Beowulf Comes to Skullgirls Encore on April 17th

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Beowulf Comes to Skullgirls Encore on April 17th
Peter Bartholow CEO, Lab Zero Games
28 Author Replies

It’s been a little more than two years since Skullgirls‘ Indiegogo campaign ended, and we’re nearing the end of production of the DLC that our fans funded.

The latest addition to the lineup is Beowulf, a pro wrestler loosely inspired by the epic poem of the same name. You can download Beowulf on PS3 completely free this Friday, April 17th!

Skullgirls: Beowulf

A well-meaning meathead, Beowulf comes out of retirement to fight the Skullgirl only to find he’s in for much more than he bargained for.

PS4/Vita Update

Hold on to your butts, because we’ve got a bunch of new info on the PS4/PS Vita version of Skullgirls for you!

First up, Skullgirls on PS4/PS Vita will receive a slight name change — Skullgirls 2nd Encore.

Since these versions will be the ultimate Skullgirls experience, with all the new characters, new modes, and features, we wanted to differentiate it a bit from Skullgirls Encore, while also making it similar.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore

Why did we want to keep the subtitles similar? Because Skullgirls 2nd Encore will support cross-platform play across the entire PlayStation family: PS4, PS3, and PS Vita users will all be able to play against each other online!

Skullgirls 2nd Encore will be cross buy as well — we haven’t settled on the price yet, but you’ll get both the PS4 and PS Vita versions when you buy one. Note that current PS3 owners won’t get the new releases free — we’re putting a lot of work into these versions so we can’t just give them away, but we think the new features and improvements will be worth the upgrade!

We’ll have more information on the release date later, but hopefully this will get you more excited until then!

Robo-Fortune Update

The final Skullgirls DLC character, Robo-Fortune, is almost complete!

She’s got lasers galore, tons of puns, and comes with our most ambitious stage yet.

Everything here is still work-in-progress, but as you can see she’s coming along nicely!

Skullgirls: Robo-Fortune

lab zero gamesplaystation gamesskullgirls encore

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67 Comments

28 Author Replies

  • Sub-Zero
    April 15, 2015 at 8:08 am PDT

    Was wishing for a cheap/free upgrade…but i dont mind buying again if the price is right

  • FifthDream
    April 15, 2015 at 8:10 am PDT

    ::holding onto my butt for dear life::

    I can’t wait! I love the game. Backed the campaign and have been wanting to play it on PS4. I’m really looking forward to it!

  • XxTigerheartxX
    April 15, 2015 at 8:11 am PDT

    Sucks that we’ll have to buy this thing again, but hopefully with these new updates and additions you guys are promising are worth the upgrade. Glad you’re also adding support to last-gen arcade sticks.

  • TimMalouff
    April 15, 2015 at 8:13 am PDT

    Will current PS3 Skullgirls owners get any type of a discount on the PS4/Vita version?

    Also if we buy Skullgirls 2nd Encore will all of the PS3 extra characters be unlocked?

    I am missing Squigly & Skullgirls Encore Character Color Bundle for my PS3 edition.

  • EndRant
    April 15, 2015 at 8:17 am PDT

    This is awesome, hopefully it comes out on May. You answered what I’ve been asking for a couple of days. Day one buy for me.

  • bocahfooty
    April 15, 2015 at 8:18 am PDT

    This kinda sounds like what happened with Stealth Inc., only the Ultimate version was released for PS4 to force people to rebuy the game :/

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 1:00 pm PDT

      Considering that all the DLC will still be released on PS3 and the PS3 version is cross-play compatible with the new versions, I’m not sure why anyone would be forced to buy the new one.

      We think the new features are nice, but the PS3 version will still get all the most important stuff.

  • EndRant
    April 15, 2015 at 8:23 am PDT

    Why can’t we edit or posts? I forgot to ask something. 30fps or 60fps for ps4? I take it for vita it’s 30fps?

  • Tomoprime
    April 15, 2015 at 8:23 am PDT

    So only one new stage? The game is still 2D? I hope the price is right, already having this for PS3.

    Will you guys support X-Arcade dual stick for PS4/PS3? I have the old xbox adaptor with usb (used to work for PS3 until sony killed joystick by keyboard support in firmware update).

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 12:16 pm PDT

      Two new stages in this patch, technically.

      And the game will always be 2D – it’s what we do, it’s what we’re good at, and it’s what we think plays best.

      Sounds like the X-Arcade dual stick should be fine, if it’s PS4-compatible.

