Zenless Zone Zero's producer has spent an ungodly amount of time playing Street Fighter 6, which makes the whisperings of a collaboration even more understandable

GamesActionZenless Zone ZeroZenless Zone Zero’s producer has spent an ungodly amount of time playing Street Fighter 6, which makes the whisperings of a collaboration even more understandableWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: HoYoVerse)

Zenless Zone Zero — three of the game�s characters lounging in (and on) a car between missions.

Taking a peek at screenshots of New Eridu—Zenless Zone Zero’s main hub—I couldn’t help but get some mild Street Fighter 6 Metro City vibes. Turns out they aren’t totally misplaced, as producer Zhenyu Li is a huge fan of the fighting game and has put a lotta hours into playing it. Consideringthe two games seem set to collaboratewith each other, it makes even more sense that Street Fighter 6 has served as an inspiration for Li during Zenless Zone Zero’s development.

I was able to chat with Li during a roundtable interview recently, where he shared some insight into how Street Fighter’s combat helped shape miHoYo’s upcoming action RPG. Speaking through a translator, Li called himself a “loyal player” of Street Fighter 6, admitting he’d racked up thousands of hours across the series. Listen, as someone who also suffers from severe fighting game brain rot, I get it. Those things are time-suckers.

All those hours of quarter-circles and dragon punches are inevitably going to worm their way into your creative work, with Li saying he learned several lessons from his time playing Street Fighter 6. One of the biggest things that he carried over to Zenless Zone Zero, he says, is the weightiness and feedback of every hit, and “how every punch feels like it’s on your own flesh.” He also briefly touched on how each move feels different based on the frame data—like moves with more startup frames having longer windup animations compared to short, snappy jabs which have less frames. “[We] tried [our] best to make all the animations different [frames],” Li said.

(Image credit: HoYoverse)

Zenless Zone Zero -

That’s not the only takeaway he’s had from Street Fighter, either. Li also discussed how Street Fighter 6 specifically handles its approach to genre veterans compared to newcomers. Fighting games have traditionally been notoriously difficult to get into in a serious capacity, but newer iterations like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 have tried to bridge that gap with easier input options and more digestible tutorials. It’s another aspect that Li has paid attention to, trying to implement it into his own work.

“For some players who are not really familiar with action games, it’s not because they’re not into action, it’s more because they might need some time, maybe a slightly longer learning curve,” Li said. “So this is something [I] also learned from Street Fighter.”

While Li doesn’t specifically discuss whether the Street Fighter 6’s visuals lent a hand in shaping some of Zenless Zone Zero’s urban vibes, I’m certainly theorising some inspiration is there considering how much impact other aspects of the game has had. I’m hoping that will become even more apparent once the Zenless Zone Zero x Street Fighter 6 creators roundtable happens on June 29.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

More about actionAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’LatestWorld of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is strugglingSee more latest►

More about actionAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’

More about action

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’

Zenless Zone Zero codes - Miyabi and section four

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Image of Yasuke striking an enemy in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’

LatestWorld of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is strugglingSee more latest►

Latest

World of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is struggling

World of Warcraft Mythic Plus screenshot

World of Warcraft’s competitive dungeon mode is struggling

See more latest►

Most PopularFinal Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their altsTikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ itMSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to affordThermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectorsAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us RemakeTencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklistAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

Most Popular

Final Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their alts

TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

MSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to afford

Thermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectors

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Tencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklist

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals