A game that succeeded in bringing the feel of a fighting game to a roguelike platformer, BlazBlue Entropy Effect allows players to take Prototypes of many fan fav?orites, like Ragna and Rachel, to the field in a spin-off whose only connection to the man franchise lies in its ros??ter.

But given how each playable character has access to a pretty distinct list of both Potentials and combo routes, it was a given that a few would perform better than others. To help you pick your main and glide through the late-game, here are all the Prototypes available in BlazBlue Entropy Effect, ranked from best to worst.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect tier list: All Prototypes, ranked

Like with most lists here, we decided to arrange our BlazBlue Entropy Effect tier li??st into four tiers, going from the game's meta-defining picks on S+ to those who will fail to make an impact on par with their peers even under perfect conditions. You can chec??k out our tier list below and more details regarding each tier by heading further down.

S+Tier, explained

As briefly mentioned above, the S+Tier houses the Prototypes capable of "breaking the game," be it vi?a their self-sustainability, unique mecha??nics, or sheer damage.

While Ragna and Jin are usually seen as the poster boys for the t??ier, given their ability to pair their massive damage outputs with the ability to self-heal and keep enemies?? frozen, respectively, Rachel is my highlight here, as she can turn the whole screen into her domain and melt all bosses by investing on set Potential combos. My go-to? Sword Iris, Tiny Lobelia, and Clownish Calendula. Just make sure to also invest in MP.

S-Tier, explained

In the S-Tier, we have characters that, even if lacking the unique tools of the above, can be just as devasting if equipped with t?he right Potentials and Tactics, many of which will make up for their weakne??sses. Two great examples can be seen in Taokaka and Mai, who can stun-lock bosses with ease for massive damage. Kokonoe is also a favorite of mine, as she more than makes up for her early game troubles by becoming a one-woman army later on.

A-Tier, explained

In the A-Tier, we have Prototypes with either less universal kits or ??will demand way more if you wish to awaken their true might. True to that,?? many picks here won't be beginner-friendly and rely on cancel combos (ICEY, Noel, and Lambda-11) or high-risk, high-reward gimmicks (Hakumen).

B-Tier, explained

Although not bad by any means, the prototypes on B-Tier can only be categorized as niche picks, as they cannot match the damage or utility of the above via a lack of impactful Potentials worth investing in. Unfortunately for all who still main him at Central Fiction, Hibiki is the only character in t?he game to fit the bill.

Now that you know the best characters in BlazBlue Entropy Effect, don't forget to also check out ??The 10 most broken ??fighting game characters in history.

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We Are The Game Creators

Back in September 2022, we reported that long-time BlazBlue producer Toshimici Mori was stepping away from Arc System Works, a company that he had served for just shy of two decades �And it seems that Mori is now ready to get back into the thick of the action, with the establishment of a brand new developer, Studio Flare.

Based in Gotanda, Tokyo, Studio Flare has been co-founded by Mori and the former executive vice-president of Marvelous, Toshinori Aoki?, with a healthy dose of financial funding from Chinese commerce conglomerate Netease. Aoki will serve as president and CEO of Studio Flare, with Mori serving as vice president and head producer. The studio has a long list of openings, with roles for artists, engineers, coders, and server maintenance managers.

"With knowledge and expertise from their past projects, Studio Flare will deliver new game experiences to global audiences. The company also has received support from NetEase Games, the gaming division of NetEase, Inc.," reads a press release. "Studio Flare has [[the intent] to create games?? with an edgy feel that bring excitement to hardcore gamers. We will start developing original games for console platforms, with a small but highly talented team based in our studio in Gotanda, Tokyo."

For those familiar with Mori's work, the specific use of "edgy" in the press release is quite amusing, as Mori's oeuvre has frequently featured dark, cringe-cool, super-sexualized characters. While it is fantastic to see Mori back in the game and in the driving seat, one can't help but wonder what fate this leaves for his trademark series, BlazBlue, which stays with Arc System Works, and will hopefully not get lost among?? that?? studio's catalog of releases.

You can check out Studio Flare's brand-new website �complete with obligatory shades and leather jacket shot �right here.

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Studio veteran steps away after 19 years of service

In somewhat shocking news for the fighting game community, developer Toshimichi Mori announced his departure from veteran anime game studio Arc System Works. Mori announced that he was leaving the studio in a new and succinct statement posted to Twitter just yesterday.

"I have something to report to all of the users," begins the message. "I, Toshimichi Mori, have left Arc System works, the company I worked at for m??any years. I have nothing but gratitude towards the staff of Arc System Works and others who have worked with me, as well as all the users who supported us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Mori has been a stalwart member of Arc System Works for just shy of 20 years, where he has worked on popular fighting game franchises such as Guilty Gear, while being best known as the creator of another tightly-held anime scrapper, BlazBlue. Mori's departure, understandably, leav?es questions hanging?? over the future of the latter franchise, questions which the developer references in his statement without an answer.

