Arc System Works celebrates 30th anniversary, festival in May 2019

Storied fighting game maker Arc System Works is celebrating three anniversaries in 2018 with plans to do more for its fanbase.

In a video from ASW, the company outlined its best wishes for the new year and marked three celebrations. First, the company itself will be celebrating its 30th year, and both the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue franchises will also be celebrating anniversaries, at 20 and 10 years, respectively.

During the joined statement from CEO Minoru Kidooka, COO Daisuke Ishiwatari and Director of Development Toshimichi Mori, the company also promised more games, streams, events and content in general from the company including a 30th anniversary festival happening during May 2019. 

For the complete message from Arc System Works to its fans, readers can check out the short video with optional English subtitles after the jump.

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Tournament of Legends III announced for Canada Cup 2018

Super Turbo Revival has announced its third event aiming to bring the greatest Super Street Fighter II Turbo players from across the world together to see who is the best.

Tournament of Legends III will be held on Oct. 26-28, 2018, during Canada Cup 2018. While the previous TOLs were held during Evolution in 2012 and 2014, respectively, Super Turbo Revival chose Canada Cup because of the event's recent dedication to the game. 

Much like its predecessors, TOL III will see 32 qualified competitors fight it out in a double elimination tournament. Qualification will happen either through direct invite from the STR committee or by winning one of the many qualifying events throughout 2018.

For more information on Tournament of Legends III, its rules and qualifying events, head over to Super Turbo Revival.

Final brackets, player introductions released for Arc System awards

Arc System Works has released two new competitor trailers and the final brackets for the tournaments at its upcoming Fighting Game Awards 2017 broadcast on Jan. 13, 2018.

The ASW Fighting Game Awards will feature two double elimination events—Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 and BlazBlue Central Fiction—featuring some of the strongest players of their respective characters. For Xrd, Nage (Faust), Ruki (Dizzy), Ogawa (Zato-1), Daru (I-No), Takehara (Ramlethal), Rion (Ky), Samitto (Chipp) and Omito (Johnny) will square off, while Monster (Izanami), Dora (Bang), Matoi (Kokonoe), Meister (Lamda-11), Grover (Carl), Iwashi (Ragna), Fenrich (Jin) and Film/Gackt (Hakumen) will fight it out in BBCF.

Interested viewers will be able to check out the stream with English commentary on the Arc System Works Twitch channel or on Niconico. Past iterations of the awards have also included new game and update announcements from ASW, so it is possible the tournaments will not be the only excitement for the event.

Readers can check out the player trailers and brackets after the jump.

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Replay program adds support for Rivals of Aether

A program used to create and watch Skullgilrs matches has simplified its use and added support for indie fighter Rivals of Aether.

NZMao's Automatic Replay Viewer was originally designed so that players could record and rewatch long sets of matches without having to individually record each one.

The newest version, 1.3, has not only added support for its second game, Rivals, but has also added a settings menu so players do not have to edit the program's config file. The program also offers hitbox, input and attack data during the replays but only for Skullgirls at this time.

Readers can check out the program and its accompanying ReadMe file on GitHub. 

Back-turned unblockable setups discovered in MvCI

A recently discovered exploit to the system of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is allowing players to create unblockable mixups.

First noticed in a tweet and video from cyberjapanagent, the method involves putting one's opponent in a back-turned standing state. Once this is achieved, the opponent simply cannot block low, allowing their opponent a free combo.

Since the original posting, some players have found several different ways to recreate the setup, including using the mind stone, and others are already calling on Capcom to patch the game.

While the exploit may seem a modern oversight, Jay "Viscant" Snyder posted that a similar issue with back-turned state existed in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, allowing Magneto to sometimes create an unblockable slide against bigger characters like Sentinel and Blackheart. That issue, however, was not as seemingly abusable as the MvCI variation.

Arika hoping to have Doctrine Dark playable at Evo Japan

The developers of Fighting EX Layer are working to have a new character playable by the public during Evo Japan.

In a post on Facebook, Arika announced that it is "planning on having a playable build with Doctrine Dark" ready for the event on Jan. 26-28, 2018, but also notes that plans are not yet set in stone and things could change. The company will update players once its preparations are finalized.

D. Dark was first announced in September after a presentation for Tokyo Game Show 2018. Fighting EX Layer is coming to PlayStation 4 sometime in 2018.

Gundam Versus, DLC on sale at PlayStation Store

The digital version Bandai Namco's mobile suit arena fighter is on sale through the end of 2017.

The game, normally retailing for $59.99, will cost players only $41.99 through Jan. 2, 2018 through the service. PlayStation Plus members will get an additional discount, dropping the price to $35.99.

