I don't know if you've heard, but Capcom's Street Fighter IV -- the first new Street Fighter game in some eight years -- is kind of a big deal. The game (along with the film, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) will be unleashed on the public this week, and to celebrate, Capcom threw a major launch party at the Geffen Contemporary at Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles this past Thursday.

Open to the public, the museum was converted into a huge Street Fighter shrine, a love letter to the series and a paradise for fans. Dozens of customized arcade cabinets, props from the movie, anime screenings, playable Street Fighter IV, series artwork and knick-knacks, action figures ... the list goes on. Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono was also milling around the party, signing autographs and talking to fans. And if you wanted to wait in a long line, you could have Street Fighter UDON artwork etched onto your phone. 

DJ Qbert, among others, provided the musical entertainment for the masses, and the V.I.P. lounge was so crowded with very important people that at one point they had to shut it down. I watched Black Eyed Peas' Taboo, the man behind the mask of Vega in the upcoming film, shuffle past less important folks as he made his way up to the balcony area. Also seen: Chuck cast members (Zach Levi, Josh Gomez, Julia Ling, C.S. Lee); Chris Klein; Faith Evans along with her son, a budding Street Fighter fan; Gears of War voice actors Carlos Ferro and Terry Tate; Willa Ford; Samantha Mumba; Steven Spielberg; LeVar Burton; Michael Clarke Duncan; and more. 

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the serious Street Fighter IV beatdown I had to drop on PlayStation.Blog's Jeff Rubenstein. Sorry, Jeff -- had to call it out! Always up for a rematch. 

The party was, as I believe the kids are calling it, "off the chain." And Street Fighter IV? That's looking pretty damned good, too. Check back on Tuesday -- the day the game hits shelves -- for our full review. 

[Thanks to the gorgeous Charlie Suh for some of these beautiful photos.]