//twitter.com/zatuyoP/stat??us/15738699086??51393031?s=20&t=vS3K8o0aF2P3X3CEReML-A

"I will depart from Arc System Works," continues Mori. "This may cause some feelings of anxiety, especially among fans of the BlazBlue series. For this, I sincerely apologize. At the moment I’m thinking ??of creating and delivering a game for the users in some way, and am going to focus my strength on that endeavor. Yo?ur support would be much appreciated."

While it sounds, clearly, that Mori intends to remain in game development, perhaps focusing his talents and abilities on a new title on an independent basis, this does not automatically spell doom for BlazBlue. While the franchise IP will obviously remain with ArcSys, there are many talented fighting game developers at that studio who worked on the series. And so, hopefully, BlazBlue will be able to continue its own legacy in som??e form of fashion, even if its "father" has moved on to new projects.

Either way, Toshimichi Mori's contributions to the fighting ga??me scene over the past two decades cannot be understated, and it will be very exciting to see what the industry veteran has in store for pastures new.

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Updated online play for PS4 and PC

Arc System Works is finally ready to roll out its shiny new rollback netcode experience for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.

A new update, launching on PS4 and PC on April 14, will?? add the much-vaunted rollback netcode technology to the anime crossover fighter, hopefully providing much slicker, smoother, and more reliable connections for all players battling it out on these specific platforms.

Since February, ArcSys has been monitoring player feedback via a PC beta, fine-tuning the update to rescue those all-important lagging frames. With the looming arrival of the rollback netcode update, the PC beta is to be retired tomorrow, April 13. Once the new update is live, it is hoped that BlazBlue: CTB players the world over will experience the same kind of positive online experience as enjoyed by players of similarly powered titles such as SNK's The King of Fighters XV and ArcSys' own Guilty Gear Strive.

Addressing the elephant in the room, it should be noted that the Nintendo Switch edition of BlazBlue: CTB is not on schedule to receive the new rollback update, nor has the developer made any mention of it being on deck for future plans. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC, a?nd Nintendo Switch.

//??twitter.com/ArcSystemWorksU/status/1513654599248322566?s=20&t=aMQcyoG229fgciXcE4W_dw

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Beta starting right meow

Some great news for the dedicated BlazBlue community this weekend, as Arc System Works announced that the much-vaunted rollback netcode technology will be retroactively applied to two of the series most popular releases: 2015's BlazBlue Centralfiction and 2018's BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle... although the news comes with some caveats.

BlazBlue Centralfiction, the most recent entry in the lore-heavy anime fighting game series, is expected to receive the online overhaul in February 2022. For now, however, this update will only apply to the PC/Steam edition of the game. No plans were announced as to whether rollback would be applied to the PlayStation or Nintendo Switch editions of BlazBlue Centralfiction. Test servers for the PC platform will launch today, so Centralfiction fans can get an early taste tes??t? of the new netcode via a beta build.

In regards to BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle, the ro?llback update will be applied at some point in 2022 on the PlayStation and PC editions of the crossover fighter. Once again, however, the Nintendo Switch edition will not be receiving the update. We can probably expect test servers to be opened close to the update's launch. It's most certainly positive ??news to see rollback being applied to these titles, but it's a little bittersweet to see that not all platforms will be getting in on the action.

If you fancy hopping on board the BlazBlue bandwagon, then a limited-time sale has just kicked off on Steam, with discounted prices on BlazBlue Centralfiction, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle, and a variety of DLC updates. These two titles join an ever-growing list of "older" games that are receiving brand new online upgrades, which also include classic releases in Arc System Works' Guilty Gear and SNK's King of Fighters franchises.

//twit??ter.com/ArcSystemWorksU/status/1467701564689297416???s=20

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In the name of the lore

Fans of the storied and complex history of anime fighting franchise BlazBlue will soon have a whole new chapter of intricate lore and backstory to sift through, as publisher Arc System Works has announced RPG/Visual Novel title BlazBlue Alternative: Darkwar, which is headed to mobile platforms in Japan.

Developed by Linked Brain and described as a "Chain Combo x novel RPG," BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War will feature the valiant cast of BlazBlue engaging with one another in high-stakes melodrama and fist-throwing action. Playing out as a prequel to the attractive fighting game franchise, Dark War will launch a?s a free-to-play app and supported via microtransactions.

BlazBlue: Alternative: Dark War will launch in Japan next month on iOS and Android. No western localization has been announced, but you can check out a guitar wailin' teaser trailer below.

??BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War launches in February in Japan [Gematsu]

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Tag Up, Throw Down

Believe it or not, it has already been two years since the launch of crossover anime fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Originally launching in May of 2018, Arc System Works' attractive fist-fest has reached a milestone of over 450,000 shipments and digital sales combined.

As a refresher, BlazBlue: CTB is a tag-fighter which collated a huge roster of recognisable stars from various video game and anime franchises. Featuring a bevy of characters from Persona 4 Arena, RWBY, Arcana Heart, Under Night In-Birth, Akatsuki Blitzkampf and even Senran Kagura, BlazBlue: CTB is one of the best "dre?am match" fighters on the market. It secured a devoted playerbase with its fast-paced combat, deep fighting system and great-lookin?g, if chaotic, visual style.

