OFFICIAL: 7.0 Update Notes - Guest Stars Debut!

[MDude]

Wait, does that mean this is the last big update of the year?

They literally said there's one more update (7.1) before the end of the year, it's at the very end lf the notes

 

[VecSK]

The problem is one balance change per year is not enough; half the cast is outdated and needs some buffs

They dont make right decision, progress New gameplay attack and defense, put competitive tournaments, put coop mode, guilds more fair game.

Only about money and money.

Anti-Cheat progress ? NEVER!

BALANCE Figthets Far Far way.

Fix the Wiki Fighters? No, leaves without update and outdated wiki.

Bye Skullgirls GoodBye.

This game lose the essence.

 

[BallotBoxer]

Hey disappointed people, why are you deluding yourselves? This patch is mostly about Guest Stars. You're upset they didn't meet your imagined wishlist? For more details on what HVS has in the works, check out the 2024 Preview thread. Story mode and guilds are distant projects. I'm hoping for the new stuff too, but you gotta be realistic.

-Guest Stars are just glorified Moves and you have to spend on them and not only that but evolve

Maybe play them before you decide what they are?

BALANCE Figthets Far Far way.

Yes, 4 months ago is a HUGE amount of time. So far away! Who can remember that big 6.3 patch from the start of July where 19 fighters were updated and Big Band was reworked.

 

[jirby]

Para cuando un doblaje a español latino????

 

[ZeoW]

Fix the Wiki Fighters? No, leaves without update and outdated wiki.

The wiki (and wikis from other games) has never been a game developer's job to update. It's a community effort. I and a handful of people try their best with the amount of time we have, but we're only a few and it's none of our jobs either. Feel free to help out if you want, but don't complain about it to the devs lol

And it's not that outdated. All variants except the Nov/Dec monthly fighters have been filled in.

 

[Dusty00]

I’m surprised that there’s not a lot of hype and teasers for Gueststars. It would’ve been cool to see some combos clips and daily posts of this new content.

Until I get to play with it, it’ll be difficult to comment on this brand new feature, although I’m generally optimistic about it.

For those disappointed with this patch, it’s okay to take a break from this game and come back when they added what you’re waiting for. Keep in mind it takes time to develop content and perspective that this game is over 7years old yet still getting new content quarterly.

Keep up the good work HVS devs and perhaps take even some of the less constructive feedback as datapoint to plan the 2025 roadmap. Good luck!

 

[ToonLink66]

Great update, but why guest stars use icon is that far.. it wasn't comfortable to use prestige ability because it's far for my fingers, but at least the icon was big and we hit it one time. Sometimes i just don't use prestige abilities because it's not comfortable to use it

I think guest stars icon should be moved beneath the other two fighrers of the team or in their right side.. maybe you can also make it possible for us to go in settings and set the position of guest stars icon to let everyone position it with his comfortable spot.

 

[ZeoW]

The problem is one balance change per year is not enough; half the cast is outdated and needs some buffs

Just to add onto balance:

I do agree that balance changes once per year may not be enough, but I feel like most of the big culprits that everyone can agree to be significantly weak to the point of useless (UV, SSpangled, GI Jazz) has been addressed from the last patch. I feel like most other variants are arguable on whether or not they need a rework. Some probably still need their numbers tuned and maybe an extra buff/debuff to make them better, and this feels very achievable to be spread across different patches.

Instead of 19 variants getting buffed at the same time, perhaps we can opt for six per quarter? Like, four of those could be the simple number tweaks or slight changes while the other two could be reserved for bigger ones like a new SA2. I hope that's within the bandwith for testing.

There's also an argument that some variants are held back by their character instead of their abilities, which would warrant a Big Band-scale rework. And that would take a lot of time investment, especially if the changes are major/significant. I would personally put PW and then Cerebella into the ring for this. If we're lucky we might get a character rework but I'm not holding my breath since we have no idea what big features are being planned for next year. Maybe if there's some room.

 

[ZeoW]

Great update, but why guest stars use icon is that far.. it wasn't comfortable to use prestige ability because it's far for my fingers, but at least the icon was big and we hit it one time. Sometimes i just don't use prestige abilities because it's not comfortable to use it

I think guest stars icon should be moved beneath the other two fighrers of the team or in their right side.. maybe you can also make it possible for us to go in settings and set the position of guest stars icon to let everyone position it with his comfortable spot.

