Author: Ian "iantothemax" Walker

While the indie fighter rarely receives a huge amount of support at major tournaments across the United States, a couple of events have announced big news regarding Skullgirls Encore that members of their niche community will definitely eat up.

First off, Combo Breaker (the spiritual successor to Adam “Keits” Heart’s Ultimate Fighting Game Tournament series) revealed recently that Skullgirls will not only be included in their official lineup, but will also receive its own slot on the main stage, giving it a proper showing to the rest of the fighting game community.

But it doesn’t stop there. Developers Lab Zero Games saw this and, never one to miss an opportunity to support the scene, announced that they will be supplying a $2000 pot bonus to the proceedings, providing a little extra incentive for players to make it out.

Northwest Majors 7 will feature its very own bonus to the Skullgirls prize pool, courtesy of regional LAN center GameClucks. Though a concrete stage schedule has yet to be set up, the title will also serve as part of this event’s official lineup.

You can find more information on Combo Breaker and Northwest Majors 7 by following their respective links.

Sources: TheHadou, GameClucks

Looks like Mewtwo might not be the only downloadable character heading to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS.

According to recent images posted to popular image board 4chan, Ubisoft’s Rayman will be joining the powerful Pokémon as part of the playable cast. Often thought of as a character at the same level of Mario, Sonic, Mega-Man, and Pac-Man, all of which are currently represented in the title, his arrival would definitely raise the appeal for fans of classic video games.

Many of you may remember that cast members like Bowser Jr., Duck Hunt, and Shulk were leaked in much the same way for before the game’s official release.

The idea of future content arriving on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS has been a definite possibility ever since unused graphics were discovered in the handheld version that would supposedly allow the roster to be expanded across more than one page.

You’ll find a video below showing off Rayman’s model on the character select screen along with a handful of off-screen photos. Nothing is confirmed as of yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as more details come in.

Source: 4chan via Smashboards, Saint Valentine via Solgryn

Bandai Namco Games is one of the many studios currently showing off their wares at Japan Amusement Expo 2015 this weekend, and with Tekken 7’s pre-launch just over the horizon, they’re doing all they can to highlight their hard work on the upcoming title.

We recently got a look at newcomers Lucky Chloe and Shaheen thanks to a report from 4Gamer, but some new details have arisen regarding Kazumi Mishima, who has been teased in many of the game’s promotional videos.

According to details from convention-goers (translated and reported by Avoiding the Puddle’s Flying Wonkey), the Mishima family matriarch does make an appearance outside of the arcade opening, but as a boss character.

Upon reaching the last fight, players will be greeted by a rather fabulous-sounding intro of Kazumi entering the arena atop a tiger. During the battle, she uses the animal as a sort of summon that functions like a projectile. Other tools at her disposal include the Flash Punch and Demon Slayer strings typical of Mishima characters, Jinpachi’s Nyoishou (and, presumably, its follow-ups), and more.

It was also revealed that Kazumi utilizes her Devil form in the second round, which may be a not-so-subtle nod to the origins of the transformative powers and other story elements.

More details and possibly video footage are sure to surface during the convention’s second day when the public is allowed onto the show floor.

Tekken 7’s aforementioned pre-launch is scheduled to land in Japanese arcades on February 18, with a full release planned for March.

Source: Flying Wonkey

Bandai Namco Games is one of the many studios currently showing off their wares at Japan Amusement Expo 2015 this weekend, and with Tekken 7’s pre-launch just over the horizon, they’re doing all they can to highlight their hard work on the upcoming title.

We recently got a look at newcomers Lucky Chloe and Shaheen thanks to a report from 4Gamer, but some new details have arisen regarding Kazumi Mishima, who has been teased in many of the game’s promotional videos.

According to details from convention-goers (translated and reported by Avoiding the Puddle’s Flying Wonkey), the Mishima family matriarch does make an appearance outside of the arcade opening, but as a boss character.

Upon reaching the last fight, players will be greeted by a rather fabulous-sounding intro of Kazumi entering the arena atop a tiger. During the battle, she uses the animal as a sort of summon that functions like a projectile. Other tools at her disposal include the Flash Punch and Demon Slayer strings typical of Mishima characters, Jinpachi’s Nyoishou (and, presumably, its follow-ups), and more.

It was also revealed that Kazumi utilizes her Devil form in the second round, which may be a not-so-subtle nod to the origins of the transformative powers and other story elements.

More details and possibly video footage are sure to surface during the convention’s second day when the public is allowed onto the show floor.

Tekken 7’s aforementioned pre-launch is scheduled to land in Japanese arcades on February 18, with a full release planned for March.

Source: Flying Wonkey

With Valentine’s Day nearly upon us, what better way to celebrate a day of love and joy than with some super cheap fighting games?

PlayStation Network recently unleashed a brand new flash sale for the impending holiday, dropping prices on numerous titles across a wide variety of genres. One of the most notable sales was applied to Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, which saw both versions dropped by 60%, but you can also pick up Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, Capcom vs. SNK 2, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, Street Fighter x Tekken, Divekick, and many more at discounted rates.

We’ve included every fighting game and genre-related sale in the list below (courtesy of PlayStation Blog), but you can check out the full range of markdowns here.

Title	Platform	Original Price	Sale Price
Arcana Heart 3	PS3	$29.99	$6.00
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II	PS Vita/PSP	$9.99	$2.00
Capcom vs. SNK 2	PS3	$9.99	$2.50
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate	PS3	$39.99	$10.00
Dead or Alive 5	PS3	$19.99	$4.00
Def Jam Fight For New York: The Takeover	PSP	$9.99	$2.00
Divekick	PS4	$9.99	$4.00
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-	PS4	$59.99	$24.00
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-	PS3	$49.99	$20.00
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus	PS Vita/PSP	$9.99	$2.00
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R	PS Vita	$14.99	$3.00
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle	PS3	$49.99	$20.00
Mortal Kombat: Unchained	PS Vita/PSP	$9.99	$2.50
Soulcalibur V	PS3	$19.99	$8.00
Sportsfriends	PS4	$14.99	$7.50
Sportsfriends	PS3	$14.99	$4.50
Street Fighter Alpha (PS3/PSP/PS Vita)	PS3/PS Vita/PSP	$5.99	$1.20
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (PS3/PSP/PS Vita)	PS3/PS Vita/PSP	$5.99	$1.20
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS3/PSP/PS Vita)	PS3/PS Vita/PSP	$5.99	$1.20
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike: Online Edition Complete Pack	PS3	$19.99	$4.00
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition	PS3	$14.99	$3.00
Street Fighter x Tekken	PS3	$29.99	$7.50
Street Fighter x Tekken	PS Vita	$39.99	$10.00
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix	PS3	$9.99	$2.00
Tekken Tag Tournament 2	PS3	$34.99	$10.50
Tekken (PS3/PSP/PS Vita)	PS3/PS Vita/PSP	$5.99	$1.20
King of Fighters ’99 (PS3/PSP/PS Vita)	PS3/PS Vita/PSP	$5.99	$1.20
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown Complete Edition	PS3	$29.99	$6.00

These sales will only be available through Monday, February 16, at 9 AM PST, so be sure to take advantage of them as soon as possible.

Source: PlayStation Network, tips via bosjbug, cinnamonpirate, j8slim, Shivelamouse, and Jotamide