Mortal Kombat X Enhanced Netcode Beta Registration Now Open

Last week closed out with some excellent news for the online warriors of Mortal Kombat X: the game is getting new and improved netcode. While not exactly GGPO, as Ed Boon’s mysterious Tweet earlier last week hinted, it will be rollback-based and should, therefore, offer an improvement over the game’s current connection method.

Before dropping new code into the existing game, the folks at NetherRealm Studios have decided to hold a beta test to make sure everything runs as expected. While it will be open to the public, those looking to participate have to go through a signup process. This won’t guarantee a spot in the beta, but it never hurts to give it a shot.

Registration just went live, so head on over to the registration site and drop in your credentials if you’re looking to help improve the game. There’s no word on when this beta will begin, but invites are expected to start going out this week.

Source: Mortal Kombat

Ryan Hart: Simple combos do not make winning easier

There are few players out there as highly decorated as Ryan Hart. Aside from multiple tournament wins, including two at Evolution, the Prodigal Son has also been added to the Guinness Book of World Record a whopping three times.

Now, with Street Fighter V coming out in less than a month, Hart recently began a brand new blog series for sponsor Falcon Arena detailing his thoughts on the upcoming game. The first part sees him talk mostly about online play, specifically ranked.

Here, he describes some things he’s hoping for when it comes to ranked matchmaking, specifically in terms of filters and making sure people can play who they want to. Hart hopes that the matchmaking system should allow people to see their opponents stats before they accept the match so that new players aren’t discouraged when they suddenly get matched up against veterans and end up avoiding anyone that they feel they can’t beat.

The meat of Hart’s writing, however, is included in the second and third parts, which deal with topics like character selection, execution, and balance.

While he admits that harsh execution barriers exclude even those who study a game thoroughly, Hart believes they can add an extra layer of appreciation for the work high-level players put into their craft. That said, he’s unfazed by the notion Street Fighter V may have easier combos.

“One must not get mixed up in the idea that simplifying the combos makes winning easier, this is a misconception. Easier combos makes playing the game easier but not winning. Beginners don’t lose because they cannot do combos,” Hart continues. “Having the ability to create out of the box, devise strategy, deal with pressure, adapt on the fly, and stay ahead of the opponent mentally are some things that separate the wheat from the chaff.”

Of course, this is just part of the overall discussion, so be sure to follow the link below to read more of Hart’s thoughts on these matters.

Source: Falcon Arena, image via Mad Catz

Kotobukiya Adds Tekken 7’s Lucky Chloe to Bishoujo Figure Lineup

One of the more controversial new characters in Tekken 7 is the cat ear-wearing dancer Lucky Chloe. When she was first announced, players were split on whether or not her cutesy design and antics belonged in the Tekken series.

For those who count yourselves as fans, Bandai Namco Entertainment has partnered with Kotobukiya to release a Lucky Chloe figure as part of their Tekken Bishoujo line

As with all items in this collection, Lucky Chloe features a sculpt based on art by Shunya Yamashita, a Bandai Namco-affiliated designer who previously contributed to Tekken Tag Tournament 2. The piece in question captures the newcomer in a cute fighting pose, complete with her trademark furry jacket and headphones.

Lucky Chloe is set to retail at ¥7500 (~$64 USD) and should be available at a variety of online retailers. Shipments are planned for July.

Click to view slideshow.

Sources: Kotobukiya via CrunchyrollHaruhichan

[UPDATE] Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- Console Launch Scheduled for May 26, Kum Haehyun Joins Cast

While many of us expected Dizzy to be the next character added to Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- due to her success in last year’s fan vote, developer Arc System Works has faked us out by announcing a brand new cast member: Kum Haehyun.

Haehyun first appeared in the updated -REVELATOR- storyline as the hulking, elderly man seen in the scan below, but her true form can be seen in the lower-right of the first page. She apparently uses the outer costume during battle, and is described as utilizing moves that are easy to pull off.

ggxrd-kumu-famitsu-scan

Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- is set to launch for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 on May 26 in Japan, with a spring release slated for North America.

Sources: Famitsu via Gematsu, Baf0Gear Project, CleverFOXSOL, featured image courtesy of sourenga

Hades Izanami Playable in BlazBlue: Central Fiction Starting January 28

According to new details from Famitsu, the arcade version of BlazBlue: Central Fiction will receive a playable version of Hades Izanami on January 28. This is the same day the previously announced ‘Act2’ update is scheduled to release.