To celebrate Arc System Works announced a sale on the BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle base game and a wide variety of its DLC packages, but unfortunately this sale app??ears t?o be restricted to the Japanese PlayStation and Nintendo Switch stores.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Blazblue:?? Cross Tag Battle shipments and digital sales? top 450,000 [Gematsu]

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'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, EA Sports FIFA 20, Mortal Kombat 11, Warface, NBA 2K20, SoulCalibur VI, and BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle'

As arenas remained closed and in-person esports events continue to take a hit, more and more organizations, including EVO, are making the move to online tournaments. This past week Ubisoft announced a new initiative for online Rainbow Six: Siege organized play, and you can now add So??ny to t??hat list as of today.

Announced by way of their official blog, Sony says that they're kicking off a new tournament series on June 1. It's called "PS4 Tournaments: Open Series," and will build off of 2019's Challenger Series. The idea is to get people competing in seven games (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, EA Sports FIFA 20, Mortal Kombat 11, Warface, NBA 2K20, SoulCalibur VI, and BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle) in weekly online tournaments for rewards (PS4 themes, elite avatars and cash pr??izes of $100 and "a share of" a $1000 prize pool). "High performing players" could also get invites to invitational tournaments.

Sony is hosting broadcasts for FIFA 20, Mortal Kombat 11 and Call of Duty specifically: which they're seemingly dubbing as the biggest draws of the tournament. As a note, there is very little crossover with EVO, as only SoulCalibur VI is a part of the upcoming festivities. Another interesting factoid: since Mortal Kombat 11 was cut from EVO this year, it'll now have more of a chance to s?hine in an organized play environment?? in 2020.

To join in on all this chaos, go to the events tab on your PS4. You will need a PlayStation Plus membership to participate, Sony says. Good luck! You'll need it to beat our own Chris Moyse at Mortal Kombat 11, or myself in BlazBlue or SoulCalibur.

Competition Continues [PS Blog]

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Be the Best

Players wanting to take on the world without leaving the comfort of their own home can now do so, provided their dreams of taking on said world pertain entirely to BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. The PS4 edition of Arc System Works' crossover fighter is runnin?g a beta? for its all-new Tournament Mode, and you can be one of the first contenders to get in the ring.

There are currently two beta tourneys planned, one on January 13 and a second on January 20. Interested players will need to be registered with and ESL account, then it's just a matter of booting BB:CTB, going to the new "Tournament" menu, and registering your slot. As with other PSN onlin??e tourneys, it's then just a matter of showing up online to play your assigned matches.

The new tournament mode should help the fanbase get a little more fun and enjoyment out of the excellent anime fighter, and will hopefully extend the longevity of the community and the game itself. For more details, check out the official announcement on the ArcSys website.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

(1/2) The PS4 version of BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will be updated tonight with a new online mode, “Tournament†mode, for beta testing. Players can participate in the beta test by registering for one of the online tournaments either on January 13th, or January 20th.#BBTag pic.twitter.com/UipNdmHm9K

— ArcSystemWorks 「BLITZTANK STAN ACCOUNT 💀〠(@ArcSystemWorksU) January 10, 2020

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Capcom presents...

The silver age of the fighting game genre is seemingly over. There are tons of great titles to play, both old and new, but many discussions I've come across are constantly debating problems like netcode, season passes, and the balance of individual rosters. To me, this renaissance of fighting games that started with Street Fighter IV ended at the conclusion of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3's reign. Now more then ever, with Capcom's fighting game division floundering with an overall lukewarm reception of Street Fighter V, the failure of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, and the success of Arc System Works in the hyper fighting category, the ghost of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 persists well beyond its dusting in the past.

2019 for Capcom was undoubtedly a great year. Monster Hunter World was receiving accolades and its Iceborne expansion released to great results. Resident Evil 2 simultaneously revived the classic feel of Resident Evil while also instilling new things. Devil May Cry V heralded a return to form thanks to Hideaki Itsuno after years of languishing since Devil May Cry 4. But somehow Street Fighter V doesn't really figure so much into this picture, let alone Capcom's fighting games division. And that picture started to get really painted in when Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 had its last hurrah a??t Evo 2017 by getting in via donations.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 as we know it released the same year as its title predecessor, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. It was a seemingly unthinkable move, attempting to move the player base from its February release to its newest title in November of the same year. But the adjustments in Ultimate w??ere just to?o good to pass up on an already great game.

Overall redesigns made effects like X-Factor easier to see in the heat of the moment. While still powerful, the parameter increases of X-Fac?tor were slightly toned down as well. A glitch that involved tagging out partners with certain delayed hyper combos to reset the damage scaling, was fixed, and character diversity became better for it. Of course the bread and butter of the updated game was the addition of 12 more characters to the roster: Strider Hiryu, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Nova, Rocket Raccoon, Firebrand, Frank West, Nemesis T-Type, Phoenix Wright, and Vergil.

