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Skullgirls to beat down Japanese arcades
Skullgirls, the little fighting game that could, just keeps on chugging. The magazine image above was discovered by NeoGAF, showing Skullgirls listed for release in Japanese arcades (7th from the bottom). That's a very big deal for an independently developed American fighting game. Developer Lab Zero Games acknowledged as much on NeoGAF, with studio head Peter "Ravidrath" Bartholow confirming the news saying, "We are stupidly excited for this, just because I can't think of a single other non-Japanese dev that can say they have a game out in Japanese arcades." He added that a Japanese company is handling the port. Furthermore, the game will be out "as soon as possible," and the recently crowd-funded DLC characters will be added in future updates.
Skullgirls' fourth new character is Beowolf
The results are in, and fans have voted to make Beowolf the fourth new character in Lab Zero Games' little fighter that could, Skullgirls. An ex pro wrestler, Beowolf and his trusty folding chair (named The Hurting, naturally) have come out of retirement in order to test the true limits of his strength. Being a wrestler and everything, Beowolf's playstyle has been influence by Street Fighter's Rainbow Mika and El Fuerte, as well as Tekken's King. Beowolf is the fourth new character to be funded by Lab Zero's wildly successful Indiegogo campaign, which raised over $800,000 for DLC production back in March. Three other characters, Eliza, Squigly and Big Band, are also currently in development. Squigly is expected to be the first released, dropping alongside the PC version of the game sometime this summer.
Skullgirls character color packs hit PSN, balance patch out on XBLA
Lab Zero Games released a PlayStation Network-exclusive batch of new DLC for its 2D fighter Skullgirls, giving the game's cast a wider variety of colorful wardrobe options. Skullgirls' eight color packs grant access to five additional color schemes per character, and are priced at $0.99 each. Players can also grab all 40 alternate outfits by purchasing a $5 bundle. Owners of the Xbox Live Arcade edition will have to wait until a later date to explore this new world of color coordination. Starting today, however, XBLA players now have access to a long-delayed balance patch. The newly released "required compatibility update," which is available as a hefty 273 MB download, fixes regional online play and improves GGPO performance, among many other character-specific tweaks. A full list of changes is here.%Gallery-188334%
Skullgirls reveals third crowd-funded DLC character, Eliza
The third DLC character for Skullgirls, as decided by fan voting on the game's Indiegogo page, is Eliza. She appears as a Cleopatra-inspired character, with hulking Egyptian gods at her side and at least one mummified foot. We like to think Elizabeth would approve of the Skullgirls fans' taste.Eliza is the first of two mystery characters coming to Skullgirls, alongside Squigly and Big Band. Those last two will each receive a story mode and an all-new stage. One of the mystery characters will get a story mode and stage, while the second mystery character missed that goal by $20,000.
Skullgirls funding temporarily blocked by Paypal [update: XBLA patch on the way]
Paypal froze Lab Zero Games' account briefly today, due to risk that a significant number of Skullgirls crowdfunding pledges would be revoked. Lab Zero allowed backers to vote on new DLC characters, leading to the theory that if their chosen character didn't make it into the game, some fans would pull their "vote." "Basically, they are terrified of chargebacks," CEO Peter Bartholow told Venturebeat. "If we spend all the money and don't deliver and everyone [requests] chargebacks, PayPal is concerned they will be on the line for [the money]. So, they are effectively treating it as a loan."After discussions with PayPal, the company has "unrestricted" Lab Zero's account, but continues to hold around $35,000, which Lab Zero CEO Peter Bartholow had planned to use for payroll. "They've only got $35k of our money frozen, so we're not in any real danger," Bartholow said on NeoGAF. "It's just an inconvenience at the moment."Update: In other Skullgirls news, Bartholow tells XBLAFans the "Slightly Different" patch should arrive in the next two weeks on Xbox.
