Fighting games often have the most dedicated fan bases. There is something special about them that isn’t just flashy combos or impossible inputs. It’s the weight of carrying every victory or loss in your hands and the rhythm of combat that almost feels like a dance. This is why I love fighting games. From Super Smash Bros. to Street Fighter, I enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from a hard-fought victory. But of all fighting games, I have some of the fondest memories of one that has been neglected over the years, and now appears to be forgotten almost entirely.
Fighter games seem to be going through a renaissance, and one beloved franchise that desperately needs a return is Soul Calibur. It has been seven years since the launch of Soul Calibur VI. Since then, Bandai Namco has offered little more than silence. There have been no updates, no roadmap, and no hint that the clash of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur will return. For longtime fans like myself, it has been agonizing to love this series and watch it fade into obscurity when it should stand beside the genre’s best.
Over the past few years, fighting games have enjoyed something of a revival. Street Fighter 6 made them more accessible than ever with Modern Controls, something other games have copied. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is continuing this trend while titles like Tekken 8, Mortal Kombat 1, and Guilty Gear Strive have captured mainstream attention. But one of my favorite series, Soul Calibur, has been eerily quiet and absent in this resurgence.
No updates, no anniversary celebrations, no remasters of its legendary entries. The only nod to the series is an addition to PS Plus, and even this felt lackluster. This is all the more strange when considering the series’ legacy. Back in the early 2000s, Soul Calibur II and Soul Calibur III redefined the expectations for the genre. Every character felt historical and fantastical, fights felt different from other games because of its weapon-based system, and the 3D visuals made battles feel cinematic.
Then there is Soul Calibur II, a game that included the legendary Link from The Legend of Zelda in the GameCube version, a feat that amazed me. This fighter had the power to draw in Nintendo, a company known to be very exclusive. It wasn’t button-mashing that made you win, but knowing when to strike and when to block. Soul Calibur had such a unique identity, and I cannot believe how it has faded from view.
Soul Calibur falls under Bandai Namco, a company that seems solely devoted to Tekken 8 at the moment. This is understandable. It’s a recognizable name, a global powerhouse, and an esports mainstay. But this doesn’t take away from how painful it is to watch year after year go by without anything new related to Soul Calibur. This is the painful reality for fans like me who grew up playing it and believing the two could be equals.
Both series pushed 3D combat forward, chasing the highs of Virtua Fighter, but offered different flavors. Tekken was hand-to-hand and punishing precision, while Soul Calibur was about flow, creativity, and weapon mastery. The latter made match-ups become a game of strategy, like few fighting games have managed to do. Every character felt so unique and so fun, and even though I’ve always been a Kilik and Mitsurgugi main, I’ve dabbled in so many characters.
Despite this identity, Soul Calibur fell into Tekken’s shadow. Soul Calibur VI showed real promise, a return to form that seemed to reboot the series. But Bandai Namco didn’t capitalize on this. Instead, post-launch support was tepid at best, DLC characters trickled out slowly, and the game was abandoned. Compared to this, Tekken 7 and you’ll see how much more Bandai favored the Kazuya family and their game.
Yet all hope is not lost. The fighting game genre feels more alive than ever, and this vitality could be what Soul Calibur needs for a rebirth. The rise of modern fighting games: accessibility, rollback netcode, and crossplay are ripe for a revival that could push Soul Calibur into mainstream attention. Just imagine Soul Calibur VII built for a new generation, taking advantage of everything modern consoles have to offer.
The weapon-based combat is refined to perfection, an iconic roster of returning characters joined by new ones, and of course, one of my favorite aspects, the robust character creation system. Add to this the series’ historical-inspired narrative, and the story could be one of its biggest selling points. Finally, seamless online play and official tournament support from Bandai Namco could solidify it as a premier esports title that draws in both pros and casuals.
It’s not just a dream, but an opportunity. The fan reaction to Miary Zo in Tekken 8 has been lackluster at best, which could indicate that a breath of fresh air from Soul Calibur VII could be just what the FGC needs. Soul Calibur is unlike any other fighting game, making its disappearance all the more hurtful. I truly believe a new entry in the series, or a remake of its best games, II and III, could revive the series and show what has been missing from fighting games for nearly 10 years.
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