That's probably a factor as to why UMvC3 hit so many good notes but Street Fighter V and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite continuously strikeout: UMvC3 released before an age of the games-as-a-service model. Even if there was the occasional DLC wishlist, UMvC3 was a complete package, with no plans to disturb the ecosystem it created. Street Fighter V is constantly trying to update itself and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite poorly planned out its DLC releases. Infinite also had the misfortune of having some of the worst character models of the console generation. Its fighters were ugly as sin and the complete antithesis of what we saw in UMvC3, which pres??ented its characters look like they were just a comic book come to life.

Graphics aren't really an issue for Street Fighter V as it has its own distinct style. The problem with that game in comparison with UMvC3 is the expression of the player's individuality. When I think of Combofiend, I think of his anchor Nathan Spencer and his Bionic Arm comebacks. When I think of Justin Wong, I think of his Akuma doing impeccably timed goshoryu reversals. When I think of FilipinoChamp, ??I think of his mind-numbingly solid keepaway with Morrigan ??and Dr. Doom. When I think of AhegoJoe, I think of Viewtiful Joe and his Frank West which stopped Dark Phoenix cold in its tracks.

Any player in UMvC3 can create a distinct experience for themselves thanks to the 3-on-3 format. One person might play Wesker using assists for cross-up shenanigans while a different Wesker will use assists for keep-away while using gunshot. Some people may lead with Frank West to level him up quickly while others will use him as an anchor bolstered by X-Factor. This sort of freedom doesn't really exist in Street Fighter V. Unless you see something truly wack?y like Itazan flexing Zangief's V-Skill 1 into something?? crazy, it gets old fast. This doesn't even touch on fishing for Crush Counters and the fact that some characters get Crush Counters all the time and others are lucky to even use their own as a punish.

Half of this post is about how UMvC3 has impacted this past decade while the other half ?is really about how its absence has impacted this past decade. Dealing with Marvel may be a differ?ent beast now with Disney in ownership, but Capcom's fighting games really haven't been cutting it in the latter half of the decade. But hopefully, that could all change with just two words in a confident voice on a black screen: Capcom presents...

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How did your favourite fighter fare?

This week sees the launch of Version 2.0 update for crossover anime fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. The new update/expansion brings new characters and features to Arc System Works crossover title, as well as a huge list of balance tweaks, which are now available for perusal.

Version 2.0 - which launches on all platforms November 21 - consists of a free update for all players, which adds new scenarios, fighting mechanics, an updated UI and other cool new content. Also available is a $25 Character Pass, which adds nine new fighters to the BlazBlue: CTB roster: BlazBlue's Celica A. Mercury and Susanoo, Persona 4 Arena's Elizabeth and Tohru Adachi, Under Night In-Birth's boss lady Hilda, Senran Kagura's Yumi, RWBY's Neo Politan, and finally Akatsuki and Blitztank from Akatsuki Blitzkampf.

The patch notes explain new in-game mechanics such as "Rampage Time," "Cross Raid," and "Extra Assault," before delivering a breakdown of every single character's individual balance changes. You can read the full list of changes right here, to get yourself prepped for a who?le new generation of fisticuffs.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

BlazBlue: Cross ??Tag Battle Version 2.0 patch notes [Gematsu]

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Getting the band back together

We are just a little over a week out from the release of BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle's Version 2.0 update, which brings a posse of new characters to to the crossover fighter. Arc System Works has released two new trailers looking at BlazBlue: Central Fiction's Celica A. Mercury and Susanoo, both of whom are ??getting set to join the rumble??.

Celica A. Mercury, who made her playable debut in BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend, is the younger sister of Nine the Phantom, and was a kindhearted young nun who was murdered by BlazBlue villain Yuuki Terumi. Now regenerated as her younger self, Celica continues to espouse her wil?l for good, taking the fight to the enemy alongside her "Drive," Minerva.

Susanoo is the ultimate form of the aforementioned Yuuki Terumi, who fused with Susanoo Unit to become the preliminary BlazBlue antagonist. Susanoo's form combi?nes cyber-mechanics with the visual style of Japanese warrio??rs such as the ninja and the samurai. As is to be expected with "Big Bads," Susanoo is a destructive force in the thick of the fight.

Celica A. Mercury and Susanoo join seven other fighters as part of the $25 Version 2.0 character pack, which will be available to purchase on all platforms November 21. All players will re??ceive a free update that day, which will include a UI overhaul, a huge list of balance tweaks,? new scenarios, and a run of bug fixes.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle DLC characters [Gematsu]

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Best Dancing Girl

Arc System Works has dropped its latest character trailer for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle's Version 2.0 update, which is coming later this month to?? t??he crossover anime fighter.

The irrepressible Elizabeth is the assistant of the mysterious Velvet Room in Atlus' RPG Persona 3. Typified by her happy-go-lucky, somewhat naive, and regularly goofy personality, Elizabeth is, in reality, a tireless worker and dedicated to the room and its master, Igor. Elizabeth originally took to the ring in Persona 4 Arena, where she fou??ght with an adaptive style based on the moveset of multiple other characters.

