BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is a game in the BlazBlue series planned for release sometime in 2018 for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. It will be published by Arc System Works in Japan and by Arc System Works America in North America. The game combines four franchises: Arc System Works' BlazBlue, Atlus' Persona 4 Arena, French Bread's  Under Night In-Birth, and Rooster Teeth's  RWBY.

It was revealed at the main stage of the 2017 Evolution Championship Series (Evo 2017).

Story
On the stage of stories, mixing the four worlds together into a special alternate "Phantom Field."

''The fighters have been abruptly summoned to that world, with an unknown "voice:" "If you wish to return to your world, protect the [Keystone]." —In the end, is that voice telling the truth?''

''The entrusted keys number four. Enemies, or friends?''

The fighters take a risk in order to return to their own world, and throw themselves into the battle to steal each other's "Keystone"—.

Modes
Episode Mode "Episode Mode is an offline one-person mode. The story is split among the four franchises, with each episode focusing on the characters from one franchise, and expanding into an original scenario. For the fighters who have been called from all sorts of worlds, just whose voice is that!? That conclusion, for fans, absolutely can't be missed! Each episode can be saved and loaded at any time. Rest assured if you wish to see other scenarios while in the middle of one story." Play Mode ''Aside from the Episode Mode that's been introduced on the previous page[s], the title will also have many other modes. To those who haven't quite touched fighting games before, if you use the Tactics Mode and Training Mode, you can learn how to play. For the others, there are many modes where you can battle with others. Play the different modes and enjoy the game!!''
 * Episode Mode - Enjoy an original story.
 * Tactics Mode - A mode which will give you a lecture on various techniques. Those new to fighting games should check out this mode first.
 * Training Mode - While allowing the gauge to be always full and so on, this is a place where you can try out any situation you like. Aim higher, towards your ideal.
 * Survival Mode - Fight against the computer to test your own strength and limits in a mode where you fight against all sorts of opponents.
 * Gallery Mode - With pictures of each character and such, you can zoom and shrink to see them. You can also see movies you've already seen before.
 * Replay Theater - Online battles and so on that have been recorded can be replayed in this mode. Watch for patterns in matches with your friends, and reflect upon the battle.

(all names subject to change)

Gameplay
One round initially had 120 seconds, but was extended to 180 seconds in the January 2018 build. Additionally, in the October 2017 build, players started with three Skill Gauge out of three, but only one Skill Gauge out of an increased maximum of six in the January 2018 build. The January 2018 build also added stage names to the pre-battle cutscene.

Brings out an attack that the opponent can not block by guarding.
 * Throw ( 通常投げNormal Throw Tsūjō Nage)

Stops an opponent's throw. The input is the same as that for a normal throw.
 * Anti-Throw

A move taken from Persona 4 Arena, this allows you to counterattack while the opponent is attacking. Each character performs a different motion for their reversal action, and characters gain a red aura while this is active.
 * Reversal Action (リバーサルアクション Ribāsaru Akushon)

Uses 2.5 (50%) of the Cross Gauge during a character's attack to allow one to perform attacks with both characters?????????
 * Cancel Assist (キャンセルアシスト Kyanseru Ashisuto)

Uses up 1 Skill Gauge (20%) to bring out a special, enhanced skill.
 * Skill EX (EX, エクストラスキルExtra Skill Ekusutora Sukiru )

In place of the usual white barrier, a more prominent, translucent green barrier appears, and the opponent is pushed back more than half the screen. In the October 2017 build, this used up 0.5 Skill Gauge, but was changed to use 1 Skill Gauge in the January 2018 build.
 * Reject Guard (リジェクトシールド Rijekuto Shīrudo)

Switch out with the chosen partner character, even while in the middle of an action (including attacking or being hit). The character that was switched out will regain recoverable damage, marked in dark red in the HP bar. When changing, a cut-in of the partner character with the words "Change" overlaid will appear on screen.
 * Change (チェンジ Chenji)

Calls the partner onto the screen to attack. For some characters, the attack can be changed by holding forwards or backwards. Additionally, in the words "Active Partner" will appear on the side. The partner character will flash either red (for Player 1) or blue (for Player 2) for the duration that they are on screen.
 * Partner Skill ( パートナーアタックPartner Attack Pātonā Atakku)

Uses up 100% of your Cross Gauge to have the partner character switch in and attack.
 * Cross Burst (クロスバースト Kurosu Bāsuto)

Uses up 2 skill gauge to perform a special attack. During the Distortion, the background fades to red or blue and the screen darkens.
 * Distortion Skill (ディストーションドライブ Dīsutōshon Doraibu)

