With 2017 coming to a close, it’s time to look forward into 2018. Today we’re taking a quick look at some of the more notable fighting games releasing in 2018. While fighting games haven’t had a bad year in quite some time, 2018 looks to be one of the best years yet for the genre. Capcom is still trying to carry the torch, but Bandai Namco and Arc System Works are bringing out the big guns for 2018. Let’s take a look at some of the best fighting games of 2018 that you should be looking forward to.
Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition
The first big release of 2018 will be Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition on January 16. While this is technically an update for the original Street Fighter 5, and is free to anyone who already owns the original, it’s also being sold as a separate retail title for anyone who hasn’t made the jump into Street Fighter 5. At a lower price of $39.99, Arcade Edition includes all DLC characters from the first two seasons of Street Fighter 5, as well as a revamped graphics interface, new gameplay modes and a second V-Trigger for all characters. In addition, six more characters are coming throughout 2018 as part of season three DLC (not included in AE).
Dragon Ball FighterZ
What many are calling the biggest fighting game release of 2018 is Dragon Ball FighterZ. The new game is a collaboration between Bandai Namco and Arc System Works and looks to be the most competitive Dragon Ball title since the oft forgotten Super Dragon Ball back in the PlayStation 2 era. We’ve been covering the upcoming title in great detail, with an open beta coming on January 14 and the retail release following shortly after on January 26. This is what competitive fighting game players have been waiting for, and casual players will love the attention to detail it brings to Dragon Ball games. It’s the complete package.
Soul Calibur 6
Bandai Namco isn’t stopping with Dragon Ball FighterZ. Sometime in 2018 we’ll see the return of the Soul Calibur series. Very little is known about the game right now, but it will take place around the time of the first Soul Calibur game, which is why many of the characters look younger. We don’t yet know what that means for characters introduced after SC1, but we’ll have an interview with the lead producer on the title coming in January, so stay tuned for more details on this highly anticipated title.
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle
Arc System Works will have Dragon Ball FighterZ releasing in January, but that’s not the company’s only big fighting game release of 2018. BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle will be coming sometime in 2018 as a fighting game that crossover title for the ages. Taking characters from BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth and RWBY, Arc System Works fans should have a field day with this one. No word on whether or not it will release in time for the annual Evolution Fighting Game Championships, but it’s definitely a fighting game to look forward to!
Be sure to keep your eyes on Prima Games as all week long we’ll be covering more highly anticipated games coming in 2018.
