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Hidden Variable Games, developer behind Skullgirls 2nd Encore and Skullgirls Mobile, announced it will end development and updates for both games and the webtoon. It cited a dispute with Autumn Games, a publisher that worked on the series since its debut in 2012. It did not explain what led to litigation, but did note this ongoing issue started on January 21, 2025 and affects the games and Webtoon.

The first Skullgirls developer was Reverge Labs. However, layoffs meant that Lab Zero Games was formed in 2012 was to continue work on it. When that happened, we also learned Autumn owns the IP for the series. After issues with Mike Zaimont in 2020, that studio fell apart. Hidden Variable, which consisted of team from the previous two developers, continued on to work on Skullgirls 2nd Encore and Skullgirls Mobile until this end due to the lawsuit.

In recent years, we’d seen a number of major updates on the Skullgirls series. This led to additional characters, who previously ended up abandoned due to crowdfunding endeavor votes and other development issues, showing up in the game. For example, Brain Drain and Minette finally showed up in Skullgirls Mobile. We also saw the main game get Umbrella, Black Dahlia, and Marie DLC.

Autumn Games has yet to issue a statement on the situation and future of the series. The Webtoon page still features a message that reads, “Skullgirls will return.”

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Vita, and PC, and you can find Skullgirls Mobile on Android and Apple iOS devices. 

The post Hidden Variable Ends Work on Skullgirls Updates appeared first on Siliconera.

In the Skullgirls Mobile game, some folks who aren’t normally playable and tend to be NPCs are being made into Guest Star characters who can pop in to aid in a fight, and Roxie is the next one. She’ll be played by Anairis Quiñones in the game, and there’s no release window for her yet.

Roxie is a background character who is a part of Parasoul’s Black Egrets. She’s never been playable, but she’s often appeared as a background character during parts of the game. She was also one of the potential fighter options during the Indiegogo campaign alongside fellow team Adam, Molly, and Panzerfaust. 

As for Quiñones, her voice may sound familiar. She’s Lynette, the four-star character from Fontaine, in Genshin Impact. She also played Kimberly in Street Fighter 6, Mirko in My Hero Academia, and Yelena in Attack on Titan.

We already know about a few other Skullgirls Mobile Guest Star characters who will eventually the game. Minette and Brain Drain are confirmed. Minette seems to be the furthest along in development. Both were also, at one point, considered as possible playable characters in the main game during crowdfunding endeavors that included fighter votes.

Skullgirls Mobile is available on Android and Apple iOS devices, and there’s no release window for Roxie yet.

The post Skullgirls Mobile Gets Roxie as a Guest Star Character, VA Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Following the Combo Breaker Skullgirls World Championship on May 24, 2024, Hidden Variable Studios shared footage of Brain Drain and Minette in Skullgirls Mobile on social media. Both characters will be Guest Stars in that version of the game in 2024.

Both Brain Drain and Minette are both Skullgirls characters who appeared in the series’ lore, but have never been playable until the mobile Gest Star appearances. The two of them were among possible potential DLC characters we were able to vote for as possible additions to the roster in a 2013 IndieGoGo campaign. While characters like Annie, Beowulf, Black Dahlia, Eliza, Marie, and Umbrella did eventually make it into the game as playable characters, with Marie being the most recent addition in March 2024, these two characters did not.

First, here is the Brain Drain announcement trailer. At the very end, it notes that he and Minette will be ed by a third, as yet unidentified, character as the initial three Guest Stars.

Next, here’s an in-progress animation for a Brain Drain Guest Star attack.

Finally, here’s the latest in-progress animated clip of Minette performing an attack in the game.

As for the winner of the 2024 Skullgirls World Championship, Dominique SonicFox McLean won.

Skullgirls Mobile is available for mobile devices, and Brain Drain and Minette will appear in it in 2024.

The post Skullgirls Mobile Brain Drain and Minette Animations Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

Hidden Variable announced it is finally taking action to change the Valentine crosses to shurikens in Skullgirls games and shared a first video of the change. As a reminder, the developer first announced the redesign in May 2022. 

As a refresher, initially the color of the character’s crosses were changed from red to fuchsia for legal reasons. Following that, a full change to a shuriken was announced. Initially, that alteration was expected to go through in Skullgirls 2nd Encore and the mobile game within 2022. However, delays mean it’s only happening now.

Here’s the test animation showing how Valentine will look with shurikens on her hat, coat, and leggings, rather than crosses. 