Skullgirls drive ends at $830K, five DLC characters funded [update]
The Skullgirls Indiegogo fundraiser concluded this week at the neat figure of $829,829, beating its $150,000 goal by some five and a half times. The whirlwind drive means five new characters will come to the 2D fighter as downloadable content, including two "mystery" ones as chosen by a fan poll.Developer Lab Zero Game's Indiegogo campaign took just 22 hours to raise the $150K required to fund the first DLC character, Squigly. Surpassed stretch goals unlocked the game's first male combatant, Big Band, along with Robo-Fortune and the two mystery characters. Each new fighter, with the exception of the second mystery one, is getting a new stage and storyline. That exception would've been unlocked at $850K, although it took a mammoth surge across the final day to take the fundraiser to its final figure.Lab Zero says each piece of content developed thanks to the funds will be, for a limited time, free on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.Update: Lab Zero has since announced, due to unexpected additional funds, the second mystery character will get a stage and storyline. Lab Zero CEO Peter Bartholow posted an explanation on NeoGAF: "Non-disclosure agreements with the powers that be prevent me from getting too specific, but in the last week one of our character development line items has evaporated. This means we've got an additional $40,000 to play with now. Naturally we'll be using this money to give the 2nd fan-selected Mysterious Character a stage and story mode."
Skullgirls gets third 'mystery character,' more from Indiegogo drive
With just hours to go, Skullgirls' massive Indiegogo funding drive has hit $725,000, blowing past the $600,000 required to fund the addition of a third "mystery character" as downloadable content.Previous goals unlocked Squigly, Big Band (with their own storylines and stages), and additional voice packs. Also unlocked at $725,000: a free copy of the Skullgirls "Z Engine" for the Fighting is Magic team, and another character, Robo-Fortune. At $825,000, another new mystery character will be added as DLC.The "mystery character" or characters will be determined through a voting campaign by backers. There are ... 32 different choices.
Skullgirls dev may license engine to Fighting is Magic team for free
Skullgirls developer Lab Zero Games announced plans to provide former MLP: Fighting is Magic developer Mane6 with a free license of its Skullgirls engine should Lab Zero Games' Indiegogo campaign reach $725,000. Lab Zero Games launched its crowdfunding campaign in late February to fund new characters for Skullgirls with an initial $150,000 goal that it reached in just 24 hours.As for Mane6, its ambitions to create a fighting game based on the My Little Pony property were halted by Hasbro in early February due to Mane6 not having the rights to develop the game. Mane6 has since noted its desire to continue development on its game, now using new characters in a new setting. Lab Zero Games' Indiegogo campaign is currently at just over $427,000 with 11 days left before it closes.
Skullgirls pencils in Linux port, Squigly to be voiced by Lauren Landa
Mike Zaimont, the creator of the fighting engine powering Skullgirls, has revealed that a Linux port is currently in the works. Word came via Zaimont's Salty Cupcakes tournament series, which he's been hosting on a weekly basis in Los Angeles and streaming through Twitch.Skullgirls is currently seeking donations through Indiegogo, having already successfully funded the DLC characters Squigly and Big Band. During his weekly stream, Zaimont also revealed that Squigly will be voiced by Lauren Landa, the voice actress perhaps best known for her voice work as Kasumi from Dead or Alive. Squigly's sidekick Leviathan will be voiced by Liam O'Brien, who has belted out lines as Rig in Dead or Alive 5 and himself every other time he says anything.
Skullgirls secures funding for second DLC character, Big Band
Skullgirls developer Lab Zero Games has announced its Indiegogo pledge drive has earned enough for a second DLC character, the first male fighter to make his way onto the roster: Big Band. With 14 days remaining, the Skullgirls Indiegogo page rests at a comfortable $380,000.Initially the Indiegogo campaign was to fuel a single DLC character – developer Lab Zero Games asked for $150,000, exceeding that goal in a brisk 24 hours. If you find yourself wondering why it costs so much money to come up with one little old DLC character, know the process requires more work than you'd think.
