Recently, we published the new Street Fighter V Community License Agreement for both The Americas and EMEA. We acknowledge that we could have handled the situation better.

Our aim was to make the requirements clear and to make approvals for a no-cost license much more expedient. When TOs have contacted the Capcom USA and Capcom Europe teams about running community events with Street Fighter V: Champion Edition in the past, the approval process has been prohibitively longwinded. This is something we are keen to change so TOs have more time to focus on putting on a great event and less time spent on seeking approvals.

We want to thank our passionate fans for the feedback we received after the first version went live. We hear you. Honouring the grassroots tradition of the Street Fighter community is incredibly important to us. To this end, we have updated the Street Fighter V Community License Agreement, taking into account the feedback we received from the community while maintaining our original goal to provide a no-cost license. A summary of the changes is listed below. We have also included a Q&A that we hope makes the rules easier to navigate with further context and insight.

• Increased prize pool limit from $2,000 to $10,000 per event
• Removed the yearly $10,000 prize pool limit
• Increased sponsorship limit from $5,000 to $6,000 per event
• Increased sponsorship limit from $20,000 to $30,000 per year
• Changed spectator fee restrictions
• Changed venue restrictions for bars
• Removed License Grant-back for video/photo content captured at events

If you plan to host an event which may exceed the scope of the community license (or if you have any questions!), we ask that you please contact esports@capcom.com and we will review your event and license requirements on a one-to-one basis.

To the amazing community of FGC TOs – you are a highly valued part of the Street Fighter ecosystem. You allow less experienced players to both hone their craft and to enjoy fighting games on a multitude of levels. Thank you for being patient with us.

Q: Is Matcherino part of the prize pool or sponsorships?

A: If Matcherino (or another crowd funding platform) is used to fund the prize pool, the funding will be counted toward the prize pool limitations. If you’re unable to cap the prize pool funding and expect to exceed the community license thresholds, contact esports@capcom.com and we will review your event and license requirements on a one-to-one basis.

Q: If I hire a photographer/videographer to capture content for an event, do I need to hand that content over to Capcom?

A: No. That content will be bound by the agreement between you and the talent you hire. There may be times that we see footage from an event that we think would look great on official promotional materials. If that happens, we’ll reach out to you to secure usage permission.

Q: How do I calculate the prizing and sponsorship contributions if my Street Fighter V: Champion Edition tournament is part of a multi-game event?

A: Only the portion of the prize pool that is specifically awarded to participants of the Street Fighter V: Champion Edition portion of your event will count toward the prizing limit.

If the total sponsorship contributions for the whole multi-game event is below $6,000, you can apply for a community license as normal. If it exceeds this limit, contact esports@capcom.com and we will review your event and license requirements on a one-to-one basis.

Q: How much does a commercial esports license cost?

A: If you wish to host esports events which may exceed the scope of the no-cost community license, Capcom will take various factors into consideration in deciding whether to grant a commercial esports license. This includes (but is not limited to) the total prize pool, total sponsorships, brand partnerships, spectator fees and broadcasting platforms. Depending on the scale of the event, the license may require a fee, revenue share, ad space or a combination. Contact esports@capcom.com and we will review your event and license requirements on a one-to-one basis.

Q: So, I can charge spectator fees for my event?

A: Yes, as long as those fees are used to offset event costs.

Q: Why are there sponsorship limits?

A: Capcom understands that TOs need time and resources to run successful community events, and that sponsorship is an effective means to offset event costs. We are happy for events to do this under the community license, and the limits are there to make clear where a smaller-scale community license event ends and a larger-scale esports event requiring a commercial license begins. If your sponsorship exceeds the limit of the community license, please contact esports@capcom.com and we will review your event and license requirements on a one-to-one basis.

Q: Can I stream my event on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Gaming or other streaming platforms?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I run my event at a bar?

A: For the most part, yes, as long as you do not own the bar/establishment and the event is not sponsored by any prohibited brands – including alcohol brands – outlined in Section IV (d).

Q: I run a weekly event with Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. Does this mean I have to submit my event details and accept the Street Fighter V Community License Agreement every week?

A: For weekly events like this, accepting the community license once per 12-month period is okay. In the “Additional Notes” part of the submission form, let us know the frequency of your event along with “Prize Pool” and “Sponsorship Contributions” estimates for that 12-month period. And if you ever exceed the community license limits, contact esports@capcom.com and we will review your event and license requirements on a one-to-one basis.

Q: Does the Street Fighter V Community License Agreement apply to other games within the Street Fighter series?

A: At this time, the community license agreement only covers the Street Fighter V series, including Street Fighter V (2016), Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition (2018) and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (2020).

Q: Is the Street Fighter V Community License Agreement now set in stone or will it change?

A: Capcom will continue to monitor community feedback to make sure the license agreement is functioning as intended and not hindering TOs from running community events.

Click here for the Community License