Street Fighter 6: What’s the throw escape bug Capcom is rushing to fix? 

Capcom announced on June 28 that they are currently investigating a bug related to throw escapes in fighting game Street Fighter 6. It is believed that the issue in question is the “auto throw escape” that had become a hot topic on social media earlier that day. The bug has been referred to by various names, including “assist throw escape” and “auto grap” (auto throw tech), but this article will use the term “auto throw escape.” 

The fundamental actions in Street Fighter 6 are strikes (like punches and kicks), blocking (to defend against strikes), and throws (effective against blocking opponents). You can also use a quick strike as a counter attack against an opponent who is attempting to throw you. Additionally, throws can be avoided by performing a throw escape, where you input the throw command at the right moment just as you are about to be thrown. 

The bug known as auto throw escape, which Capcom is planning to fix, is an option select that allows a player to escape from an opponent’s throw while simultaneously blocking. The fact that Capcom has acknowledged it as a bug and is addressing it tells us that the developers did not intend for the auto throw escape to be possible, and as such, it is best to avoid using it during matches against other players.  

One of the most powerful characteristics of the auto throw escape is that there is no throw whiff animation associated with it. In other words, if you mistakenly attempt to tech a throw that isn’t there, your character will not go into the throw whiff animation. A throw whiff creates a big opening that puts you at risk of taking huge damage if your opponent properly capitalizes on it. Although the mechanics in Street Fighter 6 allow you to use a technique known as the delayed throw tech, which lets you block while also protecting you against throws, a failed throw escape will result in a throw whiff. In contrast, the auto throw escape makes it possible to defend against strikes and throws with no risk of a throw whiff, which is what makes it so overpowered. 

The auto throw escape quickly became a major talking point among Street Fighter 6 players from all over the world. Possibly in response to this uproar, Capcom released a notice regarding the issue via the official Street Fighter Twitter account. The notice informs players that they are currently investigating the issue and will fix it once they have identified the cause. The “bug related to throw escapes” mentioned in the tweet is believed to refer to the auto throw escape, meaning that it will no longer be possible to perform it once they fix it. 

Users across social media have expressed gratitude to Capcom for their announcement. Even professional Street Fighter 6 players and others from pro gaming teams voiced their satisfaction. Many felt very reassured to see such a quick response to a potentially game breaking exploit.  

As an aside, to perform the auto throw escape, you need to map a certain control input option to a button on your controller—one that is not assigned to any button under the default settings. However, this input is not permitted under the Controller Usage Regulations of CAPCOM Pro Tour 2023, the official tournament series for Street Fighter 6. That is to say, the auto throw escape can’t be performed in tournaments that operate under the CAPCOM Pro Tour rules. 

Written by. Marco Farinaccia based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-06-28 19:58 JST)