In case you missed it, the Arc World Tour 2024 Finals were held in Los Angeles last month! The top Guilty Gear -Strive- and Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes players came together to compete under one roof. As a -Strive- player, it was thrilling to see the finals broadcast for the folks at home.
The Arc World Tour 2024 Finals also presented us with an opportunity to connect with Ken Miyauchi, the producer of Guilty Gear -Strive-. Coming out of my review of -Strive- for the Nintendo Switch, I was thrilled to ask him about his thoughts about the Switch launch, his perspective on -Strive-‘s impact over the years, and what’s to come.
Check out our interview with Mr. Miyauchi below, along with some awesome shots from the Finals!
Q: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Mr. Miyauchi! I was thrilled to review and play -Strive- on the Nintendo Switch when it launched in January. How is the team feeling about the Switch launch?
A: The development team is very happy that GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- is now playable on the Nintendo Switch. Initially, GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- was not designed with the Nintendo Switch in mind, so we are truly pleased that we were able to achieve a quality on Switch that is comparable to other platforms.
Q: It’s been four years since -Strive- has launched! What’s been something that you and the team are most proud of over these past four years? Looking back, what would you have done differently?
A: The fact that we have been able to keep going for this long is entirely thanks to the support of GUILTY GEAR fans. The fact that the game continues to be loved is something we are very proud of. Since launch, we have successfully implemented all the additional modes that were originally planned for the game. Moving forward, we can now fully focus on updates that align with our players’ expectations.
Q:Despite recent launches (such as Tekken 8, MK1, and SFVI), -Strive- has maintained its position as a competitive fighter (and a very fun one, at that). Why do you think that is? What are your current thoughts on the fighting games of 2025?
A: We take great pride in GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-’s unique cel-shaded visual style, which sets it apart from other titles. Moreover, in the realm of 3D visual-based weapon combat fighting games, maintaining a high standard even in 2025 is a major strength of ours. Of course, we owe our continued success to our dedicated player base. Their support has allowed us to maintain the highest quality in our character updates without any compromise.
Looking ahead, I believe more fighting games will continue to be released, and we aim to stand our ground by excelling in the areas where we truly shine.
Q: To follow up – part of what I love about -Strive- is its approachability. It’s so easy to pick up and play, regardless if you’re unfamiliar with the genre or someone who has spent hours on the ranked tower. What are your thoughts on approachability in today’s fighting titles?
A: GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- was originally designed as a reconstruction of the series, incorporating lessons learned from past titles—particularly, our past failures in approachability.
In Japan, the long history of fighting games has cemented the perception that they are “difficult games,” and GUILTY GEAR in particular had developed an almost cursed reputation as a title that beginners should avoid. Even today, some people in Japan who have never played GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- assume it is too difficult for newcomers.
That’s why I’m thrilled to hear players say that GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- is enjoyable regardless of experience.
I believe that many recent Japanese fighting games, not just ours, have been developed with approachability in mind. What’s more, these games are carefully designed to ensure that accessibility does not come at the cost of depth, making them more refined than ever.
Q: Characters like A.B.A., Asuka, and Zato-1 have unique fighting styles and movesets. On the topic of -Strive-‘s complexity, how did you go about carving out the roster of the more complex characters? How did you go about solidifying these characters’ fighting styles in making them play so fresh?
A: I am not directly involved in battle design, but the core philosophy of GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- is that players can enjoy a character without having to master complex techniques, while also offering a deep level of difficulty for those who want to compete at a high level.
For characters like A.B.A. and Zato, we retained their fundamental battle concepts from previous games while adapting them to fit within -Strive-’s philosophy.
Asuka, on the other hand, was a completely new character. His design was heavily influenced by his story and his role as the GUILTY GEAR series’ final boss.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that even the more complex characters are approachable at a casual level while offering unique, skill-intensive challenges for those who want to master them.
Q: I’ve been thrilled with the characters added to -Strive- as a part of the fighting passes, Queen Dizzy especially. With Venom’s imminent release, how are you feeling about the game’s roster of legacy characters so far?
A: I’m personally very excited as well. Since GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- takes place after a time elapse, many characters have undergone changes in their outfits, stances, and more. No one on the development team knows what the final design will look like until Daisuke Ishiwatari submits his rough sketches. From there, the team adds various finishing touches, and sometimes, even we are surprised by the final outcome.
Q: If I recall correctly, Lucy is the first guest character in a GG game. How did you go about selecting her, and what’s been your inspiration behind her in-game designs? What are you hoping she adds to the GG universe?
A: As GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- approached its fourth anniversary, we wanted to bring a fresh feel to the title and reach new audiences. We realized that to do so, we needed to appeal to demographics that we had not previously engaged.
During this process, our lead designer, Hidehiko Sakamura, who is a fan of The Witcher 3, suggested reaching out to CD Projekt RED. When I contacted them, they proposed Lucy from “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners”, and that’s how we decided on her inclusion.
Development on Lucy is progressing smoothly, and while I can’t reveal details just yet, I can say that we’ve incorporated elements that will surprise even Cyberpunk fans.
Q: Finally, on the topic of guest characters – which other franchises would you like to see crossed over into the GG universe? Where would you love to see GG characters emerge as guest fighters?
A: I’m afraid I can’t answer that question at this time. While we are not opposed to adding more guest characters in the future, our current priority is fully focusing on Lucy. That said, if there are opportunities to collaborate with franchises that fit well with our world, we would certainly consider them with an open mind.
How about that, folks? I’m very excited to see Lucy and the additional content updates to -Strive- in the coming months, and this interview has reignited my drive to hit up the ranked ladder as Queen Dizzy. I’m also looking forward to the fourth anniversary in June 2025!