Tohru Adachi was introduced as a non-playable character in Persona 4. A young detective who is hopelessly out of his depth in solving the string of murders that form the backbone of the narrative, Adachi repeatedly spills the beans on the case to the Persona 4 protagonist party (the Investigation Team). Adachi was originally a DLC character in Persona 4 Arena.

Both Elizabeth and Adachi arrive in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle as part of the game's Version 2.0 upgrade, a $25 expansion pad that adds a total of nine fighters to the roster. A free-for-all update will overall the BlazBlue: CTB UI, while adding extra scenarios and applying a huge list of balance tweaks and bug fixes to the game. The update will go live November 21.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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If I wasn't me, I'd be her

Arc System Works continues to showcase some of the crossover stars headed to fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle as part of its upcoming Version 2.0 update. Today's trailer looks at my personal favourite Under Night In-Birth character, the delectable Hilda.

Rocking clothing to die for, a stunning hairdo, and heterochromatic eyes, Hilda's beauty and cheerful appearance belies her severely dangerous nature, with plans of utter domination fueled by her untold levels of ambition and arrogance. Hilda made her debut as the boss character of Under Night In-Birth, before eventually joining the roster as DLC.

Hilda's power and vanity is on?? display in her fighting style, with devastating projectiles delivered at speed with a minimum of effort and maximum disdain. While Hilda can struggle in hand-to??-hand combat, her ability to control the entire battlefield with her fast specials makes her an incredibly difficult foe to close in on.

Hilda will arrive in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle as part of the upcoming character pack, which includes eight other fighters and will launch November 21 at a cost of $25. That same day will see the launch of Version 2.0 for all players, bringing a UI overhaul, ??extra scenarios, and a sho??pping list of bug fixes and balance changes to the game.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Tanks a lots

Every now and then, a fighting game character comes along that breaks the mold a little, whether in shape, or size, or expected motion and movement. Characters like Skullgirls' Big Band, Street Fighter V's Abigail, Marvel vs Capcom's Sentinel or, as revealed here, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle's Blitztank.

Blitztank is the second "character" to arrive from military-based anime fighter Akatsuki Blitzkampf, joining comrade-in-arms Akatsuki. Things differ from the norm in that ?Blitztank is an actual tank. Straight up. No somersaults, no crouching, no off-the-wall jumps, just a massive fucking tank, coming to roll over your head.

If that wasn't intimidating enough, Blitztank also has a ??terrifying skull adorned on its hood, giving opponents the dead-?eye as it bombards them with explosive air and ground weaponry. Check it out for yourself in the trailer below.

Blitztank, along with pal Akatsuki and seven other DLC fighters, will arrive as part of the BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Version 2.0 update, which launches November 21 and brings new scenarios, balance changes and a UI overhaul. The technical tweaks are free-for-all players, but those wishing to get in the ring with Blitztank and friends will? need to purchase the character expansion for around $25.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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For the glory of The Imperial Army

Arc System Works continues to drop its weekly character trailers for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, highlighting the DLC? guests headed to the crossover fighter as part of its upcoming Version 2.0 update.

This new trailer showcases Akatsuki, of niche fighting series Akatsuki Blitzkampf. This military strategist disappeared during a mighty battle of the Arctic Circle, only to turn up alive and well some 50 years later. This short video doesn't give us much to go on regarding Akatsuki's fighting style, but we can see one of his supers: a powerful dash combo akin to Iori Yagami's "Kin 1211 Shiki: Ya Otome" from the King of Fighters series

The Version 2.0 character expansion pass is expected to cost around $25, and includes Akatsuki along with eight further characters, a new scenario, and other content. A free update on the same day will overhaul CTB with a new UI and a huge list of balance changes. The Version 2.0 update will launch November 21.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Don't just eat the chocolate part

Arc System Works has released a trailer for the next character headed to crossover fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Joining the roster from anime series RWBY is the troublesome,?? but highly fashionable, Neo Politan.

Bedecked in beautiful ?Victorian garb coloured to match her ice-cream nom de plume, Neo Politan is anything but vanilla. Despite her classy and charming appearance - of which I'm insanely jealous - Neo has no problem getting into the thick of the fight, laying a beatdown on her opponents with her trusty parasol. Neo has the ability to dash-teleport acros?s the battlefield in the blink of an eye, and can even counter a strike into suddenly disappearing and then reappearing behind her attacker. Nothing personnel, kid.

Neo Politan will arrive as part of the huge "Version 2.0" update that is coming to CTB on November 21. Costing around $25, the expansion will include nine new DLC characters, along with a new scenario and a selection of character colours. Free-for-all will be a patch that will overhaul CTB's UI and mechanics, along w??ith bug fixes and a laundry list of bala??nce changes.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Ice to see you

Arc System Works has released a trailer for Yumi, one of the fresh characters coming to their crossover fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Yumi's appearance is sure to turn heads, given that she's crossing over from notorious cheesecake franchise Senran Kagura.

