Guilty Gear Strive will finally implement rollback netcode

Arc System Works answered some FGC fans’ prayers by confirming that Guilty Gear Strive will finally adopt rollback netcode to improve online play.

This news comes paired with the announcement of ASW providing a closed beta test for the game due to all of the fighting game tournaments being canceled. 

Rollback netcode is a technique that simulates frame inputs without delay rather than waiting for the input to be received from the other signal. This significantly cuts down on latency between players and provides a smoother experience than a delay-based netcode system. 

For the longest time, most fighting games used delay-based netcode and hurt its online player base because matches could end up unplayable due to high latency. Opponents would skip frames, making it impossible to react or make strategic moves, turning each game into a button-mashing expo. 

Strive will hopefully be the first of many ASW games to adopt the rollback netcode, especially since GGPO (Good Game Peace Out), the original, popularized the version of rollback netcode.

“We are also pleased to announce that the release version of Guilty Gear -Strive- will use rollback netcode for online play,” ASW said. “Please note that our rollback implementation is still being developed so the upcoming closed beta will be using a delay-based implementation.”

The beta test, which is scheduled to run from April 16 to 19 will use delay-based netcode as the rollback system is still in the works and will be fully implemented in the final version of the game. 

Players can sign up from now until April 5 to try and get into the PlayStation 4 beta, where they can play as Sol, Ky, May, Axl, Chip, Potemkin, and Faust to test out the game for the first time. You can apply on the ASW website by simply entering your email and region. 

Players who are chosen for the beta will be notified on April 12, and the full version of Guilty Gear Strive is scheduled to release in late 2020.