Some characters have abilities that take up the spot below the other two fighters (Star Power for Annie, Dragon Charge for Squigly, etc), so it won't work. I dunno, the current spot feels the most intuitive. It's a bit of a reach, but people use tag outs often so I'm sure it won't be hard to learn and adjust.

 

[Ttime]

mmmmmm frogurt

 

[Ttime]

another 3 years to glazing sgm amen amen

 

[noconnection]

Hey disappointed people, why are you deluding yourselves? This patch is mostly about Guest Stars. You're upset they didn't meet your imagined wishlist? For more details on what HVS has in the works, check out the 2024 Preview thread. Story mode and guilds are distant projects. I'm hoping for the new stuff too, but you gotta be realistic.


Maybe play them before you decide what they are?


Yes, 4 months ago is a HUGE amount of time. So far away! Who can remember that big 6.3 patch from the start of July where 19 fighters were updated and Big Band was reworked.

What I'm trying to get at is the sense of inconsistency HVS has with their patches. I could give them some leeway since they are a small team but even then they should commit to things the playerbase wants, like reworking variants, fixing the shard exchange and they know for a fact about Guilds being a massive meme they play into it which is sad

 

[[ඞ] S p a c e m a n]

All good and everything but, dude, please PLEASE make 5000 as a total of BBs and SMs, we have like 18 characters which needs moves

 

[ZeoW]

What I'm trying to get at is the sense of inconsistency HVS has with their patches. I could give them some leeway since they are a small team but even then they should commit to things the playerbase wants, like reworking variants, fixing the shard exchange and they know for a fact about Guilds being a massive meme they play into it which is sad

I think I understand the frustration. Whenever there's news of a patch, I'm personally always excited to see what new things are in store, especially if I've waited for three months with no content. Just to open them and see new monthly fighters and bug fixes can be deflating.

This patch alone is great and another stand-out patch imo was the Big Band rework. The others were kinda forgettable. Wished a few reworks or balancing could be sprinkled on those ones, or even a mini new game mode (like I think Parallel Realms have potential to have time-limited events as a mode, rather than another grind as it is right now). Just a small tweak to keep it fresh!

 

[CattyCatofCatClowns]

Hey everyone - welcome to the Skullgirls Mobile 7.0 update!

We hope you’re keeping warm as the cool November nights draw in. It’s been rumored that staying wrapped up with Skullgirls Mobile is the best way to remain cozy this season - but as we are not qualified physicians we can neither confirm nor deny this. We can, however, confirm that Update 7.0 launches today! - spearheaded by a long-awaited and exciting new feature!

Raise the curtain and prepare your welcome bouquets… Guest Stars have arrived!

Guest Stars sees some of Skullgirls’ unsung heroes and villains joining the action for the first time, assisting your Fighters in battle with electrifying offensive and defensive abilities. We hope this feature will let players further open the creative envelope - crafting new teams, loadouts, and combo routes that synergize with these all-new Guest Star attacks!

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on Update 7.0! Any queries, feel free to ask us in the comments. And, as always, thank you for your continued support of Skullgirls Mobile!

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s covered in these update notes:

• Guest Stars Overview
• Minette & Brain Drain
• Shiny Odds Launch Event
• 7.0 Launch Celebration
• Economy
• Other Changes
• Coming Soon

And… Action!

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GUEST STARS OVERVIEW

What Are ‘Guest Stars’?

Guest Stars add a new dynamic to Skullgirls Mobile. Guest Stars cameo in the thick of the fight, helping your team in combat! Unlike their fully-playable counterparts, Guest Stars function specifically as ‘Assists’, similar to those featured in other fighting games.

Guest Stars are called upon to jump into battle, perform an offensive or defensive action, and then leave - much like the Assist Attack mechanic in Skullgirls 2nd Encore. The player does not take direct control of Guest Stars, instead choosing when best to call them into battle - perhaps for tactical advantage, to extend a combo, or just for fun!

How Do I Use Guest Stars?

Guest Stars can be added to the load-outs of all Gold and Diamond Fighters, similar to standard Special Moves and Blockbusters - although each Fighter is only able to equip one Guest Star at a time. Synergize the Guest Star that works best alongside your chosen Fighter’s moveset to create new combo paths and strategies!