While the in-game design hasn’t changed yet, other Skullgirls materials and items with Valentine did already show her crosses changed to shurikens. For example, her Nendoroid features her new design when it released in 2023. Official art also reflects this change. However, there's still no exact timeline for when we'll start seeing the new design appear in both Skullgirls 2nd Encore and the mobile game.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. Skullgirls is available on mobile devices. 

The post Skullgirls Valentine Crosses to Shurikens Animation Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

If someone owns the PC version of Skullgirls 2nd Encore and the DLC on Steam, they now have early access to Marie. Hidden Variable Studios launched the Skullgirl ahead of her 2024 debut.

If someone wants to start using Marie, it is fairly easy. They need a copy of the game and either the $9.99 Marie DLC or the $34.99 Season 1 . You then need to select the latest beta when launching the game. This can be done in-game in options or before you even launch it by choosing "Skullgirls Beta" from the launcher. Note that since she’s still early on, it doesn’t have everything yet. 

As for what to expect from Marie at this point, she isn’t fully balanced or complete yet. This means her moves and the damage they do might not be completely set yet. Her story, stage, and full alternate color selections won’t be around until she launches in Q1 2024. 2024 also is when she and the other Season 1 DLC characters will get voice acting in their story mode tales. However, Hidden Variable did share the following completed alternate colors.

Here’s the latest trailer showing off the Steam early access version of Marie in the PC version of Skullgirls 2nd Encore.

It took about two months from Marie to go from her alpha state to early access.

As a reminder, the Skullgirls 2nd Encore Season 1 gives people this new character, as well as Annie of the Stars, Black Dahlia, and Umbrella. People can also find all of these characters in the mobile version of the game. It is unknown if we could see more characters and who they might be. However, people who appeared in the "Keep Skullgirls Growing" Indiegogo campaign could end up being ones we eventually get to see in the game if more DLC appears.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC via Steam. The Marie early access build is available on PC via Steam now ahead of her Q1 2024 launch. Skullgirls Mobile is also available on Android and Apple iOS devices.

The post Marie Enters Skullgirls 2nd Encore Steam Early Access on PC appeared first on Siliconera.

Hidden Variable Games and Autumn Games sounded the alert that the Skullgirls 2nd Encore Marie alpha is about to begin for PCs. The announcement on social media didn’t offer an exact date. It only noted that the test for the new character will begin “this week.” This means that by October 21, 2023, that should be live. Update: On social media, the release date was set for October 18, 2023.

The announcement did offer a reminder that not everyone can take part in this alpha test. If someone wants to participate, they first need Skullgirls 2nd Encore on PC via Steam. They then also need to own the $34.99 Season 1 . In a September 2023 Steam update, the team noted that due to certain parts of Marie’s kit not being as far along as others, this isn’t a publicly playable alpha. At launch however, the character will be partially complete and have some palettes, and people will also be able to fight at the new Hilgard’s Castle stage.

However, there is a way to play as Marie immediately. She’s already available in Skullgirls Mobile. In fact, the team announced there is a Daily Event for her in that version of the game on every Monday. 

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC via Steam, and the Marie alpha will start by October 21, 2023. Skullgirls Mobile is available on Android and Apple iOS devices.

The post Skullgirls 2nd Encore Marie Alpha Begins This Week (Update) appeared first on Siliconera.

In an official post on the Skullgirls forum, Director Charley “MightyZug” Price announced that Hidden Variable Games will implement some visual changes to its art assets. It will remove any allusions to real-world hate groups, as well as change instances of sexually predatory behavior and racial stereotypes. The full announcement, as well as detailed lists of changes, are available on the forums.

These changes will affect character designs and existing art. For example, it will change the designs for the Black Egrets. The designs of the red armbands and flags were far too similar to hate groups that are still active in real-life. So the armbands and heraldry for the Black Egrets will look different in-game, in concept art, and in story mode.

As for the changes to existing art, Hidden Variable Games will remove instances where the Skullgirls characters look forcefully fetishized. From a narrative standpoint, some characters are out and proud about their various assets or sexuality. But for younger characters like Filia, this can look like unwanted predatory behavior. Though the story will not change, the art will look less exploitative. The devs will also remove or adjust content such as Big Band’s Story Mode for racial references it believes are in poor taste. An example of this would be the reference to racial violence in Big Band’s Story Mode.

Here are the full Skullgirls 2nd Encore art changes, as listed on the forums.