Uses up 2 skill gauge during the main character's Distortion Skill to have the partner follow up with their own Distortion Skill. In the original build, this only took 1 skill gauge, but was changed to 2 in the January 2018 build.
 * Distortion Skill: Duo (ディストーションドライブ・デュオ Dīsutōshon Doraibu Duo)

This brings out an overhead attack that cannot be blocked by a crouching opponent. If the opponent is also grounded when this hits, the partner will also jump in to perform an attack. Upon hit, this brings out a "Crash" indicator. This indicator was absent in the initial build of BBTAG, and was added in the January 2018 build.
 * Crash Assault (クラッシュアサルト Kurasshu Asaruto)

Calls the partner character to perform attacks together. The type of attack performed can be changed for some characters by inputting either ← or → along with R1. It takes more than 50% of the Cross Gauge regardless of how much Cross Gauge one has. The attacks are greatly strengthened, and the opponent will receive chip damage even if they block. Until the Cross Gauge becomes zero, Resonance Blaze will gain levels one by one, indicated with rectangles on the inside of the Cross Gauge lighting up.
 * Cross Combo (クロスコンボ Kurosu Conbo)

A new system which can only be activated when one of the characters has been downed. It is similar to BlazBlue's Overdrive, in that time freezes momentarily, and the characters pose and make a declaration. BlazBlue characters will have their crest in the background. There are levels to Resonance Blaze, tracked by a rectangular icon split into four parts on the side of the Gauge facing the inside of the screen. Resonance Blaze gains a level when the Cross Gauge is used, and one corner of the rectangular icon lights up. In the October 2017 build, there was a maximum of four levels. In January 2018's build, there's a maximum of five.
 * Resonance Blaze (レゾナンスブレイズ Rezonansu Bureizu)

When Resonance Blaze is activated, the Gauge glows blue-white and is overlaid with the words "Resonance Blaze," and the rectangular icons on the inside of the bar change to numbers to depict remaining levels. The background becomes tinted in blue, and the Resonance Blaze Gauge will begin to deplete itself. While Resonance Blaze is activated, the character will quickly gain heat and skill gauge and gain a special effect unique to that character, and the timer will freeze. Furthermore, the character will recover recoverable HP. You can only use this system once per round.

In the initial build, the amount of time spent in Resonance Blaze was extended depending on its level. This was replaced in January 2018's build with a 15-second timer regardless of level that paused for hitstun.

RWBY
* Downloadable Content (DLC)

BlazBlue

 * Adventus
 * Blockaded District
 * Cathedral
 * Hanging Gardens
 * Kagutsuchi Port
 * Lakeside Port
 * Magisters City -ISHANA-
 * Rail Station
 * Last Train -Rail Station-
 * Monorail
 * Snow Town

Persona 4 Arena

 * Entrance
 * Junes Food Court
 * Yasogami High Entrance
 * Ring

Under Night In-Birth

 * Metropolitan Centre: Intersection
 * Sleeping Fountain Plaza
 * Riverside Plaza
 * Town Center - Crossing

RWBY

 * Abandoned Temple

BlazBlue

 * Rebellion - Ragna the Bloodedge's theme
 * Lust SIN - Jin Kisaragi's theme
 * Bullet Dance - Noel Vermillion's theme
 * Queen of Rose - Rachel Alucard's theme
 * Gluttony Fang - Hazama's theme
 * The Tyrant - Azrael's theme
 * MOTOR HEAD - Tager's theme
 * Alexandrite - Makoto Nanaya's theme
 * Awakening The Chaos - Nu-13's theme
 * Conciliation - Es' theme
 * Active Angel - Platinum the Trinity's theme
 * Under Heaven Destruction - Ragna the Bloodedge and Jin Kisaragi's team theme
 * Nightmare Fiction - Ragna the Bloodedge and Hazama's team theme

Persona 4 Arena

 * Reach Out To The Truth (P4 Arena ver.) - Yu Narukami's theme
 * The Hero from Junes - Yosuke Hanamura's theme
 * Like A Dragon - Chie Satonaka's theme
 * Princess Amagi - Yukiko Amagi's theme

Under Night In-Birth

 * Scraper Sky High - Hyde's theme
 * Night Walker - Linne's theme
 * Maximize Power! - Waldstein's theme
 * Rushing Heart - Gordeau's theme
 * Purity & Strictly - Orie's theme

RWBY

 * This Will Be The Day + Red Like Roses Part II - Ruby Rose's theme
 * Mirror Mirror + It's My Turn - Weiss Schnee's theme
 * From Shadows - Blake Belladonna's theme

DLC

 * The Limited Edition is 10,584￥ and contains the base game for the selected platform, the Cross Tag Character Collection, an artbook, and an acrylic stand (アクリルスタンディー Akuriru Sutandī) in the PlayStation 4 version or a gadget pouch (マルチ収納ポーチ Maruchi Shūnō Pōchi) in the Nintendo Switch version.
 * The Deluxe Digital Edition of the game contains the base game and the Cross Tag Character Collection for $69.99.

