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).

Information
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle does not take place in the main BlazBlue storyline, but is said to be a possibility. The main story will focus on the crossover of the four series, and Guilty Gear characters will not be present. Futhermore, there will be no arcade version, and it will be a straight release to consoles. Mechanically, it will 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.

Development
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.

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.

BlazBlue
  Ragna the Bloodedge  Jin Kisaragi  Rachel Alucard <div style=> Hazama <div style=> Noel Vermillion <div style=> Azrael <div style=> Iron Tager <div style=> Makoto Nanaya <div style=> Nu-13 <div style=> Es <div style=> Platinum the Trinity*

Persona 4 Arena
<div style=> <div style=> Yu Narukami <div style=> Yosuke Hanamura <div style=> Chie Satonaka <div style=> Yukiko Amagi <div style=> Kanji Tatsumi*

Under Night In-Birth
<div style=> <div style=> Hyde <div style=> Linne <div style=> Waldstein <div style=> Gordeau <div style=> Orie*

RWBY
<div style=> <div style=> Ruby Rose <div style=> Weiss Schnee <div style=> Blake Belladonna* <div style=> Yang Xiao Long*

* 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