Once again, the experienced studio’s latest reveal has taken the internet by storm.
Guilty Gear Strive continues rocking hard in Season 3. Our discussion with development director Akira Katano and producer Ken Miyauchi reveals their exciting game plans for the future. We at Esports.gg had the privilege to sit down with both developers during the Arc World Tour Finals and chat about ABA’s exciting comeback, upcoming DLC releases, and if all the memes we see are intentional.
Keep reading to delve into our exclusive conversation with Ken Miyauchi and Akira Katano at the 2023 Arc World Tour Finals.
Conversation with the director and producer of Guilty Gear Strive
esports.gg: First, I’d like to discuss ABA. Are there specific community responses to ABA that you’re hoping for?“
Katano: ABA is a character that’s making a comeback from a past franchise. We expect some long-time Guilty Gear players to be thrilled to see this character return, and we’re excited about that. However, a bunch of players will be encountering ABA for the first time, and we’re equally excited about their reactions.
We’ve seen very positive reactions so far, which is a relief. It’s great to see responses from both experienced and new players.
ABA’s gameplay in XX is complex, with features like Goku Moroha mode and blood packs. How do you determine what mechanics to retain and what to remove?
Katano: Moroha was indeed a highly complex system in the XX series. When we reintroduce a highly complex character, we deliberate on the elements to retain and the ones to discard. Keeping in mind her character concept, we wanted to maintain her dual modes – normal and powerful. So we decided to include her in the game.
ABA’s XX incarnation had multiple special mechanics (Image via Arc System Works)
We wanted to keep the basic concept of ABA having normal and powered-up states. It’s a fundamental ABA trait we wanted to maintain. However, in the past, ABA has been challenging to use and master.
When opponents get confused and difficulty handling the variety of mechanics rises, we aim to simplify that dynamic in this version. We wish to retain ABA’s originality and unique challenging element, but we don’t want opponents to feel excessively stressed or find it too complex as they did in previous games.
Strive’s ABA trades blood packs and Goku Moroha for Jealous Rage mode (Image via Arc System Works)
Miyauchi: I’ve also conversed with the battle game designers. One directive I gave them is to ensure she integrates well into Guilty Gear Strive rather than merely being a transplant from Guilty Gear XX.
Fans speculated that her green hair resulted from her original orange hair rusting. Is this the case?
Katano: That’s a fascinating theory! We love hearing ideas like that from fans. However, as I mentioned during the Arc Live stream, ABA simply dyed her hair. She did this for a reason. In the original XX series, ABA was confined in a lab and lacked exposure to the outside world. But in Strive, ABA branches out from the lab and starts exploring the world.
As she explores, her values start changing. She develops an appreciation for beauty and fashion. So her hair color change signifies her evolving values as she learns about the world and discovers her unique identity.
Miyauchi: Regarding her hair color, players might uncover the reason behind it if they play her arcade mode story.
Several DLC characters like Baiken, Bridget, and Jack-O have become memes within the fighting game community. Do you consider their potential meme-worthiness when deciding who to include?
Katano: Our aim isn’t necessarily meme-worthiness. We believe that’s simply a result of the community resonating with the characters we have created. We focus more on making every character stand out, ensuring no Guilty Gear character feels ordinary.
Bridget quickly took over the internet after her reveal (Image via Arc System Works)
The meme aspect arises once the fans and community engage with our characters and start discussions. We indeed want the community to be excited and talk about it.
Season 3 introduced new Burst Gauge mechanics with Wild Assault and Deflect Shield. Are you planning to add more features requiring meter usage, possibly like Force Breaks for 25% Tension or additional Burst options?
Katano: We can’t confirm that we don’t have plans for it. Strive has existed for quite some time, and we have introduced multiple system changes over the years. We aspire to continue adding elements that enhance the game’s fun factor. However, we’re also aware that complexity can accumulate over time. Sometimes there might be a need to simplify some systems to make them more accessible to players.
Miyauchi: We’ve received abundant player feedback and have considered various player opinions. We’re always in discussions about future balance updates. Therefore, it’s safe to say we’re not considering maintaining the current status forever. But we aren’t ready to share our next steps just yet.
Finally, please consider including Holy Order Sol next.
Our heartfelt thanks to Akira Katano and Ken Miyauchi for speaking with Esports.gg at the Arc World Tour Finals.