GENERAL ART ADJUSTMENTS

• Removed 4 illustrations from Gallery > Guest Art
• “Parasoul Poster” (Gallery > Posters)
• "Parasoul and Black Egret" (Gallery > Parasoul)
• "Parasoul and the Egrets" (Gallery > Parasoul)
• "Cancer Drive - Parasoul and Valentine" (Gallery > Production Art)
• “Double’s Action Shot” (Gallery > Double)
• “Cast Poster - Original” (Gallery > Key Art)
• “Menu Background” (Gallery > Key Art)
• “Double Arcade Stick” (Gallery > Arcade Sticks)
• “Film Strip Blue” (Gallery > Arcade Sticks)
• “Posters Arcade Stick” (Gallery > Arcade Sticks)
• “Vertical Cast Arcade Stick” (Gallery > Arcade Sticks)
• “Filia vs. Peacock 1” (Gallery > Key Art)
• “Adam’s Lineup Art” (Gallery > Lineup Shots)
• “Molly’s Lineup Art” (Gallery > Lineup Shots)
• “Panzerfaust’s Lineup Art (Gallery > Lineup Shots)

And here are the Skullgirls Mobile art changes from its announcement.

COMBAT ART ADJUSTMENTS

• Adjusted Filia variant palettes for Bad Hair Day, Frayed Ends, Hair Apparent, Rock Star, Parasite Weave, Windswept, Idol Threat and Class Cutter.
• Adjusted Parasoul variant palettes for Regally Blonde, Star Crossed, and High Ruler.
• Removed comb from Filia’s Burst animation, Special Move icon, and Rock Star’s card art.
• Adjusted in-game Black Egret art for both Parasoul and Umbrella, and Special Move and Blockbuster icons that utilize Black Egret soldiers.
• Replaced combo counter phrases for 18-hit combos (and reshuffled 16 and 17 accordingly).

GENERAL ART ADJUSTMENTS

• Adjusted initial screen image for Filia, Double, and Parasoul.

• Adjusted Big Band’s Origin Story art when Big Band is attacked by police officers.

• Adjusted Parasoul’s “Dame of Thrones” Prize Fight art illustration.

Skullgirls 2nd Encoreis available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC, while Skullgirls Mobile is on mobile devices.

The post Skullgirls Will Change Art Assets for Certain Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

Hidden Variable keeps revealing more about Marie prior to her arrival in Skullgirls 2nd Encore and this time is all about a new attack. Sticking with her maid theme, this new move adds literal bunnies made of dust and bones that follow and attack enemies. In addition, more information about the character creation process was revealed.

Take a look at the preview of Marie’s dust bunnies attack from the Skullgirls official Twitter below.

https://twitter.com/Skullgirls/status/1660782416254959620?s=20

As you can see in the video, this new attack shows Marie shooting out a dust bunny from her skeletal vacuum. After that, it jumps until it strikes Black Dahlia. It can also be hit to reach farther. With this new attack, Hidden Variable noted all of the characters ing the Season feature rabbits in some form. Black Dahlia is accompanied by her bunny minions, Umbrella eats a bunny-shaped popsicle, and Annie of the Stars fights with Sagan by her side.

Interestingly, some people noticed that in some parts of the gameplay video, Marie was replaced with Valentine the animation cycles. Hidden Variable acknowledged the fact and explained that, due to still being in development, other characters’ frames are used to fill some gaps.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC via Steam. The Marie DLC is planned to release later in 2023.

The post Skullgirls’ Marie Can Attack with Skeletal Dust Bunnies appeared first on Siliconera.

The Skullgirl herself is about to Skullgirls 2nd Encore in 2023, and Hidden Variable Games started showing off Marie. The developer is taking to Twitter to regularly share in-progress video clips. All of the Skullgirls gameplay is still in an early phase. This means there may be frames where the character art isn't finished yet. A new clip appears each day on the official Twitter at 4pm PT/7pm ET/12am BST/8am JST.

The first video shared involved a look at Marie on the character select screen.

IT'S ALMOST TIME!

Mini reveals of Marie gameplay footage start... TONIGHT!

We're trying something new with Marie and will be showing progress much earlier than before. Things will be VERY unfinished, and will likely change before final release!#Skullgirls #SkullgirlsMarie pic.twitter.com/wtBmZqxUji

— Skullgirls (@Skullgirls) May 17, 2023

The second showed her attacking Annie of the Stars with her skeletal vaccuum.

It's Marie's gameplay debut and we're laying out the welcome mats with some VERY early, work-in-progress footage!

Marie has amassed quite the collection of mats and she'll whap you with different types throughout the match.

