Soul Calibur IV goes online

By Tom Bramwell Published 26 June, 2007

Custom characters and all.

Online multiplayer will be introduced to the Soul Calibur series for the first time when the fourth instalment launches on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 next year.

"What's changed this time round is that the next-gen platforms have network infrastructure already in place," director Katsutoshi Sasaki told Electronic Gaming Monthly in an issue yet to be published.

It's been among the chief demands from existing players, Sasaki added, and developer Project Soul also aims for you to use custom characters online, although it's currently uncertain about whether you will be able to swap your creations with friends.

Official confirmation of publishers and release dates for the European version of SC4 is expected soon.

All of which is not to be confused with Soul Calibur Legends, which is due out on Nintendo Wii, and has yet to have any online play confirmed.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Peew971 #1 5 years ago

    Sure what Katsutoshi Sasaki meant was: "What's changed this time round is that the Playstation have network infrastructure already in place". Otherwise, Soul Calibur II would have been online on Xbox.

  • afghan_jones #2 5 years ago

    sweet. as long as it works.

  • agparrot #3 5 years ago

    *shudders at getting virtual head kicked in while locked in lag*

  • Steroyd #4 5 years ago

    Oh jeez, Soul Calibur could be the worse with things like lag, especially if your fighting against twats like Sigfried or Nightmare with their long ass meat cleavers. :(

    But this was to be expected with Namco announcing the Tekken DR to have online play.

  • jonsaan #5 5 years ago

    If they don't try, it will never happen. Fighting games need to take the online step. Over time it will work great.

  • quantumsheep #6 5 years ago

    \o/

  • Razorus #7 5 years ago

    Finally some online! Although it means I'd have to buy this installment on yet ANOTHER console, I really wanted them on one console but for various reasons, this was not to be.
    It was stupid making SC3 PS2-exclusive though.

  • sniglet #8 5 years ago

    disc: As internet speeds increase globally, it's a good idea to start these things rolling now, even if they don't work perfectly. There will be a time in the not too distant future where bandwidth and ping will (generally) not be so much of an issue. Better to have top quality netcode built for 1on1 fighters when the connection make it viable, rather than starting from scratch when that time does roll around.

    Besides, the standard modes will still be available to play presumably. Good on Namco I say.

  • Santino #9 5 years ago

    er yay, i mean the essence of a pure fighting game was always destined to evolve into sitting by yourself with a headset on fighting with someone you can't see at the same time. screw getting a gathering round the tv for winner stays on matches.

  • RexRunti #10 5 years ago

    The true essence of a fighting games can only be found by playing with other people. I live alone and most of my friends live some distance away, online play is a step in the right direction.

    Oh they should automatically ban people with slow ping times though.

  • afghan_jones #11 5 years ago

    As long as they put the effort into getting the online element up to scratch, this will be incredible.

  • RexRunti #12 5 years ago

    My main concern is charcter balance. SC 1 was beautifully balanced with each character having their own strngths and weaknesses. I'm just wondering if this could work if you have "custom" characters.

  • afghan_jones #13 5 years ago

    @ Rex runti

    It worked in SC3 as the custom characters just chose wepaon classes and styles, rather than building whole move lists of powerful moves like in Smackdown.

  • RexRunti #14 5 years ago

    So essentially you just change the apperance? That's fine then.

  • RexRunti #15 5 years ago

    DOA4 Had more content than 3 or 2 (possibly not Ultimate)

  • HelloWorld #16 5 years ago

    Is this "custom characters" the existing guys with different stuff to wear, or the "create a guy" thing like in the last one?
    Anyhow it could be fun. People say it's limited by c, but unless your playing someone on another continent, it shouldn't make much difference. As far as i'm aware, the vanilla internet isn't really designed for realtime gaming. It's far from a dedicated connection between two computers, and the information takes an unreliable route and time to get from place to place. Things are improving though, apparently. Maybe there's a dedicated network- maybe only in Japan though?