An interesting video clip has surfaced on Twitter, featuring a conversation between BST|Daigo Umehara and 00|Phenom regarding their top character choices in Street Fighter 6. The discussion has sparked debate within the community, as Daigo, a renowned player himself, listed Ken as the sixth or seventh strongest character in the game.

During the 34-second video, Phenom asked Daigo about his top five characters in Street Fighter 6. After a moment of contemplation, Daigo responded with JP, Luke, Chun-Li, Cammy, and either Guile or Dee Jay. Notably, Ken was absent from his top choices, leading Phenom to question his ranking.

In recent discussions, top Ken users including Phenom, NASR|AngryBird, and Chris Tatarian have argued that the community's perception of Ken's strength in Street Fighter 6 may be inflated. They have suggested that Ken should be placed around the seventh position out of the 20 characters on the tier list.

It should be highlighted that both AngryBird and Phenom have secured qualifying spots for Capcom Cup X, with AngryBird being widely regarded as one of the best Street Fighter 6 players, especially after winning Evo 2023. However, there is contrasting opinion within the Street Fighter 6 community, with many dismissing the notion of Ken being outside of the top three positions.

Critics claim that these top Ken players are intentionally downplaying the character's strengths in order to avoid potential nerfs in Street Fighter 6's first major balance patch in Season 2. Nonetheless, Daigo Umehara, who himself is a skilled Ken player, appears to share the view that Ken ranks lower, aligning with the opinions of Phenom and AngryBird.

The release of this video clip by Phenom indicates a specific motive behind the post. However, it's worth mentioning that the conversation between Daigo and Phenom seemed impromptu, as Daigo needed time to assess the current meta before responding. This suggests that the discussion was not rehearsed beforehand.

Examining the character usage stats for participants qualified for Capcom Cup X, it is noteworthy that eight players have secured their spots using Ken, making him the second most represented character after Luke, who boasts 10 players qualified.

Accepting the perception that Ken is only the sixth or seventh best fighter in Street Fighter 6 may potentially complicate the desired changes that many players hope to see in Season 2. Currently, the community anticipates adjustments, possibly nerfs, to characters like JP, Luke, and Ken, in order to achieve a more balanced roster.

The community awaits updates from Capcom, taking into consideration the opinions of both top players and the overall player base as the game progresses.