Numbers are supposed to be impressive, right? Well, it's been 10 years, two hardware generations, and about seventeen thousand rumors since the last pure number Street Fighter came around. And today we have the first ever official details on Street Fighter IV.

We don't blame you if your eyes have already skipped down to the screenshot lower on the page (yes, that's from the game engine). Take your time. But we've got some information as well, so the rest of this is probably worth reading when you get a chance.

Though the screenshot doesn't answer this question outright, we can confirm that the game's graphics are polygonal but the gameplay is strictly 2D. There will be new moves, locations, and gameplay features, while the standard six button control scheme remains. Ryu and Ken return along with Chun-Li and Dhalsim, but beyond that the character roster is a mystery. And then there's the issue of what platform(s) the game will end up on, which at this point Capcom is keeping close to its chest (if you search 1UP's database, you'll find listings for arcade, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, but those are just guesses based on the graphical quality).

For the full reveal of the game -- including hands-on impressions, a rundown of the new gameplay system, and loads of details on new features -- look for the January 2008 issue of EGM in stores soon and hitting subscribers any day now. And then after you check the issue out, keep your eye on 1UP's Street Fighter IV hub page for ongoing coverage continuing into January.

Anyway, are you still reading this? Didn't you see the screenshot above? Click it and look at the larger version! All your friends are doing it...