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Just in time for the impending release of Street Fighter IV, owners of the standard MadCatz FightStick are reporting several problems with the peripheral. Reported on the Shoryuken.com forums (which seem to be overloaded as of press time), the various problems include the joystick itself sticking in certain positions and sticky buttons.

Other users are reporting that the controller may fail to register certain directions on the stick or certain button presses, with at least one user reporting that the stick stopped registering all inputs entirely. Certain users have attributed the stuck joystick inputs to a metal washer that actually grinds away at the inner workings of the stick while in use.

In a statement to Joystiq, Mad Catz Global PR & Communications Manager, Alex Verrey, said, "There are no major problems with the Street Fighter range of products. Customers can buy with complete confidence."

"As with all complex precision-engineered products, there is always a chance that a tiny percentage of product may exhibit a fault," said Verrey, adding, "This is TOTALLY normal and not at all unexpected. Usually this is due to circumstances beyond our control but this does NOT mean that there is any kind of inherent fault with the design or manufacture of the product." Verrey advises all customers who have encountered a problem to contact Mad Catz directly for a repair (visit this link for Mad Catz warranty information).

For those that already have a standard FightStick, have you experienced similar problems?

Those who are in the market for a new controller -- or are just feeling an overwhelming surge of Street Fighter IV excitement that only spending money can satisfy -- should hit up the Capcom Store. Why? Because everything is currently 10% off retail.

Admittedly, you'll have to do some work to get the 10% off, but the process is as easy as: 1) Add an item to your cart. 2) Exit the shopping cart screen by clicking towards the storefront. 3) A pop-up appears with a 10% off offer. Just make sure your pop-up blocker is turned off.

Once the coupon code is applied, you can grab any flavor of the new SFIV FightPads or even a too-cool T-Shirt. Sadly, the highly coveted FightSticks are sold out. Note too that you'll also have to account for shipping charges.

[Via Cheap Ass Gamer]

Okay, okay. We know that Street Fighter has always had a plot. We don't want any angry otaku in here. But seriously, for a game about efficiently beating the snot out of people, the plot of Street Fighter IV is heavy. The latest trailer for the game highlights the story and gives a little background as to why everyone keeps on fighting in the street. Whether or not you spend any time reflecting on it whilst pounding your opponent, well, that's up to you.

We've embedded the trailer after the break. Here's a fun exercise. Close your eyes, listen to the trailer and imagine a Street Fighter movie that's actually good. At the rate things are going, it's the closest you're going to get.

Capcom, we need to talk -- or rather, you need to talk less. You see, we were watching the new Street Fighter IV trailer and, beautiful though it may be, we had to mute it halfway through. The video, which highlights each of the game's characters, has some pretty cornball material -- we're talking laughing at, not laughing with.

... Then again, once we get our hands on the game, we'll probably be too enthralled to notice. SFIV is set to punch you in the face on February 17.

Mad Catz has announced a new line of controllers and accessories designed especially with Street Fighter fans in mind. First up, the company has the FightPad, which features an arcade style six button layout and (blessedly) a floating eight-way D-pad. For more serious fighting fanatics, there is the FightStick an arcade style joystick with an eight button layout. For really serious fighting fans, there's the FightStick Tournament, which features authentic Sanwa parts. In fact, it uses the same parts found in actual Street Fighter IV arcade cabinets. As if that weren't enough, the design of the FightStick Tournament is being overseen by SFIV producer Yoshinori Ono himself. Also on offer will be a Street Fighter IV faceplate, wall scroll, and (ahem) Console Skinz.

All the Street Fighter IV Mad Catz products are scheduled to ship alongside the release of the game in February. No prices have been announced yet, which means we can still dream that the FightStick Tournament will be offered for the low, low price of free. Find a gallery of the new controllers below.

While fighting game fans know they must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance, players in Japan will soon be able to try from the comfort of their couch. Dengeki Online reports that Capcom plans to release the console versions of Street Fighter IV in February 2009, with a feature-length SFIV anime directed by Akira animator Koji Morimoto given away as a preorder bonus.

Interestingly, while this announcement currently only pertains to Japan, it echoes an earlier report which indicated that the game and its console-specific roster would "definitely" hurricane kick its way to Western audiences sometime this winter, most likely alongside the upcoming Chun-Li-focused Street Fighter film. Could a global launch announcement be far behind?