Guest Stars charge as your Fighter inflicts or takes damage in battle. Once fully charged, players can tap the Guest Star icon to unleash the equipped ability. There are ways for your opponent to block or evade the incoming attack, so be sure to pick the primo moment to call on your Guest Star, or you may end up wasting a golden opportunity!

Once used, much like Blockbusters, Guest Stars must be recharged before they can be activated again. All that jumping around and throwing hands is exhausting!

Just like regular moves, Guest Stars have their own stats and bonuses, (attack, meter gain, special cooldown etc.) Upgrading your Guest Stars with Canopy Coins will boost these stats and, in turn, increase their potency. Additionally, if you’re feelin’ lucky, you can reroll the stats of any Guest Star using Universal Retakes.

Every five levels, players can evolve their Guest Star to the next stage of rarity by spending Stardust. Stardust is a brand new resource specifically used for Guest Star evolution, and is received by selling unwanted Guest Stars from your collection. Rift Coins can also be used to purchase Stardust from the mysterious Cabinet of Curiosities*

(*They also sell Frozen Yogurt, which I call ‘Frogurt’.)

Guest Stars are initially only available at Bronze rarity. Through the use of Canopy Coins and Stardust, they can evolve to Silver, Gold, and eventually Diamond status, just like their Fighter counterparts.

Like Blockbusters, Guest Stars are also available in three distinct tier strengths, represented by the star rating beneath each icon.

Where Do I Find Guest Stars?

Wow, y’all got a lot of questions. Guest Stars can be pulled from the new Guest Star Relics, which can be obtained directly from the Relic Store. Guest Stars can also be earned via Backstage Passes, limited-time offers, and - very occasionally - in the Cabinet of Curiosities.

Seeing Stars Prize Fight

Guest Stars can also be earned in Seeing Stars - an all-new Prize Fight!

Seeing Stars will run every week from Friday to Saturday. Players can earn Guest Star Relics, Stardust, and Universal Retakes for hitting certain score milestones.

Make sure to equip your Guest Stars before diving in, as tackling Seeing Stars without them will cause additional debuffs for your team!

So… Find Guest Star, Use Guest Star, Dominate?

Ehhh, not quite. All Guest Stars offer an edge in battle, but some may take a little practice to master. You might find some Guest Stars better suited to certain Fighters, loadouts, and combos than others. As you collect and evolve your Guest Stars, be sure to experiment with them. Try them out alongside different Fighters and opponents, and in synergy with different movesets to maximize their effectiveness in battle. Don’t forget to share your findings with your fellow players!

Remember: Team Work makes the Dream Work!

Guest Stars bring a thrilling new dynamic to gameplay while expanding Skullgirls Mobile’s collectible nature. In time, we hope to see Guest Stars comfortably embedded within SGM, affording us not only an opportunity to evolve the SGM meta, but to also bring more characters from the Skullgirls universe into the spotlight for the first time!

We hope you enjoy exploring this electrifying new aspect of Skullgirls Mobile!

For more information on Guest Stars and their uses, direct your eyes to the following Tutorial video!

---

MINETTE & BRAIN DRAIN

We’re debuting the Guest Stars feature with two of the most-requested characters from the Skullgirls universe: Minette and Brain Drain.

We’re sure you’ll agree that Little Innsmouth's finest waitress and the ASG’s most dangerous operative are long overdue an in-ring debut, and we hope that you enjoy seeing these two characters get their time in the spotlight!

Guest Star Variants

Skullgirls wouldn’t be Skullgirls without its iconic and colorful Fighter variants, and our Guest Stars are no exception! In addition to their default palettes, Minette and Brain Drain have four stunning alternate color schemes. Which is your favorite?

Minette Variants:

Brain Drain Variants:

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SHINY ODDS LAUNCH EVENT

To celebrate the launch of Guest Stars, you have a temporarily boosted chance to pull a SHINY Minette or Brain Drain from all Guest Star Relics.

From Wednesday, November 20th until Wednesday, November 27th, we are increasing Shiny odds to two times their usual drop rate! Don’t miss this boosted opportunity to bag a super-rare Guest Star!

