Guilty Gear Strive fans had a lot to look forward to during The Game Awards with the official confirmation of Elphelt Valentine as the latest DLC, as well as new modes added to the game.
Days before the event, low-resolution images of Elphelt's new design circulated on social media, seemingly inspired by K-pop idol fashion, which ruined the reveal. However, the TGA info dump had enough surprises to mend the ruined surprise.
First, players won't have to wait for Elphelt Valentine to join the roster as she became available on the day she was officially unveiled, December 7. Furthermore, the patch also brings balance changes, including two new moves for Axl and Potemkin.
That's not all, though, as the immediate future of Guilty Gear Strive looks as bright as ever, even among the stiff competition in the fighting game genre with the likes of Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1, and Tekken 8 with the announcement of new game modes.
A new 3v3 mode will be released at some point in 2024. It won't be offline play only, as ArcSys intends this feature to be used online as well, pitting six different players against one another.
With the release of Elphelt Valentine, Guilty Gear Strive's roster jumps to 26 characters. Season 3 kicked off with Johnny, making Elphelt the second character in this year's season pass, with two more confirmed for 2024.
There are still a lot of fan-favourite missing from the roster, like Slayer, Venom, Robo-Ky, and Jam. Fans are hoping for a season 4 to round up the roster. Considering Strive is the most successful title in the Guilty Gear franchise, it might become a reality.
We'll have more fighting game news soon. In the meantime, why not check out our up-to-date Guilty Gear Strive tier list, if you're looking to try out other games, we recommend our Street Fighter 6 beginner tips to get you started.