  • EndRant
    April 15, 2015 at 8:24 am PDT

    @Blackfoot they’re not forcing anyone to buy it again. People don’t have to if they want. It’s even cross play so you don’t have to.

  • Blood_Emblem
    April 15, 2015 at 8:26 am PDT

    Thank you Lab Zero, you guys are the best! One more character to go

  • bocahfooty
    April 15, 2015 at 8:27 am PDT

    “Note that current PS3 owners won’t get the new releases free” I don’t think it’s cross play with the old version.

  • EndRant
    April 15, 2015 at 8:31 am PDT

    @bocah It is, read it again. It’s cross platform play with the whole family. Ps3/4/vita.

  • EndRant
    April 15, 2015 at 8:33 am PDT

    Wait, nvm. You might be right. I took it as 2nd encore just being an expansion and compatible with encore.
    @Peter Bartholomew can you clarify?

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 12:12 pm PDT

      Skullgirls 2nd Encore is an expanded PS4 release of Skullgirls Encore. It has all the characters and exclusive features and modes, and it’ll be cross-play compatible with the PS3 and Vita releases.

      Hope that clarifies things?

  • Joe102187
    April 15, 2015 at 8:35 am PDT

    @Tomoprime.

    Every DLC character gets a stage of their own, so including the bonus stages you’re getting 8 new stages with all the new characters. Including extra art and story mode for each plus music, as well as the bonus voice packs for each character and announcer packs.

    This isnt a sequel so why wouldnt it be 2D still? this game is hand drawn animation so theres a lot of hard work and detail in every frame.

    And your old joystick should be operational since it was the Skullgirls Devs themselves who created a special driver just so they can use PS3 sticks on the PS4 and have also licensed the driver to any Dev willing to use it in their games for free! recently MKX was the first to us the driver making PS3 fightpads and fight sticks playable on the PS4 version of MKX.

  • L2K7
    April 15, 2015 at 9:28 am PDT

    Is the Vita version of the game going to be compatible with the PlayStation TV?

  • ChibiMrBubbles
    April 15, 2015 at 9:39 am PDT

    Thank you for the great post-release support even after changing publishers! I want some clarification, since the PS4/Vita version will be stand-alone and not Cross-Buy with PS3, how exactly will they play with PS3 owners? Wouldn’t those additions give Vita/PS4 owners an unfair advantage over the PS3 counterpart?

    I’m trying to wrap my mind around this, it’s essentially making this a brand new version of the game. Skullgirls, Skullgirls Encore, and Skullgirls 2nd Encore.

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 12:17 pm PDT

      The gameplay in all the versions is the same – the new modes and features in the PS4 version won’t affect competitive play at all.

  • Dioscuri_MEX
    April 15, 2015 at 9:40 am PDT

    Thanks for the update guys! I dont mind buying the game because I really enjoy the effort you put on every update!
    Cant wait for PS4 version
    Day one buy for me

    Keep the great work!

  • DOC_INCOGNITO
    April 15, 2015 at 9:49 am PDT

    I’ll gladly buy this again if it means i can play this on my PS Vita. Such a fun fighter.

  • Nickokapo
    April 15, 2015 at 9:58 am PDT

    I was wondering if the regular version of skullgirls for PS3 that’s on PSN right now will still be sold after this version comes out?

    I’ve been meaning to get it, but still couldn’t this month because i had to use $10 to get Injustice which was on sale unexpectedly for me n.n,
    And i used another $5 i had left on Sonic The Fighters

    However it’s my next purchase i wanna go after BlazBlue so i really hope that it’s not discontinued from the store…

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 12:19 pm PDT

      No plans to discontinue the PS3 version, especially since it’ll be cross-play compatible with the new releases.

  • BlueBl1zzard
    April 15, 2015 at 9:58 am PDT

    Can’t wait till the vita version drops, I will definitely be buying again when it does! Thanks again Lab Zero!

  • MakaiOokami
    April 15, 2015 at 10:01 am PDT

    With all the free DLC characters, no issue buying it again.

    Especially since they gave the game for free if you had bought the version that Capcom (I think) was publishing when they pulled all the games off.

    There’s a character on Guilty Gear Xrd that’s $6.00

    $10-15 for an HD version and a Vita version cross-buy with full cross-platform pay? No other fighter I can think of is offering that.

    a half price PS4 upgrade to people who bought it before would be nice, but you’ve also given out all the DLC characters for free, like I said initially and that’s worth not getting butthurt about. If you don’t have the DLC characters, well should have paid closer attention. Same as if you don’t have PVZ Garden Warfare for free, or some game you really wanted free for plus… You have to pay attention if you want the good deals.

