Capcom has pulled Street Fighter 5 from sale and shut down its online play while it deals with a security problem in the game's infrastructure. The PlayStation 4 and Steam versions are both affected, and there is no word yet on when either the servers or the store listings will return.
In its latest notice, Capcom said work is underway to strengthen security around the PHP programming language used in both versions of the game. Until the fix is complete, all content that needs an online connection is unavailable, and sales on the PlayStation Store and Steam are being suspended in stages.
Owners are not locked out entirely. Capcom stressed that offline content remains playable, so the game's single-player modes can still be enjoyed while the emergency maintenance continues.
Capcom closed the notice with an apology to players for the inconvenience. The company thanked the community for its patience while the work is carried out.
Here is the full message:
To further strengthen security related to the PHP programming language used in the PlayStation 4 and Steam versions of Street Fighter V, content requiring online functionality is currently unavailable. Offline content remains available and can still be enjoyed. Emergency maintenance is currently underway to address this issue. Until the fix has been completed, sales on the PlayStation Store and Steam will be suspended in stages.
How Street Fighter 5 Got Here
The shutdown is the end of a week-long escalation. Capcom first flagged emergency maintenance for the game last week, then posted a further notice on the game's Steam page, before confirming on October 27 that the game would also be delisted while the problem is fixed.
The underlying issue reaches well beyond one fighting game. Security researchers recently uncovered two major vulnerabilities in PHP, the long-standing programming language behind a huge share of the web, and a range of sites and services temporarily went offline while patches were applied.
Older software sits at the sharp end of that problem. Street Fighter 5 launched in 2016, and systems built in that era are among those most exposed when a foundational flaw like this surfaces.
What Street Fighter 5 Players Can Do Now
Ranked matches, casual lobbies and every other online feature stay dark until Capcom finishes the fix. Anyone who owns the game can keep playing offline, but no new copies can be bought on either platform in the meantime.
Capcom has given no timeline for a return. The delisting is described as lasting until the fix is completed, which leaves the game's community waiting on a security patch rather than a content update.
For players who only dabble offline, little changes day to day. For everyone else, the game is effectively frozen in place until Capcom says otherwise.
The situation is an unusual one for a major fighting game a decade into its life. Street Fighter 5 has been kept alive by its competitive scene long after Street Fighter 6 took over as the series' flagship, and a full online shutdown cuts directly into that community's routine.
Source: Capcom