As you can see in the trailer below, Yumi's quiet demea??nor and graceful gait hides her lightning-quick fan-fighting skills, adept at rolling out strings of hits on the ground, before chasing her opponent to continue the beatdown in mid-air, leaving a trail of icicles in her wake. We also see the ice queen utilise a? handy counter-maneuver, as well as use her fans to pull her opponent in close for further punishment.

Yumi arrives in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle as part of its upcoming character pack, which also includes BlazBlue's Celica A. Mercury and Susanoo, Persona 4 Arena's Elizabeth and Tohru Adachi, Under Night In-Birth's Hilda, RWBY's Neo Politan, and finally Akatsuki and Blitztank from Akatsuki Blitzkampf. The character pack launches November 21 at a cost of $25 and is part of CTB's mammoth "Version 2.0" ?update.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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VELVET, OH VELVET...

Arc System Works took the opportunity this weekend to reveal the lucky fighters chosen for Version 2.0 of its anime fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. The furious five wi??ll be part?? of the nine-character DLC pack headed to all platforms in November.

As you can see in the wild trailer below, the crossover fighter will be welcoming BlazBlue Central Fiction's Celica A. Mercury and Susanoo, Persona 4 Arena's Elizabeth and Tohru Adachi, and finally Under Night In-Birth's super-classy lassie Hilda. These five characters join the previously announced Yumi from Senran Kagura, RWBY's Neo Politan, and Akatsuki and Blitztank from Akatsuki Blitzkampf.

The Version 2.0 expansion for Cross Tag Battle will include an overhaul of ?the game's UI and menus, along with a plethora of balance tweaks, a new scenario, character colours, bug fixes and other content. The technical upgrades will be available as a free download to all players, but the character pack will set you back around $25 when it officially drops November 21.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Who's waiting in the wings?

Fighting game developer/publisher Arc System Works has announced that the remaining five mystery characters - headed to BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle Special Edition - will be revealed on September 22.

First announced at t??he EVO 2019 fighting game tournament, Version 2.0 of the crossover fighter will bring about an overhauled UI, a wealth of balance changes, and nine new characters. We already know the first four of these: Senran Kagura's Yumi, RWBY's Neo Politan, and Akatsuki and Blitztank from Akatsuki Blitzkampf.

The remaining five fighters will be revealed during an Arc Nama live stream event, which will take place September 22 at 1:00 JST. Whether we see further characters from franchises already in the CTB mix, or characters from new, debuting brands, remains to be seen. You can watch the stream live on the official Arc System Works Twitch channel.

The Version 2.0 update is scheduled to launch on November 21. The mechanic overhaul will be free to all players, but the character pack will run you about $25. BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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I'm still picking up my teeth with a broken arm

Another Evolution Championship Series has come to an end, and it was a doozy.?? Fantastic players, including new faces and familiar veterans, descended upon the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas for three days of fantastic fighting action.

Over the course of the weekend, amazing blazing battles were held on big money titles such as Street Fighter V, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Tekken 7, with equally impressive showings put in by debutantes Samurai Shodown, Soulcalibur VI and Mortal Kombat 11. Typically stylish clashes were held on anime fighters such as BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2, while old-school fans busted heads on a whole hos??t of classic fighters. Great stuff.

Along with all of the intense nose-breaking action, we also received news, trailers and DLC announcements for a slew of titles. Even early reveals and leaks failed to quell the overall excitement of what was, for me, one of the most engaging Evo events in some time. (Still felt weird not seeing Street Fighter close out the weekend. N?ot that I'm against it, just felt odd not having to stay up to the wee hours to catch the finals.)

But ??how was Evo 2019 for you? Did you enjoy what you saw? How do you feel about some of the news and announcements? Have you received the obligatory post-Evo inspiration to pick up a new game? And what in the blue hell were they thinking with that Solid Snake "joke"? However you feel about this weekend's events, drop us a note? below and share your experiences.

Congratulations to all the winners, runner-ups and, of course, the hard-working crew members, bracket runners and organisers of Evo 201?9. See y'all next year, no doubt.

Evo Japan 2020 w??ill take place between January 24-26 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

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Nine new characters in total on the way

It leaked prior to Sunday's big BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle finals, but Arc System Works did confirm on the Evo stage that Version 2.0 of the game is on its way and bringing with it nine new characters for the anime fighter. Fans of RWBY should be excited to know that Neopolitan is on her ?way as are two new franchises is in this massive crossover project.

First, from Akatsuki Blitzkampf, Akatsuki and the Blitztank will be added to the roster, the latter being one of the more strange characters to join title. I mean, it's a big, fucking tank. Second, from Senran Kagura, a franchise that shockingly hasn't put out its own 1v1 fighter, is Yumi based on her appearance in Senran Kagura Estival Versus.

Here's to hoping Yumi's inclusion will lead to Senran best girl Renka making the roster?? as well. The nine characters are part of what's being called Version 2.0 Content Pack, which will also feature a new scenario, character interactions, and colors. Launching the same day will be the Version 2.0 patch which will provide major balances for the roster. Both the DLC and free patch will launch on November 21, 2019. 

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is now availa??ble for PlayStation 4,?? Switch, and PC.

