Arika co-developed Street Fighter EX with Capcom. The 1996 spin-off combined Capcom’s established Street Fighter characters with new fighters created by Arika.
Street Fighter EX was a major change for the series because it used 3D polygonal graphics while retaining the traditional two-dimensional fighting plane. Arika handled development, while Capcom published the game and supplied the Street Fighter brand and characters such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Guile, and Zangief.
The collaboration also introduced Arika-owned characters including Skullomania, Doctrine Dark, Hokuto, Pullum Purna, and Cracker Jack. Several of those fighters later appeared in Arika’s related projects, including Fighting EX Layer, which acts as a spiritual successor to the EX games.
The partnership continued through Street Fighter EX2 and Street Fighter EX3. The series is therefore distinct from Capcom’s internally developed mainline Street Fighter titles, even though it remains an official Street Fighter spin-off.