    If you still disagree with the lack of PS3 to 4 upgrade I guess you’re more than welcome to wait for a sale. I on the other hand will play with my friend.

  • whos_render
    April 15, 2015 at 10:08 am PDT

    @L2K7 – Yes!

    @Tomoprime – Joe102187 is correct. Only one new stage is being added with Beowulf – technically two since there’s a night-time variant – but the PS4 and Vita versions, compared to when the game came out originally on PS3, will have nearly twice as many stages. And about the 2D thing, it’s all hand-drawn animation! This is a port of the original with some new stuff added, not a sequel. We wouldn’t switch to 3D models for a sequel anyway. ;) And our game is *technically* 3D with 2D artwork.

    @bocahfooty – The PS4 and Vita versions will be cross-PLAY with PS3, just not cross-BUY with PS3.

    @EndRant and @ChibiMrBubbles – PS4/Vita/PS3 will all have complete gameplay parity. There will be no gameplay changes or characters unavailable to PS3 users when playing online, so there is no compatibility issue between the PS3 version and the PS4/Vita versions, so no unfair advantages.

    To those who have asked, the PS4/Vita versions will include all of the PS3 version DLC characters (Squigly, Big Band, Eliza, Beowulf, and Robo Fortune) right from the get-go!

    Other questions I didn’t answer here I’ll leave to Peter to address. :)

  • Nickokapo
    April 15, 2015 at 10:19 am PDT

    Well, i spent $5 on “sonic the fighters”, after that, it doesn’t seem ludicruous to pay $6 for a guilty gear xrd character.

    But then again i love guilty gear, and altho i can just ignore it if they did, i don’t think they abuse the DLC content additions (Here’s looking at you DOA5)

  • Vcheese
    April 15, 2015 at 10:37 am PDT

    Quote: “Note that current PS3 owners won’t get the new releases free”

    I stopped reading after this.

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 12:20 pm PDT

      Sorry, man, but we’re spending a couple hundred grand on the ports and new features – just can’t give it away.

  • L2K7
    April 15, 2015 at 11:03 am PDT

    @whos_render Many thanks! I’m updating my Compatibility List and I’m sure my site’s following will be very happy to hear that it’ll be compatible.

  • Teepo220
    April 15, 2015 at 11:08 am PDT

    Nice. won’t mind double dipping on this at all. Hope we get a release date for the vita/ps4 version soon!

  • deadendblues
    April 15, 2015 at 11:30 am PDT

    Looking forward to this game, day one buy on ps4, already have it on pc too. Love this fighting game thanks for all the hard work

  • Jofqry
    April 15, 2015 at 11:46 am PDT

    Oh sounds great! I can hardly wait for the Vita version! Despite playing with friends being easier on the Ps3, I loooove the controls of the vita!

  • Souledge94
    April 15, 2015 at 12:04 pm PDT

    I hope one day you guys can do a full blown sequel. You deserve the chance to after making such a fun game that looks so good.

  • OurMisery
    April 15, 2015 at 12:50 pm PDT

    Was hoping it would be cross buy for PS3 but I completely understand charging for it since there is so much work going into it. Will defs buy it again so I can play on my vita :D
    You guys are awesome, I look forward to the eventual release~

  • saiyanknight87
    April 15, 2015 at 1:06 pm PDT

    please give me a release date i’m hyped and ready for this game to drop. I played a bit of this at the PSX and i’m ready to give you all my money why do i have to wait soooooo long though lol.

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 1:28 pm PDT

      Sorry to keep you waiting, but it’ll be worth it!

      The ports take time, and we still need to finish Robo-Fortune, too!

  • sNsKid
    April 15, 2015 at 2:14 pm PDT

    The wait for Skullgirls 2nd Encore has been real.

  • toranoshi_us
    April 15, 2015 at 2:42 pm PDT

    “A couple of hundred grand” Wow, that can buy many peanuts :) … you got me… i’m buying it on day one :D

  • thegodofgreen
    April 15, 2015 at 3:40 pm PDT

    how much for the PS4 version
    what fight sticks do you know ( KNOW ) confirmed to work with the LabZero driver?

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 4:31 pm PDT

      We’re not ready to announce the price yet – it’s still being decided.

      As for the fight sticks, virtually everything we’ve tested works – if you stick works natively on PC, you should be set.