(The image below depicts the default odds and not the boosted event odds)

---

7.0 LAUNCH CELEBRATION

Everyone logging in to check out the new update gets a FREE gift. Head to the Store for a special package that includes 3 Premiere Relics, a 4hr XP Boost, 100,000 SC, and 5 Gold Gifts to share among your friends! (Make sure they say thank you.)

But that’s not all… This celebratory gift also contains a FREE Guest Star Relic to get your collection off to a flying start! Finally, the set includes an avatar featuring the cutest, grumpiest squid you ever did see! This squishy fellow is one of the items provided by Minette during her Guest Star attack, Dim Sum Cart!

All these goodies are yours just for logging in! And it’s not even the Holidays!

• Parallel Realms will reset every day from today, Wednesday, November 20th, until Friday, November 22nd for you to earn a slew of rewards.
  
  
• Holodeck Mayhem returns for three days, beginning Saturday November 23rd and ending Monday, November 25th. Don’t miss this opportunity to rack up some Serious XP with the 5x bonus multiplier. (Be sure to activate any XP Boosts in your inventory for gains that would make Cerebella blush!)
  
  
• Medici Prize Fights will be available every 48 hours from today, Wednesday November 20th, until Wednesday, November 27th.

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ECONOMY UPDATES

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

• Guest Star Relics have been added to the Trinkets tab of the Cabinet of Curiosities
• Stardust has been added to the Treasures tab of the Cabinet of Curiosities.

MISC

• As the Holiday season approaches, we are pleased to announce that our 12 Days of Gifting event will return in December, offering daily login freebies to celebrate the festive season. We will share more details on this popular event soon, so stay tuned to our socials!
• A reminder that these splendid new avatars are rolling out between October and the end of 2024! Look out for them in the Skullgirls Mobile store and as rewards on the Free and Premium tracks of Backstage Passes.

---

OTHER CHANGES

COMBAT

• General: Fixed occasional issue where the first input of a fight would be ignored.
• General: Fixed issue where lingering projectiles (eg. Robo-Fortune’s Headrone) could interrupt Blockbuster execution.
• Fukua: Fixed issue where Twice Shy startup could be halted by Specials from an opposing Fukua.
• Black Dahlia: Fixed issue where Stage Hazard barrel could halt opposing Blockbuster animations.
• Black Dahlia: Fixed issue where Last Call would cycle animations even if opponent already K.O’d.
• Black Dahlia: Fixed issue where bullets hitting K.O.’d opponent would trigger Corrosive Agent's Signature Ability.
• Peacock: Fixed issue where Deadly Airport could whiff if it followed Impending Doom.
• Big Band: Fixed issue where blue coloration would occasionally appear underneath health bar.
• Parasoul: Fixed issue with Locked In where text would not appear on Silent Scope.
• Umbrella: Fixed issue where an opponent with Final Stand would not be K.O’d by Feeding Time.
• Robo-Fortune: Fixed issue where Salvo and Filia’s Fenrir Drive clash, flooring both characters.
• Marie: Fixed issue where Repetitive Skeleton Impact whiffs if it follows Weight of Our Will.
• Catalyst: Into Thin Air has been rebalanced -
  OLD: Every 30-10 seconds, all Debuffs are removed and all opponent Blockbusters are reset.
  NEW: Every 35-15 seconds, all Debuffs are removed and all opponent Blockbusters are reset.

MISC

• The Collection UI has been renovated. New visual icons represent the Fighters, Moves, Guest Stars, and Catalysts tabs. The inventory for each tab can now be found in the top-right corner.
• ‘Move Retakes’ and ‘Universal Move Retakes’ renamed ‘Retakes’ and ‘Universal Retakes’.
• New app icon!
• Guest Star Challenges added to Daily Missions and Backstage Pass.
• New Accolade available for obtaining 10 Bronze Guest Stars.
• Bio pages for Minette and Brain Drain added to loading screens.
• Fixed issue where Chat would fail to unlock when a player reached Level 5.
• Highest-ranking Guest Stars now feature on a player’s Profile page.
• Various changes to allow for the addition of Guest Stars in Collection.
• Fixes to non-English text occasionally misaligning with cards/pop-up boxes.
• Additional localization fixes.
• Additional UI optimization for iOS formats.
• Additional minor bug fixes.