The main antagonist of the BlazBlue saga, Izanami inhabits the body of Ragna and Jin’s sister, Saya. She’s previously appeared in the series as a non-playable boss character.

bbcf-izanami-famitsu-scan

We’re sure to hear more about Izanami’s playstyle once the next issue of Famitsu hits store shelves later this week, so stay tuned.

Source: Famitsu via Gematsu

Street Fighter V Beta Live on PlayStation 4, PC

While all of the planned beta phases are done, it would seem Capcom isn’t down teasing us with early builds of Street Fighter V just yet. The client opened up earlier tonight for what the developers are calling a “tech check” on their servers.

As a nod to this weekend’s WWE Royal Rumble, only Birdie, Zangief, R. Mika, and Laura are playable.

Street Fighter V recently received a substantial patch that added more alternate costumes and made mention of the beta returning in its official changelog.

A definite schedule past the “next few hours” wasn’t provided, so be sure to jump on and get as much playtime in before Capcom raises the drawbridge once more.

Source: SFV Server

More Alternate Costumes Discovered in Latest Street Fighter V Update

As some of you may know, Street Fighter V’s beta client was recently updated with a large patch. While we still don’t know what this means for those with access to the beta, we now know that part of that download was dedicated to data for more alternate costumes.

A resourceful NeoGAF user by the name of Scrub Mcgrubb has discovered outfits that differ from the few that have already been announced. These include Birdie’s suave concept art design, a battle-damaged look for M. Bison similar to a look from Street Fighter IV, some sort of tribal armor for Necalli, a slightly more militaristic Cammy, a new dress for Karin, Laura’s outfit from Capcom’s recent New Year’s shoutout, and Chun-Li finally donning her police uniform.

 

Click to view slideshow.

A model for Alex was also found in the data, but the file path leads us to believe it’s only for his appearance in the New York City stage and isn’t indicative of his final design.

Please take note that we still don’t have a clear picture of how this content will look in the game. That said, the user who extracted the models is currently working on getting better shots in a separate program, so stay tuned.

Street Fighter V launches for PlayStation 4 and PC on Feburary 16.

Source: NeoGAF

Pokkén Tournament is Pokémon Tekken in Germany

Localization is a tricky thing. Even when you take translation out of the equation, there’s still the matter of making sure the text and content makes sense in the region for which you’re writing.

Earlier today, it was brought to our attention that one such localization was made for the German release of Pokkén Tournament. Various pieces of promotional material have revealed that the game will be dubbed Pokémon Tekken when it reaches the populous European nation.

As for why this change was made, it’s likely due to the title’s similarity to the German word for smallpox, pocken. Furthermore, previous reports have pointed out that pokken is the disease’s name in Dutch, so fans located in the Netherlands might see their version of the game adjusted in the same way.

And really, it certainly could have been worse. Pokkén was envisioned as a portmanteau of Pokémon and Tekken anyways, so the German title just makes the game’s inspirations more obvious.

Pokkén Tournament is set to launch for Wii U worldwide on March 18.

Sources: PrinnyDoodPokémon Germany (via JakubDi), Kotaku

Humble Bundle Offering Big Discounts on King of Fighters Titles

After celebrating Neo Geo’s 25th anniversary back in December, Humble Bundle returned this weekend with another round of PC sales for SNK fighters both old and new.

This time out, they’re offering heavy discounts on King of Fighters XIII Steam Edition, which is available for only $4.99, as well as King of Fighters 98 Ultimate Match Final Edition and King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, both of which are marked down to $2.99 apiece.

These deals will be available until January 29. As with other Humble sales, 10% of every purchase will go to support a charity of the buyer’s choosing.

Source: Humble Bundle

Humble Bundle Offering Big Discounts on King of Fighters Titles

After celebrating Neo Geo’s 25th anniversary back in December, Humble Bundle returned this weekend with another round of PC sales for SNK fighters both old and new.

This time out, they’re offering heavy discounts on King of Fighters XIII Steam Edition, which is available for only $4.99, as well as King of Fighters 98 Ultimate Match Final Edition and King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, both of which are marked down to $2.99 apiece.

These deals will be available until January 29. As with other Humble sales, 10% of every purchase will go to support a charity of the buyer’s choosing.

Source: Humble Bundle