[Via GameSpot]

These posters are such beauties, and we want them. Unfortunately, they are in Japan. A black one with an orange IV logo features Ryu with new characters Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte and Rufus. An orange one with a black IV logo features old favorites Guile, Ken and Chun-Li. Capcom-Unity blogger Kramez has two pictures of the Street Fighter IV posters held up by SFIV producer Yoshinori Ono. Another one after the jump. Check them out and drool.

[Via Capcom-Unity]

Gone are the days when arcades represented the superior video game experience. While a part of us may cry coin operated tears at this realization, Capcom is quick to remind us that there is even more fun to be had at home, or at least there will be when the recently announced domesticated flavor of Street Fighter IV is released for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. Speaking in an interview with Japan's Weekly Famitsu, producer Yoshinori Ono revealed that the home version of the upcoming fighter will include features not found in the arcade original, among them online play and exclusive characters.

As we've come to expect from our Street Fighter IV news, Ono offered few specifics, saying only that the team is "watching the overall balance" in designing additions to the home version's roster. He added that the devs "won't be adding unnecessary stuff" to the online experience, dashing our dreams of an internet thumb war between Blanka and Chun Li.

Since announcing Street Fighter IV, Capcom has given us a number of things to ponder about the upcoming sequel, from 3D graphics to giant thumbs, but one thing the company hasn't given us is a release date, not to mention where exactly we'll be able to play the game once it finally makes its way to retail. However this may be about to change, as according to French blog Jeuxvideo, Capcom recently made mention on a press site that the fighter is headed to the PS3, Xbox 360, and -- surprisingly -- the PC as well, with all three versions slated to hurricane kick retail shelves this winter.

Unfortunately, the site neglected to link to the press site in question, and Joystiq ninjas have since returned from Capcom's press tower with nothing to show for their trouble, leaving us to flag this particular morsel of information as a rumor, albeit one we'd very much like to come true.

[Via Big Download]

If you read our hands-on impressions of Street Fighter IV from GDC, you know the game bears more than a passing resemblance to Capcom's classic Street Fighter II (with admittedly updated graphics). Well, the folks at GamesRadar wanted to see just how far that similarity went, and found that many classic combos from the original game work exactly the same way in the new one.

The video evidence (also available below the jump) highlights the cosmetic differences in the two games while at the same time showing how seemingly identical the basic gameplay is. We can't say this is necessarily a bad thing -- Street Fighter II is a classic for a reason -- but that classic is already available as a Virtual Console download, an upcoming HD remix, and even a PS2 Anniversary collection. Why are we supposed to trudge out to the arcade for a dressed up version of a 15-year-old experience that we can get at home?

Employing an art style similar to that seen in the original trailer for the game, the newest bit of Street Fighter IV media to be released is another cinematic trailer, this time showing off Chun-Li and the new character C.Viper. The inky stylized quality to the video makes for a fun little teaser trailer, and sharp-eyed players will be able to spot a signature move or two hidden in all the fluff. Despite the fact that this video in no way represents the final gameplay, it does give a bit of a feel for the flavor that Capcom is shooting for with the series return. And for a game shrouded in mystery, Capcom's media release schedule seems to be rather consistent, possibly hinting that the game is farther long than anyone knows. If we find some more videos such as this one, it could be a sign that we could see that fighting game revival sooner than we thought.

In our continuing effort to bring you fresh and interesting content, X3F presents Would You Rather ... a weekly feature that asks you the hard questions. The point? If you had to choose one or the other, which would you go for?

It's undeniable. The Street Fighter flu has been swirling around Fanboy Towers since the first hi-res shots of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (seriously, long enough?) has been shown. Since then, Street Fighter 4 has been all the rage putting our original temptation in the shadows. For the sake of this week's installment of WUR let's pretend you could only have one of the two. Would you go new hotness (SF4) or retro remix (SSFIITHDR, sheesh)?

Can't decide, you say? Shoryuken! (Can't take credit for this lame joke)


Feel free to share the reasons for your vote in the comments. We'll share the results of the poll during the next edition of Would You Rather ... which hits X3F every Wednesday.

Last weeks WUR results can be find after the jump ... aaaand fight!