The collab between Street Fighter 6 sees Akuma added to the game as a unique full set of armor players can equip. Similar to previous Monster Hunter games, this gives hunters unique actions signature to the world warrior to damage monsters through new skills. While Akuma's iconic fighting style fits well into Wilds, another Street Fighter 6 character may have made more sense.

Street Fighter collaborations have been present in the last two Monster Hunter titles, so another for Monster Hunter Wilds was inevitable. This Street Fighter 6 collab marks the first Capcom collab in Wilds, with more likely to come as the game gets updates in the future. This collab marks the halfway point between the content of Title Update 1 and the incoming Title Update 2 for Summer 2025.

Monster Hunter Wilds' First Collaboration Features Akuma Once Again

Same Character For Two Games In A Row

The Street Fighter 6 collab that takes place on May 28, 2025, includes the Street Fighter 6 character Akuma as the centerpiece of its content. For an unlimited amount of time following the collab update, players can collect a full armor set for Akuma with unique skills, including the ability to emulate some of the fighter's signature moves.

The Akuma armor set, when fully worn, gives players Assisted Combos and special moves from Street Fighter 6, such as the Drive Impact. When wearing the full set, these moves cause stun as well as damage against monsters, with Drive Impact even causing an Offset with its attack.

Wearing the Akuma armor set makes a hunter look like the master of the Satsui No Hado, who even appears in a special side quest within the collab. The armor for Akuma is a complete layered set as well, meaning that players can wear its look while wielding gear from other builds. Players must be at least Hunter Rank 21 to get the Akuma armor, but this is a low HR compared to other content.

This marks the second time Akuma has appeared as a free armor set, as there was also a free Akuma outfit in Monster Hunter Rise. That appearance from the Raging Demon emulated his look from Street Fighter 5, with similar attacks and animations players could use against monsters. While there is much more you can do with the Akuma armor set in Wilds, this is not the first time the character has shown up.

Other Street Fighter 6 Characters May Have Been A Better Fit

The Latest Capcom Fighting Game Has Interesting Newcomers

While Akuma is undoubtedely one of the coolest Street Fighter characters ever, having him included again feels very safe. While not a bad pick, Street Fighter 6 has a wide variety of never-before-seen fighters that represent Capcom's evolution of the storied franchise more than a returning face. Some other picks Capcom could have used for this collab include:

• Marisa
• Manon
• Luke
• Lily
• Elena

One of the most obvious choices for another character from Street Fighter 6 is Marisa, the brawling Italian powerhouse who is known to wrestle lions for fun. Marisa's personality would fit the world of Monster Hunter perfectly as someone who enjoys battling on a grandiose scale. Her special moves already look like they could knock out an elephant, so why not a Rathalos?

Lily is another great fit for Monster Hunter Wilds, mainly because of the emphasis on indigenous tribes in the game's story. The narrative of Wilds revolves around taking the young man Nata back to his people while meeting and learning about several other group cultures along the way. With Lily being a member of the Thunderfoot Tribe and a speaker for nature similar to Nata's people, she would have a natural place in Wilds's new story approach.

The newest DLC for Street Fighter 6 includes Elena, a character from Kenya who fights using Capoeira techniques. Similar to Lily, Elena has a story strongly tied to her culture, so including her may have also been a good fit and promotion for Capcom's latest fighting game update.

Other characters like Luke and Manon are more obtuse picks, but they could each have their place to represent Street Fighter 6 with more authenticity. Luke is known from the World Tour story mode to have a love for video games, so seeing him react to Monster Hunter could be hilarious. Similar to Marisa, Manon is a physical fighter with a unique grace that could have her in a similar role to the Wyverians who live within the world.

Using Akuma Again Makes Me Worried For Future Collaborations

Picking The Same Character Might Mean More Past Collabs Return

Despite the enthusiasm I have for a character like Akuma to be included in Monster Hunter Wilds, his appearance does spark concerns. Capcom re-using an old collab idea may repeat itself in the future, with former crossovers returning from past games. While some of these, like the inclusion of gear inspired by Dante from Devil May Cry 5 from Monster Hunter World, wouldn't be harmful, it could lead in a worrisome direction.

Most of the Monster Hunter collabs in the past were interesting and unique, but repeating them marks Wilds as something without anything new. It would be a different story if Capcom hadn't had many popular releases in recent years, but since the launch of Monster Hunter Rise, the company has made:

• Resident Evil Village
• Resident Evil 4 Remake
• Exoprimal
• Dragon's Dogma 2
• Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
• Apollo Justice: Ace Attory Trilogy

This doesn't even scratch the surface of other titles or IPs Capcom could collaborate with. For instance, any sort of Dino Crisis, Mega Man, or Devil May Cry collab could work well if expanded upon, even if it has been a collab topic before. Some collabs don't even have to be within teams present in the company, as Capcom could work with other series from other development groups.

The biggest concern I have with the inclusion of Akuma again is that Capcom will simply rehash and refine previous collabs seen in the last two Monster Hunter titles. While there were many interesting collabs within World and Rise, I feel that Monster Hunter Wilds has a chance to create some spectacular content if Capcom takes the chance to be inventive with what they add into the game.