Skullgirls' $150,000 Indiegogo goal met in less than 24 hours
Skullgirls developer Lab Zero Games has not only succeeded in raising the $150,000 required to design, develop and implement the game's first DLC character, but in doing so has also delivered crowd-funding platform Indiegogo's fastest and most-funded gaming project to date.The fundraiser met its goal after 22 hours, and is sitting just above $184,000 as of press time, with 29 days of funding still left to go. This means that the project's first stretch goal, a new level and story mode campaign for Squigly, the new character, has also been completely funded. If the fundraiser reaches $375,000 before its completion, Skullgirls' first male character, Big Band, will also be created.Once completed, Squigly will be made available at no cost on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
Skullgirls character crowdfunding breakdown: What that $150K is for
When the developers responsible for Skullgirls were laid off from Reverge Labs last summer, they reformed as Lab Zero Games and pledged to continue working on the franchise, in November announcing that the first DLC character was "indefinitely delayed" while the studio found its footing.Now Lab Zero is ready to get rocking on Squigly, its first DLC character, but it needs $150,000 to make that happen. Lab Zero set up an Indiegogo campaign to get the cash via crowdfunding, a move that puts the amount of money under a public microscope. Some potential players are outraged at the cost of making a single character – Lab Zero CEO Peter Bartholow tells Joystiq he doesn't expect people to understand the budget, but it is "reasonable with all the relevant information."Bartholow breaks down the Squigly budget as follows: $48,000: Staff Salaries – 8 people for 10 weeks $30,000: Animation and Clean-up Contracting $4,000: Voice recording $2,000: Hit-box Contracting $5,000: Audio Implementation Contracting $20,000: QA Testing $10,000: 1st Party Certification $10,500: Indiegogo and Payment Processing Fees $20,500: Manufacturing and Shipping Physical PerksOriginal Skullgirls characters cost $200,000 - $250,000 apiece and the game's total budget was $1.7 million. The salaries in Lab Zero's Squigly budget are reduced, as well, Bartholow says."So, as you can see, over two-fifths of the money is spent on all the stuff we need to do just to get to collect the money and get her onto people's systems," he says. "This is just the reality of crowdfunding and independent console development right now. And also probably why more games don't do what we're attempting, too."
Skullgirls dev wants $150,000 in crowdfunding for new character
Mike Zaimont and Peter Bartholow of Lab Zero Games recently unveiled plans during a Twitch.tv stream to crowdfund a new character for Skullgirls, Shoryuken reported. Zaimont and Bartholow's goal is to raise $150,000 starting February 25 to develop the "Squigly" character, her story and stage, in addition to stretch goals for two other characters."I know that $150k sounds like a ton of money, and it's only that cheap because we're taking huge paycuts to try and make it happen at all," Bartholow told Shoryuken. "A full cost breakdown will be provided so that people can see how their money will be spent."Once the Squigly character is completed, she will be available free for three months on all platforms, regardless if players have contributed to the developer's crowdfunding efforts.
EVO 2013 charity drive raises over $200,000, Smash Bros. Melee final game selection
EVO 2013's charity fundraising competition for the benefit of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation has come to a close, raising an astonishing $225,744 for the cause. The Super Smash Bros. Melee community, having raised the most money out of the competing groups ($94,683), will have its game of choice featured as the eighth official EVO 2013 tournament selection.Of course, reaching the fundraiser's herculean total required the efforts of fighting game communities from all walks. Skullgirls faithfuls piled up $78,760, for instance, while Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo devotees brought in $39,567.The full list of contributors can be found after the break, and while not every community was able to reach a five-figure sum, every bit matters in the fight against cancer. Good game, everyone.
Skullgirls PC moving forward through new deal with Marvelous AQL
Development of the long-awaited PC version of indie fighter Skullgirls is set to begin in "the coming weeks," thanks to a funding/publishing deal between existing publisher Autumn Games and Japanese publisher Marvelous AQL.The agreement, which is in its "final stages" according to Peter Bartholow, CEO of developer Lab Zero Games, will allow Skullgirls to be ported to the PC with "expanded multiplayer functionality" as compared to the console version. Bartholow expects the porting process to take "around four months" to complete, with more information regarding the port's new features, as well as details on a public beta, to follow as development progresses.Meanwhile, Skullgirls' quest to raise the most money for breast cancer research (and therefore become the eighth official EVO 2013 selection) continues. Limited edition posters (left) are now available for pre-order, with 50 percent of all sales going directly to the fundraiser.