Characters
  * Free for the first two weeks after release

Development
It was announced early on that BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle would not take place in the main BlazBlue storyline, but was said to be a possibility. The main story would focus on the crossover of the four series, and Guilty Gear characters would not be present. Futhermore, there would be no arcade version, and it would be a straight release to consoles. Mechanically, it would be different from BlazBlue.

At the time of the game's announcement, the "expected" or obvious characters had already been decided for the roster. The game was announced relatively early in its development cycle due to the developers wanting to hear the players' requests for characters. Overall, characters were chosen with the game balance and game system in mind first and foremost, so that a wide variety of players would be able to play and enjoy the game. The characters from other (non-BlazBlue) franchises were chosen by sending a list of characters over to their companies. The list would be whittled down there, and sometimes they would make a request for a specific character to be included.

A playable build was first exhibited in October 2017 at four events worldwide: New York Comic Con (NYCC) in New York (Oct 5-8), South East Asia Major @ GameStart 2017 in Singapore (Oct 14-15), RTX London in London (Oct 14-15), and Arc Revolution Cup 2017 (Arc Revo) at Toushinsai in Tokyo (Oct 21). Arc Revo's playable demo featured an updated build referred to as the "Toushinsai build" in the gameplay manual, which included the third introduction trailer's characters as playable except for Weiss. Following these events, Arc System Works put out a survey on BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle's official website in both English and Japanese requesting feedback from participants of any of the four events. It was available until Nov 8, 2017 at 8 am PST.

Cross Tag Battle's first gameplay video was released during New York Comic Con, on Oct 6. Character trailers and additional gameplay videos are shown during the monthly Japanese-language ' (あーくなま定期便 Ākunama Teikiben), aka ' (あーくなま Ākunama), hosted by Arc System Works. ArcNama is streamed on the third Friday of every month at 8 pm JST simultaneously on Twitch and NicoNico, and its first episode was streamed August 2017. Arc System Works also published an article with updated screenshots of gameplay for the newly-announced characters Weiss and Hazama during RTX London. An additional character trailer (Character Introduction Trailer #2) was revealed at RTX London 2017.

A "Special Promotional Trailer" was broadcast during Arc System Work's Fighting Game Awards (ASW FGA) at the end of the BlazBlue portion of the tournament, prominently featuring and introducing all twenty characters that had revealed up until then, as well as revealing the Japanese release date, Blake, and the final character count of forty characters, twenty of which (including Blake) would be downloadable content (DLC). This was followed up with further details about the release, including the North America release date, prices for physical and downloadable versions, and details about the limited edition.

Furthermore, it was announced that Arc System Works would appear at the 2018 Japanese Evolution Championship Series (Evo Japan) with a new demo featuring twenty playable characters (the twenty non-DLC characters). It was announced at a later date that Arc System Works would also be appearing at Taipei Game Show 2018 (TaGS, TGS) along with a playable demo of Cross Tag Battle. This second playable build of Cross Tag Battle was presented simultaneously at Evo Japan (Jan 26-28, 2018) and Taipei Game Show (Jan 26-29, 2018).

On Feb 6, 2018 it was announced that Cross Tag Battle would be the fourth game present at the Evolution Championship Series 2018 (Evo 2018). Along with a broadcast of a fully English-subtitled version of the ASW FGA trailer, it was revealed that Blake and Yang would be provided as free DLC.

On Feb 7, 2018 the first English-language Arc System Works Official Livestream, , was announced on Twitter and streamed on Twitch at 4 pm PST. Mirroring the Japanese-language version of the livestream, various Arc System Works titles are showcased during the live with gameplay, including Cross Tag Battle. It was mentioned on stream that the series would be streamed weekly. During the first ARCLive, an ASW staffer reconfirmed that Blake and Yang would be free DLC, that the four RWBY characters would have both English and Japanese voices, and clarified that Blake would be available at launch, while Yang would be available shortly after launch.

At a press release in mid February 2018, attended by BlazBlue producer Toshimichi Mori and company representative Kidooka, it was announced that Cross Tag Battle would support dual audio with full English and Japaneses voice.