Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' Lucy shows how good a fighter she is in the new trailer for Guilty Gear: Strive

The major fighting game festival has come and gone, bringing with it some big announcements for fans of the genre. Fans were treated to the first official reveal of the much-anticipated crossover with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, alongside the return of several beloved characters.

Before we dive into the news from EVO 2025, it’s worth noting that Steam is currently hosting a special sale to celebrate the tournament, with many fighting games available at discounted prices. You don’t have to look far - the latest Guilty Gear is available for just $19.99.

Lucy from Cyberpunk Edgerunners hacks GGST...

Guilty Gear Strive is now over four years old, but it continues to keep fans hooked - not just because of its soundtrack. This month brings the final character of Season 4 inGGST, marking the series’ first-ever crossover: Lucy from the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Apparently, the netrunner has successfully hacked into the world of Guilty Gear and is now set to face an entirely new challenge.

The first gameplay trailer sparked great enthusiasm among Cyberpunk fans, though many people online felt that the choice of a particular song was a low blow. Some players - and even the character herself - are surprised by the idea of hacking "organic people, without any chrome," butGG veterans know better. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that in the world of Guilty Gear, you might encounter some “glitches” in the system.

Players are especially impressed with how well Lucy was recreated in Strive - from her appearance to the familiar hacking menu. Some fans online expressed mild disappointment over the absence of a new track from Daisuke Ishiwatari - the creator, composer, and designer behind Guilty Gear. Nevertheless, some players argue that even Daisuke’s “vision” couldn’t have crafted a better soundtrack for Lucy than an iconic piece from her beloved home series.

Lucy will be added to Guilty Gear on August 21st, accompanied by a minor patch featuring balance adjustments. It seems that many Cyberpunk fans are now suddenly interested in giving Guilty Gear Strive a try.

...and version 2.0

Some players - particularly those who had seen earlier leaks - wondered whether this might mark the end of Strive’s development. After all, not every fighting game survives four years - something the Mortal Kombat series has demonstrated.

However, ArcSys has taken a different approach. 2026 will mark the debut of Guilty Gear Strive 2.0. No details have been revealed yet, but the version number alone suggests major gameplay changes.

Fans are hoping for an update on par with those seen in Xrd and XX - and, of course, the addition of more characters. Two new characters appear in the trailer’s artwork, but players generally agree on the identity of one of them: Jam, who is making a return to the series.

The announcement was important to fans for yet another reason. In July, news about the cancellation of the new Guilty Gear emerged. With all the layoffs and projects getting canceled, it was hard not to worry about the future of the series. Players are relieved: it seems ArcSys has dropped the sequel to focus on further developing Strive.

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls gameplay and closed beta tests

Speaking of ArcSys, we can’t overlook the new footage of Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls and the recent announcement of closed beta tests on PlayStation 5. Players knew this game would be somewhat different from the iconic Marvel vs. Capcom, but only now many of them - including top fighting game e-sports players and content creators - will be able to personally try out ArcSys’s unique take on a superhero fighting game.

The closed beta will run for three days, from September 5th to 7th.

Extended gameplay of Virtua Fighter

Of course, EVO 2025 wasn’t just about ArcSys. SEGA also dropped new footage from the next Virtua Fighter game during the tournament. This time, the developers of the Yakuza series shared a longer gameplay segment - though it’s still less than a minute of actual footage. At least the video wasn’t overly edited, which players really appreciated.

More information will be revealed at Tokyo Game Show 2025, starting on September 25th.

By the way, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on October 30th, with a Switch 2 port expected in the future.

Armor King in Tekken 8

Tekken is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. What better way to celebrate than with the return of another Iron Fist veteran? This time, Armor King will be joining Tekken 8 and has already received his own gameplay trailer.

However, the footage revealed more than just the wrestler’s return. Bandai Namco also announced another fighter - this time a completely new character: Miary Zo from Madagascar. Armor King will be added to T8 on October 16th, while fans will have to wait until winter for the new fighter’s debut.

What else was there to see at EVO 2025?

During the tournament, Ken Masters from Street Fighter made his debut in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Omni-Man was confirmed as a playable character in Invincible VS, Izumi is being added to Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes, and C.Viper will be returning in Street Fighter 6. They also announced a new arena fighter Netcode Warriors, revealed the first DLC season for Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact, and showcased gameplay featuring a new fighter in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising.

Tekken 8

January 26, 2024

Rate It!

• Overview
• Review

• e-sport / tournaments
• fighting games
• crossover
• trailers (games)