The sale comes just as the Bandai Namco has announced that the first G Gundam DLC suits will be coming to the game in late January. In addition, many of the game's earlier DLC characters have been marked down from $4.99 to $3.99 until Jan. 9, 2018.

Dr. Coyle joins ARMS as part of version 5.0

A new character, stage and ARMS have all been added as part of the version 5.0 update that is now available for ARMS.

The new character is Dr. Coyle, a scientist who fights out of the stage [NAME REDACTED]. Coyle's abilities include "a spurt of invisibility after guarding, an extra ARM attack that appears after charging, and the ability to punch, dash, and block while levitating in the air."

She is joined in the update by three new ARMS—Lokjaw, Parabola, and Brrchuk—and several balance tweaks.

For more information on the ARMS update, readers can check out the patch notes on the Nintendo support website. Dr. Coyle's trailer can be found after the jump.

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G Gundam suits enter the Gundam Versus fray in January

Mobile Fighter G Gundam is coming to Gundam Versus in 2018.

Master Gundam and its pilot Shuuji Kurosu will join Burning (or God) Gundam and Domon Kasshu as the first characters from the anime series in the newest iteration of the arena fighter. 

In addition, the Japanese version of Gundam Versus will be receiving three new navigators in the form of Atra, Fumitan and Orga from Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans on Dec. 22, 2017. 

The suits are scheduled for "late January" in Japan but Bandai Namco America has confirmed the two will be on sale on Jan. 23, 2018. As usual, the two new characters will each cost players 650 yen (about $6) in Japan and $4.99 in North America.

DBFZ music, commentator packs receive updated release windows

Some of the additional content that is bundled with the Dragon Ball FighterZ Ultimate Edition will not be releasing with the game on Jan. 26, 2018.

According to a post by Bandai Namco, the Anime Music Pack and Commentator Voice Pack offered as part of the $110 package will come months later.

The Anime Music Pack, featuring songs from the various Dragon Ball shows throughout the series' history, will be available by March 1 and the Commentator Voice Pack will be released by April 15.

Bandai Namco offered these new dates with the context that "teams throughout [the company] are focused on making sure Dragon Ball FighterZ launches globally as scheduled." Both packs will also be sold separately to consumers when they become available.

Embrace the darkness with Maximilian's Goku Black breakdown

Maximilian was recently invited to Bandai Namco's offices to see and play more of Dragon Ball FighterZ, and while there recorded footage breaking down the game's recently revealed characters including Goku Black.

Although he looks like just another version of Goku, Goku Black is very much his own character with a move set unlike that of the other Saiyans in DBFZ. During the nine-minute overview, Maximilian goes through each of Black's special and super moves, giving reason why each could be useful to prospective players of the character. He ends the video with a few sample single-character Goku Black combos.

Readers can check out the breakdown after the jump.

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Rising Thunder: Community Edition coming in January 2018

Rising Thunder will be given back to the fans in January 2018 as part of a "Community Edition" designed to let players enjoy the game once again.

Tom Cannon made the announcement on Reddit, where he noted that the upcoming release is a gift to the fans who have tried to bring the game back to life. The release will include offline play, although it will only feature support for keyboard versus controller on release, as well a rudimentary open-source server to allow for online matchmaking. He notes that "all of this is free, and will stay that way forever."

Cannon also noted that the team has been working on a new project that it will reveal when "the time is right." Radiant Entertainment closed the doors on the Rising Thunder alpha build in March 2016 after the company was purchased by Riot Games.

SNK announces King of Fighters XIV 3.0, character reveal at Evo Japan

A new update is coming for The King of Fighters XIV, and players at Evo Japan will be the first to try out a new fighter coming to the game.

The new update, and a brand new inclusion to the title, will be playable at the SNK booth during the event. It is not clear at this time how expansive the update will be or who the new character is, but the inclusion of a playing card in the announcement image points to someone like Oswald.

If that is true that will make two new characters coming to KOF XIV. Also coming to the game will be the original character "Najd," who is the result from a design contest earlier in 2017.

New DBFZ trailer shows off first footage of Beerus, Goku Black, Hit

Bandai Namco has released the first trailer showing off the recently revealed Dragon Ball FighterZ characters in action.

As mentioned in the newest V-Jump magazine, Beerus, Goku Black and Hit will each use their special skills in DBFZ. In addition, it appears Beerus will have orbs he can summon that circle around him and can be used as projectils against the opponent, Hit has counters which can foil enemy attacks and Goku Black has a dive kick that can surf on opponents and also gets help from his true form, Zamasu, during many of his moves.

The trailer also shows off some of the iconic scenes from the Dragon Ball franchise that can recreated during the game. 

