punch. This is chargeable, so players can increase their damage by holding down the punch button. If the player uses the light punch version, Luke does an uppercut. The medium punch will have Luke do a lunging blow, while the heavy version makes the character do an overhead punch.
Luke’s projectile move is called the Sand Blaster, which players can execute by doing a quarter circle forward and pressing the punch button. The distance it travels depends on the strength of the punch. Luke’s super moves in Street Fighter 6 are Vulcan Blast, Pale Rider, and Eraser. The first two can be performed with a quarter circle forward (x2) and a punch or kick. All are great enders for close-range combos.
Luke could very well be the future of the Street Fighter franchise. This is apparent in his origin story, which is similar to Ryu’s. Luke's all-rounder gameplay also makes him familiar to Street Fighter veterans. Plus, Luke's special moves are sleeker versions of Ryu and Ken’s moveset, which signals that he is indeed the rightful successor to their throne.
Street Fighter 6 releases on June 2, 2023, for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.