It's official!  Aksys Games is once again taking the reigns and is publishing BlazBlue: Continuum Shift here in the U.S./North America by the Summer of 2010!  
 
Check-out their official Press Release here:  
 
http://www.aksysgames.com/2010/03/19/get-hype-all-over-again-blazblue-continuum-shift-coming-to-your-xbox-360-and-playstation-3-this-summer  
 

…Rebel 1… FIGHT!

The ground-breaking High Definition 2D fighter BlazBlue makes its triumphant return to home consoles!

Get your ticket to Kagutsuchi, ‘cause the hype train is coming!

Torrance, CA (March 19th, 2010) – Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly announces BlazBlue: Continuum Shift, coming summer 2010! BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger was recently a top-4 finalist in the VGA Awards, and Aksys Games is proud to announce that we will be bringing the arcade sequel to the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system from Sony!

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift inherits all the key features of its predecessor while adding a few twists of its own. Tsubaki, μ-12 and Hazama will join the ranks of the veterans, who will be reborn with additional moves added to their arsenals. With new modes like Beginner Mode and Tutorial Mode, even fighting game beginners can pull off combos like the pros and dive right into the action.

Full Press Release, Screenshots and Trailer after the jump.

“If you’re not on the hype train this time, you’re missing out on the latest, greatest 2D game from Arc”, exclaims Gail Salamanca, Marketing Director at Aksys Games. “GET HYPE, CHOO CHOO!”

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Key Features:

• New Modes, including Beginner Mode, Tutorial Mode and Challenge Mode!

  Beginner Mode welcomes a wider audience with an easier control scheme; anyone can jump right in and play! Tutorial Mode allows novices and pros to practice everything from the basic mechanics unique to BlazBlue to the most complicated and powerful combos. Challenge Mode offers advanced players a chance to complete character-specific combo goals and missions.

• Take over Kagutsuchi by creating your own army in Legion Mode!

  Defeat the enemy armies positioned at various locations on the map. The ultimate goal is to fill the entire map with your color by defeating all the enemy armies. Recruit enemy soldiers by defeating them!

• Brand new characters, stages, soundtracks and moves!

  Welcome Hazama the mysterious mastermind, Tsubaki the valiant female knight and μ-12 to the world of BlazBlue!

  Three-dimensional effects and 2D visuals integrate seamlessly on every one of four completely new stages, accompanied by seven banging new songs written by famed composer Diasuke Ishiwatari specifically for Continuum Shift!

• Online battling domestically and overseas!

  Players can battle others from around the world via Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network. Players can not only search for matches, play games and observe matches online; they can also chat with friends while playing.

Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters?

Cool. I really loved BlazBlue.

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

still havent got calamity trigger over in europe yet :(... think ill just import this and not bother with the wait this time

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

I would only agree with this if I bought the first BlazBlue...but i didn't so yay new game. "

" @Jeffsekai said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

I would only agree with this if I bought the first BlazBlue...but i didn't so yay new game. "

Well I didn't buy the first SFIV, so touche! "

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

I enjoyed the first game so I'll probably pick this one up as well.

So this is the same as the upcoming European version?

I really wish I was good at fighting games so I could play this. Or at least somewhat decent.

" @AgentJ said:

" @Jeffsekai said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

I would only agree with this if I bought the first BlazBlue...but i didn't so yay new game. "

Well I didn't buy the first SFIV, so touche! "

enjoy your discount :) "

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Unlike 3D characters, HD 2D characters take quite some time to make. "

Is it full price?

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Yes. I managed to get a hold of the Arcade version and man, it's pretty good. I really like what they've done to Hakumen and Arakune, Arakune's bugs are MASSIVE! Hakumen feels a bit more fluent too.  
 
I really like Hazama too - his Drive move is kind of like Scorpions rope thingy, except Hazama uses some greenish, spirit like chain and he can use to enemy as a grapple point to fling himself toward. I can imagine ti would get pretty crazy if you figure him out really good. 
 
Tsubaki seemed like a pretty fun character too, she has a somewhat short reach because her sword is really small but her drives are very powerful.  
 
I'm glad this isn't coming out like months and months after the Japanese version, like some other games do. 
 
I think the improvements they made to this game will be more than enough to warrant a new game. The characters in BB are so deep that playing each character is like learning to play a totally different game.

@Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Unlike 3D characters, HD 2D characters take quite some time to make. "

That may be true, but Id still like to see a larger roster. The original wasn't exactly packed itself. Couldn't we wait a little longer for it? "

" @AgentJ said:

@Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Unlike 3D characters, HD 2D characters take quite some time to make. "

That may be true, but Id still like to see a larger roster. The original wasn't exactly packed itself. Couldn't we wait a little longer for it? "

They could always have a larger roster, but that'd result in a completely gimped list of moves. I mean, KoFXII's Terry didn't even have his Power Dunk because the artists were too spread out over different characters. "

" @Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

@Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Unlike 3D characters, HD 2D characters take quite some time to make. "

That may be true, but Id still like to see a larger roster. The original wasn't exactly packed itself. Couldn't we wait a little longer for it? "

They could always have a larger roster, but that'd result in a completely gimped list of moves. I mean, KoFXII's Terry didn't even have his Power Dunk because the artists were too spread out over different characters. "

It's called "Take your time and don't release the game until its a finished product". Thats how I see it at least. I mean, I pretty much avoided the game because it didn't have one of the most iconic characters in the series: Mai Shiranui. Releasing the game a month later and it might be sitting in my collection right now. "

" Yes. I managed to get a hold of the Arcade version and man, it's pretty good. I really like what they've done to Hakumen and Arakune, Arakune's bugs are MASSIVE! Hakumen feels a bit more fluent too.   I really like Hazama too - his Drive move is kind of like Scorpions rope thingy, except Hazama uses some greenish, spirit like chain and he can use to enemy as a grapple point to fling himself toward. I can imagine ti would get pretty crazy if you figure him out really good.  Tsubaki seemed like a pretty fun character too, she has a somewhat short reach because her sword is really small but her drives are very powerful.   I'm glad this isn't coming out like months and months after the Japanese version, like some other games do.  I think the improvements they made to this game will be more than enough to warrant a new game. The characters in BB are so deep that playing each character is like learning to play a totally different game. "

" @AgentJ said:

" @Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

@Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Unlike 3D characters, HD 2D characters take quite some time to make. "

That may be true, but Id still like to see a larger roster. The original wasn't exactly packed itself. Couldn't we wait a little longer for it? "

They could always have a larger roster, but that'd result in a completely gimped list of moves. I mean, KoFXII's Terry didn't even have his Power Dunk because the artists were too spread out over different characters. "

It's called "Take your time and don't release the game until its a finished product". Thats how I see it at least. I mean, I pretty much avoided the game because it didn't have one of the most iconic characters in the series: Mai Shiranui. Releasing the game a month later and it might be sitting in my collection right now. "

While I do agree with you, SNK needed to get that game out of development regardless of how finished it was. It was either make a small bit of money immediately or face another bankruptcy incident. "

I want to fucking strangle them! HOW THE FUCK DO YOU GET AWAY WITH NOT RELEASING THAT SHIT IN EUROPE!

" @Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

" @Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

@Sleepy_Insomniac said:

" @AgentJ said:

" Maybe I'm spoiled by SSFIV, but couldn't we ask for more than three new characters? "

Unlike 3D characters, HD 2D characters take quite some time to make. "

That may be true, but Id still like to see a larger roster. The original wasn't exactly packed itself. Couldn't we wait a little longer for it? "

They could always have a larger roster, but that'd result in a completely gimped list of moves. I mean, KoFXII's Terry didn't even have his Power Dunk because the artists were too spread out over different characters. "

It's called "Take your time and don't release the game until its a finished product". Thats how I see it at least. I mean, I pretty much avoided the game because it didn't have one of the most iconic characters in the series: Mai Shiranui. Releasing the game a month later and it might be sitting in my collection right now. "

While I do agree with you, SNK needed to get that game out of development regardless of how finished it was. It was either make a small bit of money immediately or face another bankruptcy incident. "

Ah, I forgot about that. Still, couldn't they have added characters through DLC after they avoided bankruptcy? "

I can't wait for this. Because of the month or so delay in Canada, a lot of my local stores didn't even get the original game and I never got to play it as a result. Hopefully they won't have another one of those problems, and I'll be playing it.....probably a lot.

And Europe hasn't even got the first one yet. 

" So this is the same as the upcoming European version? "

The reason you don't see BlazBlue adding 8 new characters is because unlike Street Fighter, BlazBlue doesn't have 3-5 characters who handle the exact same at every level up to professional.  The game I play with Litchi is way different from my Tao game.