Skullgirls XBLA patch in limbo due to file size
Despite landing on the PlayStation 3 back in late November, Skullgirls' Slightly Different Edition update has yet to make its way to Microsoft's console. The delay is due to the file size of the update itself, according to XBLA Fan's translation of a tweet from the official Japanese Skullgirls account.While Microsoft limits XBLA updates to just four megs, the fighter's Slightly Different Edition patch weighs in at 590 megabytes. Being granted an exception to the rule is apparently possible, though subsequently time consuming. No announcements have been made regarding an expected completion date for the whole deal.Though dubbed Slightly Different, the patch changes an impressive number of details for each character in Skullgirls, in addition to adding further modes and UI improvements. It's also supposed to decrease load times, though the patch itself seems to be suffering from quite a long one.Update: We were contacted by Lab Zero Games' Peter Bartholow, who clarified the situation a bit further. "We've been working with MS developer support and have managed to reduce the size of the update significantly," Bartholow said. He went on to inform us that the size of the update itself is "still in flux," but that Lab Zero is "hopeful that the size reduction will help speed up the submission process."
PSN Monday: Skullgirls, Sound Shapes and more discounted, free NBA Jam for PS Plus members
Because of New Year's festivities, Sony has updated the PlayStation Network a day earlier than usual. This week brings a bunch of discounts for some of 2012's best, including a few bucks off Sound Shapes, Skullgirls, Tokyo Jungle, Shadow of the Colossus and many more. Of course, if you're a PlayStation Plus member everything is discounted a tad bit extra.PS Plus subscribers also get their requisite free games this week, including NBA Jam: On Fire Edition and PS Vita puzzle-platformer, Chronovolt. Both of those are available in PS Plus members' Instant Game Collection right now – for the full list of this week's deals, hit up the PlayStation Blog.
Skullgirls team forms new studio, continues work on series
The team behind Skullgirls will continue work on the game under a new banner after being quietly laid off from Reverge Labs this summer. Shoryuken lays out the odd tale that finds the team being let go in June, but then reforming as Lab Zero Games and continuing work on the franchise."Not being able to tell anyone about these rather significant developments has almost been as bad as being largely unemployed and unable to continue our work on Skullgirls," an introductory letter on Lab Zero Games' site reads. "We have always strived to be as open and transparent as our business and legal obligations will allow, but we feared news of these events would discourage our fans more than our conspicuous silence would. Being able to finally fill everyone in on everything is a huge relief, and we hope you understand our reasons for keeping quiet until now."We've reached out to Lab Zero for more details. In the meantime, the developer says the circumstances of the summer have delayed work on the PC version of Skullgirls and "indefinitely delayed" the first DLC character. They haven't given up, they're just busy trying to get back up.
Skullgirls 'Slightly Different Edition' patch hits PS3 version Nov. 20
The PlayStation network version of indie fighting game Skullgirls will be receiving a rather sizable update next Tuesday, November 20. Dubbed "Skullgirls: Slightly Different Edition," the patch makes a multitude of balance and gameplay changes to all characters, in addition to correcting bugs and adding new features/modes.Amongst those new features are the addition of in-game move lists for each character, a new Tournament Mode that streamlines the user interface and menu hierarchy for tournament settings, cross-compatibility between North American and European/Australian matchmaking regions in online play, individual character tutorials and a lot more.No date has been given for when the patch will be applied to the XBLA version of the game, though the patch notes do promise to greatly improve load times whenever that happens. The full list of changes, including character/balance adjustments and other various mechanical fiddling, can be found here.
I Am Alive tops April 2012 PSN downloads; Escape Plan still atop PS Vita list
The full PlayStation downloads list for April – as opposed to the sneak peek we got thanks to Pulse earlier this month, where the list is not segregated by platform – has been released and Ubisoft's I Am Alive was indeed the top download. On the PS3 and PSN list, thatgamecompany's Journey followed Ubisoft's long-awaited title. Reverge Labs' debut Skullgirls managed to snag the third spot.On the PS Vita side, Escape Plan continued to dominate – no surprise since there's not much else for the PS Vita right now, though that changes today. Modern Warfare 3's Content Collection #1 drop on PSN also did well, topping out the PS3 add-on category. Finally, Final Fantasy VII was the top PSOne Classic, but then again you already knew that because it's always Final Fantasy VII.