KNOWN ISSUES

• There are still some known issues with some Fight Replays becoming desynced. We are still working on this, but some replay issues will unfortunately persist in this update.

---

COMING SOON

With the launch of Update 7.0 and our Guest Stars feature, we are paving the path to 2025 and a fresh year of exciting additions. Our team is working hard on our next Guest Star, Roxie, (check out an all-new sneak peek below!) alongside other developments to engage SGM fans in 2025.

We still have one more minor update (7.1) scheduled to arrive before the end of 2024. Until then, please follow us on our social channels (including our new Bluesky account!) and the Skullgirls Mobile Hub to stay up to speed on all the latest developments!

We are excited to see our Guest Stars finally debut in Skullgirls Mobile, allowing Minette and Brain Drain their opportunity to shine like never before! We hope you all enjoy exploring this dynamic new battle mechanic and are looking forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback. And, as always, thank you for your continued support of Skullgirls Mobile!

Until next time, that’s a wrap!

• All of us at Hidden Variable <3

If ima be honest all the hype for this is...not it??? I don't wanna be rude but it would be cool if we could equip more assist buttons ?? also WHEN IS MOAR STORY??

 

[Aoskull]

- The update is over, but... well, with the addition of guest stars, it's probably safe to say that the number of moves that can be equipped has increased to 6. The assist move’s system reminds me of Pokkén Tournament.

- Also, leveling up and evolving is more difficult than I thought…Stardust is running out really soon!
…Now is the perfect time to use the Theonite you’ve been saving up for a long time! EVERYONE! GRAB A THEONITE!! HI-YAAAAAAA!!!!!!

 

[Dusty00]

quick reaction after clearing PR and before bed…

- bought the 3x11 special deal and only pulled one shiny at 10x odds. That’s RNG for you
- guest stars opens up a lot of potential combos and can’t wait to see what the community come up with!
- please give us option to turn off “no move or guest stars equipped” warning when stating fight… I’m going to need to 300+ junk guest stars to not worry about this
- haven’t seen all of them yet but some have very strong effects and access to debuffs like hex and quietus! On one hand this is great to give some weaker characters access to something they don’t have in their kit; on the other hand this makes offense a bit too strong and defense will tank a lot for rift now, especially we now have a 6th move adding more stats!
- PR defenders don’t have guest stars equipped. Is this on purpose or forgotten?
- there’s going to be a lot of time needed to update all the move loadouts…. Until your collection of GS grows, it’s going to be clunky and time consuming passing it around your attackers and defenders

Just a reminder for folks to not impulse buy and rush to complete collection/ upgrade. It is going to take months if not years to slowly find the right combo, meta, and get lucky to pull the one you need (and multiple copies of them!)

Good work Devs! Overall this is a robust and rich feature added to the game. Personally I think it made a bigger impact than Prestige Level.

 

[evilgordo]

- please give us option to turn off “no move or guest stars equipped” warning when stating fight… I’m going to need to 300+ junk guest stars to not worry about this

Yeah, can't believe they doubled down with this pop-up...even it's OG implementation was very limited cuz the vast majority of players do not use move loadouts, so going into a fight with no moves was already kinda rare (and TBH, it doesn't do anything for your defensive teams).

After 7 years you'd think they'd figure out that not all players play SGM the same way and should implement an opt in/out toggle for pre/post match 'reminders/warnings'...

 

[Atharva73]

- please give us option to turn off “no move or guest stars equipped” warning when stating fight… I’m going to need to 300+ junk guest stars to not worry about this

Settings > Gameplay > Show popup if missing moves, Show popup if missing guest star.

They did add the toggle this update, best qol.

 

[Indrew]

I know day one opinions can be fickle, but I feel like this update will irrevocably change the trajectory of the game in such a way that needs to be addressed.

To get to the point, Guest Stars should not have stats. At the very least, not in their current state. Locking such a significant stat boost behind 4 million canopy and universal retakes (which are already scarce) makes them fairly inaccessible and exacerbates the stat grind, especially given the context of an economy that is not at all tuned for the feature (and judging by the pittance that is the Show Me Your Moves pf, I doubt this new one will do much). The evolving mechanic is also poorly thought out: when optimizing move stats, you can pretty quickly gauge whether or not to keep upgrading a move. Having stardust increments tremendously obfuscates this, forcing you to spend a rare resource to roll instead of just coins. If it rolls poorly, you're just out of luck.