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It's Teddie Time

For all of you waiting for a quartet of ?new fighters in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, it seems that the wait is almost over. Arc System Works has announced that Character Pack 7 will finally be ar??riving on all platforms on May 21.

This set, which has been promoted for quite some time now, includes four more fighters from a selection of popular anime and fighting game brands. We have Seth from Under Night In-Birth, Naoto Kurogane from BlazBlue, Teddie from Persona 4 Arena and Heart Aino from Arcana Heart. Heart Aino is one of the big stars here, being the first character from her brand t?o appe??ar in the crossover title.

Also included are the latest wave of balance changes that launched with BlazBlue: CTB's arcade release in Japan. Players who have picked up the previous six Character Packs will be able to bag this one for free. For everyone else, it is ??expected to cost around $10.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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I Got Next

Arc System Works has announced that the arcade release of their crossover fighting game BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will be arriving at locations across Japan? from next week.

The arcade edition of the kinetic fighter, which stars characters from franchises such as Persona, Under Night In-Birth, RWBY and Arcana Heart, will feature the latest balance edition of the home version, along with upcoming roster additions Teddie, Seth, Aino Heart and Naoto Kurogane, all of whom will be arriving on PC and consoles as paid DLC next mont??h.

Of course, many of you reading this live in the western world, where arcades have sadly become quite the thing of the past. Still, it's good to see modern fighting games still getting coin-op releases somewhere, keeping some semblance of the arcade community pumping into 2019 and beyond. But hot damn do I have some ?mel?ancholic memories of that golden era.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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It's almost Teddie Time

Having released a selection of trailers for the four new characters headed to BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, Arc System Works has announced that this wave of roster additions ?will arrive as paid DLC in the anime crossover fighter in May.

The four new pugilists are Seth from Under Night In-Birth, Naoto Kurogane from BlazBlue, Teddie from Persona 4 Arena and Heart Aino from Arcana Heart, the latter being the first character from her franchise to make an appearance in the gorgeous-looking tag fighting ??title.

This quartet of characters will be available to purchase mid-May and will also be patched into the arcade edition of BlazBlue: CTB, which is scheduled to launch in Japan late next month. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Arcana Heart star joins crossover fighter

Arc System Works' has released the final character trailer for their wave of DLC fighters coming to BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle this Spring. Sweetie-pie Heart Aino will be the first character from niche series Arcana Heart to make? an appearance in the anime crossover fighting game.

Young Aino - who is described in this trailer as "shockingly?? innocent", whatever the fuck that means - is a high-spirited and super positive young teen. Renown for her energetic spirit and friendly demeanor, Heart Ain?o is highly capable whether in the heat of battle or preparing delicious sweets at her parents' bakery.

In the trailer below, you can see Aino favours close-quarters fisticuffs, using an array of dashes to close in on the opponent, before laying in a beatdown with fists, feet and her trademark ribbon. Heart Aino will be made available to purchase this Spring alongside Under Night's Seth, Persona Arena's Teddie and BlazBlue's own Naoto Kurogane.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Putting the edge in 'Edgelord'

Arc System Works has released a trailer for the next character coming to anime fighter BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. It features Under Night In-Birth's moody assassin character Seth, who will be a?dded to the roster as paid DLC.

Super Serious Seth is a fashionable young teenager who skulks around the Under Night universe, having been hired by a mystery employer to take down various powerful opponents. Seth wields a set of twin shorts swords collectively known as The Eliminator. Though he stands with extreme stillness and stoi??cism, Seth fights with bursts of lightning speed, aided but unpredictable delayed project??iles.

Seth is headed to Cross Tag Battle as part of the next wave of DLC which also includes Persona Arena's Teddie, Arcana Heart's Heart Aino and BlazBlue's own Naoto Kurogane. All four characters will be made available for the home and arcade ver??sion in Sp?ring.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

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Out in the spring

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle was in kind of a weird spot after ??its mid-2018 launch.

It didn't get much buzz and was kind of stagnant for a while, but it's really exploding in a big way in the past month or so. Not only was a new series of DLC announced, but it was also confirmed over Guilty Gear Xrd 2 for EVO 2019 (for reference Cross Tag had 39,919 peak Twitch viewers at EVO 2018 compared to Guilty Gear's 108,916). It might be fleeting, but Cross Tag is on the up and up for the time being.

Part of said DLC festivities is Teddie, the irreverent companion from Persona 4 and fighter in Arc System Works' own Persona 4 Arena. You can get a good look at his moves?et in the below video: he arrives in the spring along with Heart Aino, Seth and Naoto Kurogane.

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Chaotic fighter gets another rabble-rouser

Arc System Works has released a trailer showcasing the next in the loooooong line of DLC characters headed to their crossover fighting title BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. The next big-haired boy throwing down alongside their anime brethren is BlazBlue's own Naoto Kurogane.

Servant to Goth Loli Raquel Alucard, Naoto became a playable fighter in 2015's BlazBlue: Centralfiction, and was even the protagonist of his own manga series; BlazBlue: Bloodedge Experience. Sporting gear that makes him look like a homicidal Kingdom Hearts character, the young teen is nevertheless a formida?ble?? opponent in battle.