Which is your favorite?#Skullgirls #SkullgirlsMarie pic.twitter.com/O8s3mZC2yC

— Skullgirls (@Skullgirls) May 18, 2023

The last clip showed her fighting Beowulf and using skeletal allies as shields.

No Skullgirl is complete without her skeletons, and Marie has brought plenty of friends along with her!

Is it just me or do these skele-buddies seem to have a bit more personality than her boss mode minions...?#Skullgirls #SkullgirlsMarie pic.twitter.com/zzWr0urndd

— Skullgirls (@Skullgirls) May 18, 2023

Prior to Marie, another much requested and often teased character appeared as Skullgirls 2nd Encore DLC. Black Dahlia is now available in-game. The Season 1 included her alongside Annie of the Stars and Umbrella. When Marie debuts later in 2023, that will wrap up that . Hidden Variable Studios and Autumn Games haven’t said anything about a second season with additional characters yet.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC via Steam.

The post Skullgirls 2nd Encore Marie Gameplay Video Clips Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

Autumn Games announced that the final official release date for the Black Dahlia DLC character in Skullgirls 2nd Encore will be very soon. She’ll come out on March 29, 2023 for the PC and PS4 versions of the game. As for those on the Nintendo Switch, they’ll be able to her on March 31, 2023.

Development on Black Dahlia started in 2022, with early builds of her character appearing at events and as DLC. Her alpha trailer showed that she can use bullets as part of her combos, though they do not seem to have much range or zoning capabilities. Black Dahlia can also run out of these bullets, which require her to reload.

You can watch the alpha trailer for Black Dahlia here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkp82DqgbSo&t

Black Dahlia draws inspiration from the real-life unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, or “Black Dahlia” as she was posthumously called. Autumn Games has also seemed to use Hol Horse (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) and BB Hood (Darkstalkers) as some of their inspirations for her gameplay. In of the lore, Black Dahlia is a member of the Medici Mafia. She previously showed up in Peacock and Squigly’s stories.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC via Steam. Black Dahlia will appear in Skullgirls 2nd Encore as a DLC character on March 29, 2023 for Steam and PS4 players, and March 31, 2023 for Nintendo Switch players.

The post Black Dahlia Will Appear in Skullgirls 2nd Encore in March 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.

A major update, as well as the Season 1 DLC, will appear for the Nintendo Switch version of Skullgirls 2nd Encore. This update will boost some performance and load issues. This patch will go live on January 3, 2023.

In a tweet reply, the Skullgirls Twitter confirmed that the Season 1 will be separate from the update. While it will come out on the same day, it will be paid DLC.

According to the Steam page for the Season 1 of Skullgirls 2nd Encore, the DLC it will contain includes:

• Annie of the Stars (Character)
• Umbrella (Character)
• Black Dahlia (Character)
• Marie (Character)
• Skullgirl Umbrella (Voice Pack + Palette)
• Palette Pack
• Soundtrack
• Digital Art Compendium

For those who play online, this patch will also improve the online play experience. While Skullgirls 2nd Encore has been out on the Nintendo Switch for a while, the Switch version never got the Season 1 . This meant that only players on Steam or the PlayStation were able to access DLC characters like Black Dahlia or Umbrella until this announcement.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is readily available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and Windows PC. It will appear on Xbox One and Xbox Series X in early 2023. The Skullgirls 2nd Encore major update for the Nintendo Switch will appear on January 3, 2023.

The post Skullgirls 2nd Encore on Switch Will Get Season 1 Update appeared first on Siliconera.

There are a number of Skullgirls 2nd Encore updates, and they are all set for 2023. Essentially, new DLC characters and the Xbox ports are on the way. Things will start in early 2023, when Black Dahlia s Skullgirls 2nd Encore, with Xbox One and Series X and Marie following. These all came up during Hidden Variable's 2022 Skullgirls State of the Game announcement.

First, while Black Dahlia is available in Skullgirls Mobile, her full Skullgirls 2nd Encore release got pushed into early 2023. (She originally was supposed to appear in 2022.) There will be no early access phase for her. When she is ready, she will officially launch along with her own story mode and The Bunny Burrow stage.

The Xbox One and Series X versions of the game will also appear in early 2023. This will include both the game and Season 1 DLC characters. Hidden Variable also clarified there will be no Xbox 360 update. However, it didn't note if it will appear before or after Black Dahlia's debut.

Finally, the Skullgirls 2nd Encore Marie DLC will debut in 2023 alongside her own story mode. Hidden Variable also shared a gif of Marie dashing in the game.

