Developer Postpones 'Guilty Gear Strive' Launch To Fix Issues; New Anji And I-No Gameplay Videos Up

The release of "Guilty Gear Strive," which was originally scheduled on May 15, 2020, was pushed back due to development difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The release date was eventually set for April 19, 2021, but Arc System Works has decided to postpone it again for a few more months.

The new launch date is June 11, according to the game studio's tweet that came with an explanation as to what motivated the decision.

"Since we have received valuable feedback after the recent open beta test, we would like to make the most of this opportunity to provide the best game possible," the tweet said. "We need extra time to polish some aspects of the game, such as online lobbies, and the server’s stability."

Arc System Works conducted an open beta test for "Guilty Gear Strive" for PS4 and PS5 a few weeks ago. The implementation of its rollback netcode received praises from the fighting game community as indicated in a Reddit post.

However, it had its share of server issues, which prevented people from logging into the game. Even those who preordered the digital copy to avail of the early access to the title were reportedly unable to play. As such, Arc System Works extended the open beta by a few days, reported Siliconera.

Those who participated in the open beta had access to several game modes both offline and online. Additionally, almost the entire roster was playable. The lineup includes Axl, Sol, Ky, May, Chipp, Zato-1, Millia, Faust, Potemkin, Leo, Ramlethal, Nagoriyuki and Giovanna.

Completing the base lineup is Anji and I-No for a total of 15 fighters in "Guilty Gear Strive." As listed on the official page, additional content will soon follow after the launch.

A breakdown of the optional Season Pass 1, priced at $29.99, confirms five additional characters, two additional stages, extra colors and a bonus story scenario. Meanwhile, fans of Anji Mito and I-No can now view new gameplay footage which was uploaded as part of the New Game+ Expo presentation.

"Guilty Gear Strive" will not support cross-platform play, but it will allow players on Sony's current and next-generation console to play online matches. Arc System Works also confirms that owners of the PS4 copy are eligible for a free upgrade to a PS5 version, but some limitations apply.