Naoto will be made available to the arcade and home versions of Cross Tag Battle in Spring, alongside fellow debut??antes Seth, Teddie and Heart ??Aino. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is available now on PS4, P?C, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

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A few are crazier than Melee being jettisoned

I've been following Evo for a while now and have personally reviewed nearly every game announced for the main sta?ge this year: 2019 is a huge shift f??or myriad reasons.

It's not just the fact that Melee is missing: there's a lot to unpack here. Shall we?

Samurai Shodown is back, baby.

I know a lot of people were expecting "no Melee" to top the list but real?ly, SNK's comeback kid ta??le after faltering for years is worth looking at.

SNK had nearly no presence in the early days of EVO (even if the Capcom-helmed and fantastic Capcom vs. SNK 2 had a good run) with King of Fighters XIII making an appearance in 2012-2014 and King of Fighters XIV having a one-off run in 2017. In 2018, SNK had zero representation after XIV was elim??inated for only pushing a p?altry 32,760 viewers at its best the year before; the lowest viewership of the entire tournament.

It wasn't always this way for SNK, though. Samurai Shodown was a big deal from the early '90s when the series debuted all the way through its relevance in crossover fighters like 2001's Capcom vs. SNK 2: yet, SNK couldn't keep up the momentum. Things started to die down for Shodown around 2009 and we haven't heard anything from the series since. Now SNK is throwing a curve ball at us and before Samurai Shodown (2019) was even officially unveiled (all we had was a teaser), bam, it's on the ma?in stage of EVO 2019.

It might be a temporary victory, but its a win for SNK nonetheless and another chance for relevance amid a typically (now) Arc System Works and (prev??iously) Capcom-heavy history.

There are three Arc reps at Evo 2019, but no Guilty Gear

Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 is arguably the best fighter out right now.

While Dragon Ball FighterZ is clearly the in-game at the moment, Rev 2 absolutely crushed Cross Tag Battle in 2018's stream war (Rev 2 on Sunday had 108,916 peak viewers compared to Cross Tag's 39,919 on Saturday): yet, Rev 2 is the one sitting Evo out in 2019. Hell, Under Night In-Birth ExeLate[st] (published by Arc System Works) is also in! Someone is looking out for Arc but not for Guilty Gear.

Unless there's a new entry or iteration on the way this might be the end of Guilty Gear at Evo for some time. Given that it paved the way for FighterZ it's not a complete loss, but as my current?? favorite fighter (both to play and wat??ch), it's a personal one.

Soulcalibur returns for the first time since 2012

The full embrace of Soulcalibur VI has been heartwarming. This is a series that used to mean so much to the fighting game community and it was completely absent for so many years. Now it's making a triumphant return seven years later and it's bringing The Witcher's Geralt along for the ?ride. What a Cinderella st??ory.

There isn't much to say here that hasn't already been said in various ways at the launch of SCVI. Soulcalibur was one of ?my first ever professional tourney games back in the day ??so I'm happy to see it back in the mix.

The eclectic cast should make for some great match-ups (hopefully we get to see Azwel play but Nightmare and Ivy will likely be among the top picks) and with Guilty Gear gone it might be the game I want to watch the m?ost.

No Melee

Depending on who you talk to, Super Smash Bros. Melee not making? ?the main ticket is either a long time coming or [Jack's] complete surprise. 

Just last year at Evo 2018 it heralded in 195,164 peak viewers, which puts it in a solid third place after FighterZ and Street Fighter V. That's huge, as Melee beat out Tekken 7 and Cross Tag Battle in 2018: both of which are coming back for Evo 2019. If it weren't for a massive 40,000 viewer boost solely from famous streamer Ninja peeking into the Street Fighter V finals, it would have nabbed second place. But with Smash Ultimate in the mix, which promises to be the definitive Smash experience, something has to give.

Look, I was wavedashing and reading online tech right after Melee caught on and as a huge Smash 64 proponent (and local tourney winner with Ness), I was into the idea of Smash hitting it big. Melee has done a lot for the fighting game co?mmunity at large but its omission af??ter all these years of making it in is not a surprise.

It'll live on, likely forever, through conventions (including one practically dedicated entirely to Melee) and even at Evo: just not on the main stage.

NetherRealm is poised for a comeback after low Injustice 2 viewership

While there must be a token western entry (typically NetherRealm) in the mix, that por??tion of Evo has been wavering for the past few years and it's all Superman's fault.

Last year Injustice 2 had a peak viewership of 20,516 viewers on Twitch. That's half of the next-lowest game: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Mortal Kombat carries more clout and MK11, confirmed for Evo 2019, will likely make a splash. 2016, the last Evo showing for Mortal Kombat in the form of XL, championed 104,568 viewers peak.

NetherRealm is happy to have MK back in the mix as the year before that MKX hit 188,350: just below Melee's 206,839 and Ultra Street Fighter IV's 228,776. Everyone loves ??t??o watch fatalities after a heated match.

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