Once Marie is released, full voice acting will be released for the Annie of the Stars, Umbrella, Black Dahlia, and Marie story modes.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC. The Xbox One and Xbox Series X versions will arrive in early 2023.

The post Skullgirls 2nd Encore Black Dahlia, Marie, and Xbox Versions Set for 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.

While Black Dahlia will be playable in Skullgirls 2nd Encore for the first time at an event, her alpha is on the way soon too. In June 2022, Steam players who own the Season 1 will get access to an early version of the fighter. A whole roap for her DLC is now available. In addition, an announcement for Skullgirls 2nd Encore DLC character 4 will appear ahead of the person’s 2023 debut.

Here’s how the timeline looks for Black Dahlia opportunities. First, Combo Breaker attendees can try her May 27-29, 2022. Then in June 2022, the Black Dahlia Skullgirls 2nd Encore alpha will appear. This will not include all finished art and moves. In Q3 2022, her DLC will be sold separately and her early access beta will begin. This will feature all animations, her stage, her music, and her voice overs. The final version of her will appear in Q4 2022. That will also mean her story and character trials will be available.

Here’s a trailer showing off alpha footage of the fighter. While fighting Filia, it shows that Black Dahlia can run out of ammo. As a result, she’ll need to use a physical attack and reload to continue shooting. The segment ends with her fighting (and defeating) Squigly.

As for Skullgirls 2nd Encore DLC character 4, the person will be revealed at Evo 2022. While the announcement doesn’t reveal any identities or outright say it, it mentions people should probably watch. The new launch window for that fighter is 2023.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available for the PlayStation 4 and PC. The Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X game and Season 1 are expected to appear in 2022. The Black Dahlia Skullgirls 2nd Encore Alpha will be held on Steam in June 2022.

The post Skullgirls 2nd Encore Black Dahlia Alpha Announced, DLC 4 Teased appeared first on Siliconera.

A new Skullgirls Valentine redesign is on the way, and this one will remove the cross design completely from the character. Hidden Variable made the announcement, which is the latest evolution of her look. All cross instances on her outfit will be changed to shuriken, as a nod to some of her attacks. Her pupils will still remain in the shapes of crosses. She will be changed later in 2022. Ileum and Last Hope's crosses will also be removed.

The reason for the new Valentine redesign is attributed to two different factors. One is that the first change in her look was done "hastily." The other is potentially prepare the series and her for unrevealed "opportunities." (In some instances, imagery like crosses are removed from games for releases in certain regions.) The changes will appear in game and in art book sections and segments.

To prepare people for how the new Valentine design will look in Skullgirls 2nd Encore and the mobile release, new art was revealed. First, here's Future Club Lead Animator Mariel Cartwright's design. It highlights the new shade of pink being used.

There's also an initial character sprite showing how she'll look in-game going forward.

Valentine's first redesign appeared in Skullgirls back in 2014. This is due to her original design being too close to the Red Cross symbol. As a point of reference, here's the official art showing how she looked with the fuchsia crosses.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Vita, and PC. Skullgirls is available on mobile devices. The Skullgirls Valentine redesign will appear in both games sometime in 2022.

The post A Skullgirls Valentine Redesign Will Remove Her Crosses appeared first on Siliconera.

After quite a wait, another Canopy Kingdom princess is playable in Skullgirls. Hidden Variable Games announced Umbrella is now playable in the PS4 and PC versions of Skullgirls 2nd Encore. People can get her alone for $9.99. She is also part of the $34.99 Season 1 .

Depending on how you acquire Umbrella, you might get extra items with the add-on. If you buy her DLC individually, you get the character, 29 color schemes, a story mode, her Boardwalk stage, tutorials, and trials mode challenges. Should someone own the season , they get a 30th color palette inspired by the Skullgirl and a Skullgirl voice pack.

In case you missed it, here’s the Umbrella Skullgirls 2nd Encore theme, “Ice Cream Headache” by Masaru "Raito" Kuba.

And here is the trailer showing the special Season 1 color and voice pack for Umbrella.

Umbrella is the second Season 1 character. The first new DLC cast member to Skullgirls 2nd Encore is Annie of the Stars. Like Umbrella, she was a character that appeared as a candidate in crowdfunding campaigns. The next person in the will be Black Dahlia. The identity of the fourth fighter is still a secret. Both Black Dahlia and the last character are expected to also launch in 2022.

Skullgirls is available on Android and Apple iOS devices. Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Vita, and PC. Umbrella is now available in the PS4 and PC versions of Skullgirls 2nd Encore for $9.99 or as part of the $34.99 Season 1 .

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