“We want Version 2.0 to feel almost like picking up a new game.” That’s how Guilty Gear Strive producer Ken Miyauchi framed Arc System Works’ next big push — and the studio has started to show its cards.
A deliberate redo, not a glow‑up
ArcSys teased Version 2.0 at Evo 2025, and the developer’s recent Developer’s Backyard video (vol. 19) pulled back the curtain on what that tease actually means. The aim isn’t minor tuning: Miyauchi says the team wants a refreshed overall experience — something that preserves what worked while pruning mechanics and decisions that have narrowed play over four years.
Practically, that translates into a mix of systemic changes and targeted touches. Expect one new character bundled into the Version 2.0 launch, with additional fighters trickling in afterward rather than a full Season 5 pass being confirmed. The trailer hints that Jam and Robo Ky could be in the wings, but nothing’s official yet.
Balance-wise, ArcSys is explicitly taking a scalpel to the runaway bits of the game. Universal mechanics have stacked over time and, according to Miyauchi, raised the overall performance ceiling in ways that blurred risk-versus-reward. Wild Assault — one of Strive’s signature universal moves — is getting a careful reassessment to make matches more intuitive, less swingy, and friendlier to newcomers.
Beyond tuning, the team is open to deeper character reworks for some fighters, and will add new moves for Sol, Ky, Nagoriyuki and Leo. Quality‑of‑life and online moderation improvements are also on the list, including measures aimed at curbing bad actors who hurt the competitive experience.
Meanwhile: Switch catches up (finally)
Players on Nintendo Switch haven’t been left out. On December 18, 2025 Arc System Works rolled a major update for Guilty Gear -Strive- Nintendo Switch Edition (listed as version 1.07 / Battle Ver. 4.09). It brings three Season‑4 characters to the hybrid platform: Venom (long‑range, billiard‑style zoning), Unika (an all‑rounder from the Dual Rulers anime), and Lucy — the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners guest who adds mobility and hacking status effects.
That Switch patch also added a raft of features that competitive players have wanted for a while: an enhanced training mode with frame‑data display, a ranked matchmaking ladder (with exclusive rewards), and a mid‑match Vote to Cancel Match plus pre‑match connection checks. Language support expanded to include Brazilian Portuguese, and new colors, avatar parts and digital figures joined the in‑game economy. A few items — like the BGM “I Really Want to Stay at Your House” and a couple of stages — remain unsupported on the Switch edition for now.
The Switch update lands at an interesting moment for Nintendo’s ecosystem as whole; ArcSys’ content push arrives while Nintendo is seeing renewed hardware momentum and third‑party attention, which helps contextualize why bringing parity to Switch mattered to both players and the publisher as Nintendo’s hardware forecasts have shifted in recent months. Third‑party support and timed releases are part of that broader picture, too, so the Switch patch arriving now fits into a larger reengagement from outside developers [/news/nintendo-switch-2-games-release-plan].
If you play on console, note that Strive is available across a lot of hardware — PS4/PS5 (including the new PS5 Pro), Xbox Series X|S, Switch and PC — so cross‑platform competition remains a selling point for the scene. If you’re still shopping for a high‑end PlayStation setup, the PlayStation 5 Pro is an option to consider (available on Amazon) PS5 Pro.
The show goes on — with music
Arc System Works is also pushing Strive as a live entertainment property. A promotional video released this month teases the upcoming ARC WORLD TOUR SPECIAL in Korea (March 20–22, 2026) and includes about five minutes of footage from the big Yokohama GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- MUSIC LIVE concert held in April 2025. The clip focuses on stage atmosphere, vocal performances and audience reactions — a reminder that Strive’s soundtrack and live shows are core to the brand’s identity.
That music tour, the Version 2.0 overhaul and the Switch parity update together suggest ArcSys is trying to reset the franchise’s momentum in multiple directions: competitive integrity, accessibility for new players, and cultural visibility through concerts and crossovers (Lucy’s Cyberpunk tie‑in is the most visible example).
Expect more details across 2026. Arc System Works hasn’t given a precise launch date for Version 2.0 beyond saying it’s a 2026 milestone, so for now players can dig into the Switch additions, follow the live tour clips, and watch for balance previews as the developer refines what “almost like a new game” will actually play like on tournament floors and casual matchups alike.