  • don_44d
    April 15, 2015 at 3:44 pm PDT

    Im most likely gonna buy this despite already having it on ps3, but I just wanna know, will 2nd encore be worth it? I mean,Im sure itll be cool but will the additional content be worth re-buying the game for one who already has it? Does it at least look somewhat visually better on ps4 (Im not sure if theres much you can do graphically with a hand drawn game like this) or smoother? Cuz I want this on ps4, but I wanna be sure its enough to make me re-buy it lol

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 4:33 pm PDT

      We’re hoping you’ll think it’s worth it, with the exclusive modes and new features. We’ll announce those in more detail in a future post.

      Also, keep in mind that you’ll be getting the Vita version with it, since it’s cross-buy.

      And the game will receive a small visual upgrade, just because the PS4 can run it at 1080p easily.

  • Ikusa02
    April 15, 2015 at 3:51 pm PDT

    Ooo, Beowulf! I just read Beowulf a few weeks ago from the perspective of Wiglaf (it was done by a Canadian author and a superb artist who made very Medieval looking tapestries for it). So maybe I’ll make him my new main =D

    As for the other updates, one of the reasons I get PS Plus still is that I can play Skullgirls every once and awhile. It’s fun to play with friends :) One of the best fighting games I’ve ever played for sure. I do have a Vita and would like to get the new version, but I feel like I’ve accomplished so very little in the original so far. So maybe one day…

    And lastly, thanks for all the hard work! You guys rock!

    (Also, it must feel a bit weird ever having anyone trust you with $200,000 eh? hehehe)

  • KingSpica
    April 15, 2015 at 4:28 pm PDT

    wow that’s awesome of you two answer everyone’s questions i got three

    1.since the PS4 and Vita is 60fps and probably 1080p will there be 60fps on PS3?

    2.will there be Physical Copy’s for PS3/PS4&Vita?

    3.and if there is physical copy’s will there be a bonus for preorder like a artbook or ost?

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 15, 2015 at 4:36 pm PDT

      I do what I can.

      1. Skullgirls has always been 60 FPS on PS3, just at 720p. It has a little bit of slowdown with DHCs and some of the more intense supers, but general gameplay is a pretty solid 60. None of that will happen on PS4, and at 1080p.

      2. Sony now allows devs to manufacture their own limited runs of physical copies, so we’re looking into this!

      3. Haha, let us figure out if we’re going to be doing the physical version first. But we’d love to do something like that.

  • MTNDewGuest
    April 15, 2015 at 4:28 pm PDT

    I am so ready for this I’ve always been a HUGE fan for this game, and with a new game game of Skullgirls coming out it will get even better ;)

  • Target-4012
    April 15, 2015 at 5:53 pm PDT

    So the PS3 owners will not get cross buy for free. Ok, I’m fine for repurchasing it again, but can I use my PS3 madcatz fight stick for the PS4 skullgirls game?

  • JinZer069
    April 15, 2015 at 6:04 pm PDT

    Woohoo!!! SkullGirls on the go-go babeh!!!

    Can’t wait to play PSV version of SkullGirls.

    Thanks VERY much for Vita Love and Support Lab Zero ;)

    Any idea when we can get our hands on this? May? Please let it be sometime in May.

  • Nickokapo
    April 15, 2015 at 6:29 pm PDT

    yay, so glad ps3 version of skullgirls stays sometimes stuff gets removed (e.g marvel vs capcom 2, MVC origins)
    May be a skullgirls sale to celebrate the release of “2nd Encore”? (* ‘u’*)
    Wanna buy it at full price if i can (it is the most reasonable fighter on PSN at the moment toot, only chaos code and battle fantasia can come close but sometimes it’s not about a pricetag, but the quality…talking about you, battle fantasia)
    But was also hoping to save up for BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth and Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax & problem is none of em were on sale & currently money’s tight n.n, (but believe you me i WILL buy it…it shall be miiiine~ my precious! lol)
    Anyway, thank you for replying to me.
    Thanks kindly, good luck with 2nd encore…since i haven’t gotten the 1st skullgirl yet, and need to save up for it anyway so it may be a while, i may just buy 2nd encore instead as by the time i saved up it may be out, so it all works out hehe (is what i did with super street fighter iv…got ultra instead since i didn’t have any early street fighter 4 releases anyway so it was the one to get)

    Best wishes

  • SonicRift
    April 15, 2015 at 7:34 pm PDT

    Big thanks to Lab Zero (and Cowboy!) for your PS3 stick support on PS4. MKX rocks, and while I’ve got Skullgirls on the PS3 already (was that a PS+ game?) a Vita version sounds like a great idea. I’ve got my own PS4 stick and a PS3 loaner from a friend, so the more we can play on PS4 with 2 sticks, the better!

