Arc System Works recapped a slate of announcements at the ARC WORLD TOUR 2025-2026 FINALS in South Korea, where champions were crowned across three fighting games and new details were revealed for GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-. According to a release, the event’s winners were Zangief_Dream of Japan in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Jack of the United States in GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- and Jaca of Brazil in UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes.

Alongside the tournament results, Arc System Works also shared fresh information on GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- Version 2.00, Season Pass 5 and the title’s next playable character.

According to the release, Version 2.00 will launch on April 9th as a free major update. The patch will include battle balance changes, new special moves for select characters and a new mechanic called ‘Counter Blitz’.

The developer also said the update will be followed by the addition of the ‘Blazing Pass’ in May, a system that will allow players to unlock in-game rewards through progression.

In addition, Arc System Works announced a GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- Version 2.00 Starter Edition. According to the release, the bundle will include the base game and all currently available downloadable content, including Season Pass 5.

Jam Kuradoberi to lead Guilty Gear -Strive- Season Pass 5

The biggest character-related announcement from the finals was the arrival of Jam Kuradoberi, who will join GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- on April 9th as an individual DLC character priced at $6.99 (~£5.40).

According to the release, Jam will be the first addition in Season Pass 5. The pass will also include Robo-Ky, scheduled for Summer 2026, alongside two more characters planned for Winter 2026 and Spring 2027.

Season Pass 5 will cost $24.99 (~£19.30). Arc System Works said buyers will receive all four DLC characters as well as a bonus package featuring Additional Battle Stage #9 ‘Cradled by the Four Beasts’, extra character colours, the GGST Wanted Poster Skin ‘Street’ and the GGST Battle UI Skin ‘Vintage Metal’.

The latest announcements marked another notable update cycle for GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-, which remains one of the most visible titles in the fighting game community. Released in 2021, the game has continued to receive seasonal content, balance patches and tournament support through the Arc World Tour circuit.

Arc System Works, the Japanese game developer behind series such as Guilty Gear, BlazBlue and Granblue Fantasy Versus, has continued to invest in post-launch support for its flagship fighting games as competition within the genre remains strong.

The company’s latest update also arrives as fighting game publishers increasingly use major live events to combine esports competition with product announcements, giving fans both tournament storylines and a preview of upcoming content.