'Street Fighter V' news: Sagat not expected to be in the game

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"Street Fighter V" is garnering a lot of buzz for what fans believe to be a return to glory for the franchise, but if it is to succeed, then it will likely have to do so with one of its most iconic characters.

As the game's executive producer Yoshinori Ono revealed to the Japanese gaming blog Hachima and as reported on by NDTV, Sagat not being in the game can simply be chalked up to him working way too similarly as other characters already in "Street Fighter V."

Ono indicated that the team behind the game had a desire to create a more balanced roster, and that presumably meant not having too many characters with skills that overlapped. Ono added that it was a "bitter decision" to exclude Sagat from the "Street Fighter V" roster.

Sagat not being in "Street Fighter V" can seem strange, considering that he is among the most recognizable characters in the series.

His familiar stance and even more recognizable move set are well known to "Street Fighter" fans all over the world, so the decision to exclude him may not go over so well.

The good news for fans is that Sagat may not be held out of "Street Fighter V" for good.

Ono has confirmed that there will be more characters added to the "Street Fighter V" roster in 2016 beyond those who have already been officially announced, The Escapist reported.

Sagat could very well be one of those additions and Ono even added that other popular characters such as Blanka may be introduced to the roster as well.

Sagat's fate appears far from being sealed at this point, and if fans want him to be in "Street Fighter V," then he might be added soon enough.

"Street Fighter V" will be officially released on Feb. 16, 2016.