Readers can check out the trailer after the jump. Dragon Ball FighterZ releases in North America on Jan. 26, 2018, and Feb. 1, 2018, in Japan.

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Iron Tager, Makoto Nanaya, Nu-13, Es join BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle

Four more BlazBlue characters have been revealed as part of the cast of BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle.

Tager, Makoto, Nu and Es were featured in the game's first reveal video showing only characters from one of the franchises that will take part in the crossover title. Each comes to the game with their trademark attacks and fighting style.

Arc System Works claimed the next announcement will be coming in "early 2018," and again left a clue for players at the end of the video with BlazBlue's Azrael telling other off-screen participants "Isn't this just the best hunting ground ever!"

Readers can check out the new trailer after the jump. BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle releases in early 2018 for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Steam.

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X-Men, other properties come to Disney in 21st Century purchase

Consumers looking for the X-Men, Fantastic Four and more to be involved in productions such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe received their wish as The Walt Disney Company announced its acquisition of Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., on Dec. 14, 2017.

Fox had previously been the beneficiary of a long-standing deal with Marvel that allowed Fox control of those characters in media like television and film. Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment in 2009.

For fighting game fans, it was the complicated rights situation regarding those characters that was speculated as the reason several iconic characters from the Marvel vs. Capcom franchise were not part of the launch lineup in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. There was never, however, any official statement or explanation for these omissions.

While the deal is now public, it will not be official until it has been approved by antitrust regulators in the U.S. government. For the complete press release on the deal, including the finer details, readers can head over to The Walt Disney Company's website.

PlayStation 4 version of Hori Fighting Edge available now

The newest version of the Fighting Edge arcade stick from Hori came to North America ahead of its early 2018 release in Japan.

You can get the PlayStation 4 version of the Fighting Edge either from Hori directly or at Arcade Shock right now. The Fighting Edge, first available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, combined Hori's large form factor design with its own arcade-quality parts. 

The PS4 Fighting Edge swaps the plexi top panel with that of a brushed metal design. This model opts to have a variety of special controls placed in different parts of the body instead of using the previous generation's LED touch panel. This model still features Hori's proprietary Hayabusa lever, but now also has Hayabusa pushbuttons instead of the Kuro set found in the original version. There is also support for 3.5mm headphones and headsets found in the front of the Fighting Edge.

The Japanese release of the Fighting Edge is currently set for Jan. 15, 2018.

Tekken 7 version 1.10, lag reduction patch now available

The newest update for Tekken 7 is currently rolling out on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One across different regions.

This patch includes the input lag reduction fix, which incorporates new updates to Unreal Engine 4 and should help reduce the latency on PlayStation 4. 

There is no currently no word as to when the Steam version of the patch will be out, and Avoiding the Puddle will be making lag comparisons on the consoles versions once the updates have been completed.

Beerus, Goku Black and Hit coming to Dragon Ball FighterZ

With rumors already swirling ahead of this week's Jump Festa 2018 in Japan where a new trailer for DBFZ is coming, V-Jump magazine has confirmed three more additions to the game's cast.

According to Gematsu (via Ryokuta), Beerus, Goku Black and Hit will be joining the list of playable characters in the Dragon Ball fighter. Each character will have several of their unique attacks, from Beerus' God of Destruction Judgment and Sphere of Destruction to Hit's ability to stop time. Goku Black can even attack with his hand turned into a blade and his true form, Zamasu, can bind opponents.

The magazine also confirms the abilities of Shenron when all the Dragon Balls are collected—full health recovery, an additional sparking icon, reviving a teammate or continuously regenerating health—and that there will be special scenes "before and after the battle when certain conditions are fulfilled."

With this information now public, it seems likely that players will see the first glimpse of these characters in action during Jump Festa.

Dragon Ball FighterZ releases in North America on Jan. 26, 2018. Readers can check out the scans from V-Jump after the jump.

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Soul Calibur VI team talks rebooting the series, game features

Famitsu recently interviewed Soul Calibur VI's producer Motohiro Okubo, production producer Michinori Ozawa, and director Yoshiyuki Takahashi, receiving many details about the new entrant in the Soul series. 

According to translations by Gematsu, SCVI was created because the team saw that there are still no games on the market like Soul Calbur, and that Soul Calbur VI will be a "reboot" because they want players, new and old, to know the story of the original game.

In terms of gameplay, SCVI will see the return of Soul Charge, Critical Arts and meterless Guard Impact. The new Reversal Edge mechanic is being designed so that players of all skill levels can defend "against almost all techniques with a single button," and a new Lethal Hit system will allow for flashy combos in slow motion.

The team also says to expect guest characters, character creation and hopefully a tutorial mode. Readers can check out the full overview at Gematsu.