Guilty Gear developer studio ARC System Works presented their latest game showcase on June 26. Their community expected to see updates of Guilty Gear Strive and the recently announced Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Instead, they were offered upcoming titles and updates that were unexpected from them: a visual novel, the return of Bubble Bobble, and a new action adventure.

ARC System Works June 2025 Predictions

After the Capcom Spotlight, ARC System Works prepared for their lineup announcement. The studio’s community was ecstatic and predicting what could appear. Guilty Gear Strive players expected to see gameplay of Lucy Kushinada from Cyberpunk Edgerunners. She was announced as the series’ first guest character back in July 2024. Then, in May 2025, a NeoGAF forum shared leaked screenshots of Lucy appearing in Season 5 DLC.

Earlier on June 4, Marvel vs. Capcom players were reignited by ARC System Works’ appearance during Sony State of Play. The developers gifted them Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, a 4-v-4 fighter in collaboration with the superhero comic giant. Lead producer Takeshi Yamanaka explained that Sony executives asked if his team were up to the task.

He was stunned at first and then agreed to make it a reality. The game demonstration held promise in both design and the chaotic combat mechanics. The community hoped to see more heroes and villains while waiting for its 2026 release.

A Very Non-Fighter Showcase

ARC System Works’ latest showcase left their audience bewildered from beginning to end. They tried to predict the first mysterious title after posting it on their Bluesky account. Viewers didn’t expect to see a visual novel on the studio’s list. Dear Me, I Was… is ARC System Works’ first short interactive experience telling the life of a young art student who takes after her father. Most believed it was either a new anime fighter or a new mainline entry for BlazBlue. It will be made exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Following after were a line of partnered developers. Yuke’s shared an update on the grand comeback of arcade beat’em up, Double Dragon. In Double Dragon Revive, the Lee Brothers are rescuing a childhood friend from the Shadow Warriors. The game will launch on October 23 this year.

Joining with ARC System Works for the first time is French developer Dotemu. They are currently known for Streets of Rage 4 and Nickelodeon’s revival of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. In his new venture, Micke Moisa collaborates with the studio for their first original rougelike RPG, Absolum.

The showcase revealed two other games in development. From Super Niche, it’s a villain simulator RPG called Demons Night Fever. Or as studio director Sohei Niikawa describes the game’s genre, “Enemies? Allies? Kill, kill, kill! The more you die, the stronger you become! Raising Speedrunning Simulation RPG!” You play as a young boy who hates the world and make a pact with an evil cat. The speedrunning could be hinting multiple runs to become a supreme overlord.

Taito Corporation announced the return of puzzle competitor, Bubble Bobble. Except this time, instead of stacking and popping bubbles, players are introduced to a platformer. Bubble Bobble: Sugar Dungeons features Bub the green dragon on a light-hearted adventure. Progress through levels while surviving from enemies and obstacles with the power of bubble breath. Taito Corporation teamed up with ARC System Works for game publication.

Finally, Guilty Gear chief creative officer Daisuke Ishiwatari appeared for the final game announcement. While the presentation was short, Ishiwatari’s team is experimenting with a new action modern dungeon crawler called Daemon and Baby. The game features The Damon Kingwho’s cursed to look after a human child. The demo footage shows them exploring buildings and various action play styles.

The only fighters that appeared in the ARC System Works June 2025 showcase were HunterxHunter: NenxImpact and Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes. After a series of beta tests, HunterxHunter: NenxImpact is in its final development stage.

The anime’s first fighting game is to release on July 17 this year. As for Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes, French Bread director Kamone Serizawa encourages players to attend Anime Expo to experience new fighter, Izumi on July 3. She was first presented back on March 23, showing off her koi-inspired fighting stance.

Expanding ARC System Works to Other Genres

The audience was unsure why ARC System Works is branching out from their fighting game foundation. Ishiwatari explained the studio is pushing its brand into exploring new avenues and support growing game developers.

“Even creators themselves can enjoy striving their dreams. In recent years, with AAA blockbuster titles and excellent indie titles gaining popularity, it has become extremely risky for companies to create a new series. This led to dwindling opportunities for young creators to have their own game projects. We need to focus our efforts towards the future, a decade from now, such as building stable development schemes, accumulating technology, and the know-how.”

Ishiwatari understood the experience when it came to creating his studio’s first fighting game. “Before Guilty Gear became a million seller, it began as a small project. From there, for many years, we built a foundation that guarantees quality assurance in the fighting game genre. We hope to take a step with this project that will eventually lead to bigger dreams.”