A lot of people are doomposting about GS' implication on Rift, particularly on defense. At this point, it's too early to make any absolute judgment on their disruption to the meta; I will say on my part, I don't it will affect things too disastrously because you can feasibly shift around just three GS if you're concerned about stats (obviously more if you want to specialize, but it still heavily favors offense).

I wouldn't count this as a silver lining, though. The crux of the issue with GS stats is they're simply not compelling gameplay-wise. If they won't ruin Rifts, one certainty is that they will be a pain to upgrade and optimize. GS were intended to add a layer of nuance to gameplay (and this I appreciate), but implicating stats shifts their focus so heavily onto the stats min-maxing that it overshadows everything else. Late game SGM basically converges to one big stat check. And even if having all maxed GS isn't the intention, or is supposed to be a luxury rather than an expectation, that doesn't matter. In practice, the core substance of GS - the relics, the prize fight, the stardust, the retakes - is upgrading them. GS as a whole don't feel good. I don't want to worry about more upgrading in favor of the same system, and I don't want another prize fight to clutter it up. I want a new system.

To put it politely, though, I don't think a lot of the idealist criticism in this thread is any closer to an improvement. I feel like a lot of the hitherto disdain toward this update is more a means to legitimize latent cynicism than analyze the problem in a meaningful way.

Story mode is often echoed as a panacea to the game's stagnation. I think it would be nice to have more story content, but it's disingenuous to say a lack of new story content is why people feel burnt out. Ultimately, story mode is still a one-time occurrence that doesn't expand on gameplay. If people complain about the repetitiveness of Parallel Realms, why would adding master origin stories be any different? I see a similar trend with a perceived lack of fighter reworks. There are a few variants I agree could be retouched, but 1) we've had quite a few recent reworks and complaints of game stagnation have not slowed and 2) hasty reworking can very easily lead to the homogenization of variant abilities for the sake of meeting the bar of the current meta. These are band-aids on a much bigger problem.

That problem is, as alluded to, a lack of gameplay variety. As in, the core structure of this game has not changed. Between all the different modes, the approach and end goal is always the same: look at opponent team and match modifiers, build an appropriate counter, and defeat the opponent by counteracting the abilities and modifiers. You can say dailies and Rifts serve different purposes, but at the end of the day, between each independent battle, it's all the same. And with great predictability. Modifiers are set in stone with virtually no real variety. Parallel Realms might as well be another prize fight.

This is what makes some variants "obsolete". When the goal of everything in the game is the same, there will be variants best at that one goal and variants that will never find a place. The game needs something to reward abilities and approaches that aren't just Deadeye and Precision through a stock defense ability. Something that makes use of an entire collection, or is randomized to keep me on my feet. Or at the very least, something that doesn't amount to a series of functionally identical battles.

This update as a whole feels like a half-baked idea stitched on an increasingly bloated infrastructure. Upgrading GS means another prize fight to worry about. Buying stardust means another currency piled onto Rift. Coming from someone who likes Rift, I don't think the game mode was meant to sustain all of these crucial aspects of the game. I don't think prize fights were meant to be the principal source of new fighters, income, retakes, shards, the monthly "event", and now GS, all simultaneously. These resources should either be spread among new game modes, (adjusted for time commitment of course) or there should be a way to obtain the same resources pool through different means.

A manifestation of this "stitched on" feeling (and perhaps a less "serious" criticism) is the UI. Maybe I need to get used to it, but the collection UI feels clunky and discordant. The icons are nondescript and incohesive, the moves bar is cluttered, and GS now complicate move loadouts. And most egregious to me, (and objectively the least consequential detail) the GS relic render looks really bad. There's no lighting or texture, the star looks amateurly put together, and it all presents more like a CAD model than anything else.

The mistakes of this update have already been made. I don't think at this point GS stats can be rolled back. I'm also still not cynical enough to take the "dev's don't care about the players" angle, but this definitely isn't helping. Ultimately I hope none of this turns out as bad as a lot of us think it will, I hope we will see more transparency in the future, and I hope everyone seriously examines the state of the game.