Developer Arc System Works has found success with Dragon Ball FighterZ, a gorgeous brawler that strikes the right balance between complexity and accessibility. It wants to do the same in the future, and for its Guilty Gear games that will mean streamlining the number of systems in order to attract a wider audience, series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari has said.
Speaking to Destructoid, Ishiwatari said that Guilty Gear games in the past have been "too complicated" for some players, and that Arc is keen to simplify them to "expand the userbase". Specifically, he wants to "reduce the number of systems" at play.
"After releasing Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 it's clear what we need to improve on. The key is to win over more users because of the complex controls," he said. "But if we implement everything the game will no longer be Guilty Gear. It's hard to balance out all the improvements. One thing that we have to do in the next installment is to reduce the number of systems; it's too complicated for everyone. You can expect that in the next game."
He stressed that the series will still want to "maintain the people we've already won over", but his comments are surely a sign of a shift in focus. Perhaps those that enjoyed the complexity of the likes of Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- might not like future games as much. But then again, Dragon Ball FighterZ shows that Arc knows how to get the balance right. Let's wait and see.