  • KingSpica
    April 15, 2015 at 8:41 pm PDT

    wow! thank you so much! For answering my questions i can’t believe the big man his self was here and i ffinally got my questions answered awesome!

    and it would be cool if PS3 gotten a physical copy i would buy i like having a physical game more than digital

  • Gamerzlimited
    April 15, 2015 at 8:52 pm PDT

    Oh come on. A third-party developer gives out free DLC for 3 months and even this gets a low rating? It seems the trolls want to lower every single post regardless of who made it. There is no way this should be rated under 3 as all of Lab Zero’s posts are higher than that. Although, this won’t have impact the developers or sales, it will hamper Sony’s reputation. I will continue to put this hashtag until the trolling stops. Even trolling can be done without words, all they have to do with rate and leave.

    #StopPSBlogTrolls

    Back on topic, can’t wait for Beowulf. Still play Skullgirls Encore from time to time and wouldn’t mind double dipping so I can play it on the go. You already deserved my respect, don’t let the non-Skullgirls players get to you.

  • Killer_squid
    April 15, 2015 at 10:39 pm PDT

    Will you guys be continuing to update Skullgirls with more balance and DLC characters, or perhaps a sequel, or will you all at Lab Zero be done with the game/series after the long trouble with Konami?

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 16, 2015 at 2:27 am PDT

      We’d love to keep making Skullgirls, but if we get to, it’ll be Skullgirls 2.

      Big Band, Eliza and Beowulf really stretched the PS3 to the limits, memory-wise, and we’re pretty much at the limit of what we can do with it.

      As for balance updates, I think we’re going to let it sit awhile, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some tweaks before Evo next year.

  • SonOfRiggnarok
    April 15, 2015 at 10:50 pm PDT

    Man, during that Robo Fortune gameplay, all I kept hearing in my head was CYBER AKUMA WINS! Also that Ryu Shinku Shoryuken ultra Wolf does lol.

  • ninja_tom
    April 15, 2015 at 11:57 pm PDT

    Don’t get me wrong, gonna get this for vita (depending on price)even though already got it but I am trying to work out are the new features that are different to ps3. I can see there needed to be development and lots of it and charging is therefore justified but I am trying to work out what makes it 2nd encore and not just encore so I can try to visualise it.

  • MyrequeArk
    April 16, 2015 at 1:54 am PDT

    I think I’m super late for questions but…

    Can you give us a sneak peek at the controls for PS Vita? Because Skullgirls is a 6-button fighter with assists… And Vita is lacking R2/L2

    Thanks for the port, fingers crossed for $15 or less price point! :D

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 16, 2015 at 2:32 am PDT

      It hasn’t been implemented yet, so it might change, but the plan it to let you set macros to the analog sticks.

      So, for example, flicking the left stick up could be set to assists, or tag, etc.

  • MyrequeArk
    April 16, 2015 at 2:07 am PDT

    Also, I like collecting trophies… Any chance 2nd Encore will have a Platinum Trophy? No big issue if it doesn’t though, but it would be awesome!

    • Peter Bartholow
      April 16, 2015 at 2:30 am PDT

      YES, it will have a full Platinum trophy set! I’m actually irked that I forgot to put this in the main blog post, haha.

      A few of the original trophies will stick around, but there a lot of new ones, and some of the old ones have been tweaked or replaced.

      For example, Valentine’s gameplay trophy has been changed because her previous one was sort of impractical and not central to her gameplay, and it was also the only one that required a team to get.

  • klassymike
    April 16, 2015 at 5:15 am PDT

    @ Gamerzlimited

    It’s getting real tiring to keep seeing you spamming nearly every blog with your #hashtag nonsense. I truly hope these developers and the Blog team see you for what you really are, which is an attention seeking TROUBLEMAKER.! Ryan’s general comment to you “Thanks for the support” was not a green light for you to be a ratings monitor, or the Blog police. All you’re doing is trying to disrupt these blogs, which, as I said the other day, makes you a TROLL!! In any case, you have been reported, and yes, I truly hope you get banned from here. And if you want to send me a message as you have to others to “Punish them” (I still get a kick out of that one), then feel free to do so. I’m sure there are many others that would like to see you gone from here.

    On Topic: Hi Peter, I’m not a huge fighting game fan, but I really like the art style of this game, and with the new “perks”, I will definitely give it a try. Thanks!

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