Fighting games have been evolving over the past few years, finally taking lessons from other genres in the video game medium. In addition, it seems as if the developers behind them are taking fan feedback seriously. The biggest aspect of this tectonic shift in the genre is rollback netcode. The tech allows fighting games, which normally require strict and precise inputs, to be played over long distances with greatly reduced latency issues. At the forefront of the rollback netcode revolution is Arc System Works, the developers of the Guilty Gear series, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and many others. This week, the company takes the next step by giving BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle rollback netcode.
The game received a public test for rollback netcode in February, and it was a resounding success. Just like with BlazBlue Central Fiction before, it turns out if your online mode works, people will want to play it. Shocker, I know. The public test will officially end on April 13 to make room for the official and permanent implementation of rollback netcode for BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle on April 14.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is the latest in Arc System Works’ back catalog to receive a rollback netcode upgrade. As previously mentioned, BlazBlue Central Fiction received the treatment earlier this year. Guilty Gear XX: Accent Core Plus R got its upgrade way back in December of 2020. Later this summer, the re-release of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will also receive rollback netcode, just a few short months after its initial launch.
What else will get the rollback makeover?
There are only a few games left in Arc System Works’ recent back catalog to not get the same treatment. Most notably, that includes both Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 and Dragon Ball FighterZ. Fans of the latter have been screaming from the mountaintops to receive rollback since its release. Dragon Ball FighterZ is easily one of the best fighting games of the modern era, but its lackluster netcode holds it back from being one of the best in the genre’s history. Hopefully these constant back-to-back successes will show Toei, which hold the rights to the franchise, the benefits of such an upgrade.
Arc System Works isn’t alone, though. Other companies have also jumped on the rollback netcode bandwagon. SNK did so with its most recent release, The King of Fighters XV. With any luck, Capcom and Bandai Namco will follow suit with Street Fighter 6 and the inevitable Tekken 8 respectively. You can find out more information on BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle on the game’s official website.
Published: Apr 12, 2022 10:30 am