Streets of Rage 4 release date finally confirmed after 25 years of waiting

News
By published

It only took two decades and change

Sega finally confirmed the Streets of Rage 4 release date today. Nearly 26 years of waiting will come to an end this month on Thursday, April 30, when you'll be able to play Streets of Rage 4 on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch. 

The release date was revealed alongside a new trailer showcasing the game's Battle Mode, which is described as "a legacy experience returning from Streets of Rage 2 and 3." Battle Mode is basically a multi-stage gauntlet for versus or team mode punch-ups which turn Streets of Rage 4 into more of a competitive fighting game and less of a brawler. 

"Battle Mode lets you select your favorite characters and test your skills against one to three friends across several memorable levels," explained executive producer Cyrille Imbert in a new PlayStation Blog post. 

"While it’s true that Streets of Rage 4 is all about cooperation, we thought it would be fun to let you guys play around with the characters and discover which of them is the most powerful, and which ones best suit your playing style. Whether you want to train your combos and specials, or just have some fun, Battle Mode is the place to do it – and it will be available right from the start."

Battle Mode aside, the bulk of Streets of Rage 4 looks and sounds like a faithful modernization of the old-school beat-'em-up. Retro enthusiasts Lizardcube, Dotemu, and Guard Crush Games have done a wonderful job of animating returning characters and detailing stages, turning the long-awaited sequel into a serious head-turner without sacrificing its retro flare. Fans have certainly waited long enough, and Streets of Rage 4 looks like a real treat. 

For more old-school goodness, hit up the best retro consoles available today. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.