CES '08: Yoda, Vader warring in Soulcalibur IV

Namco Bandai and LucasArts team to add Jedi Master to pacify Xbox 360 version, Sith Lord to rage on PS3.

Cameos are nothing new to Namco Bandai's long-running Soul Calibur fighting series. When Soul Calibur II released for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox in 2003, each version received an exclusive, and seemingly oddball addition to the game's fighter roster. Nintendo's iconic sword fighter Link wound up in the GC version, while Todd McFarlane's Spawn materialized in the Xbox game and Tekken's karate master Heihachi Mishima appeared in the PS2 game.

Yoda takes a swipe at Cassandra.

With Soul Calibur III seeing a console-exclusive release on the PS2, Namco Bandai forwent the cameo route, instead throwing all three out-of-place fighters into the same ring. However, with Soulcalibur IV slated to arrive this summer on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the Japanese publisher felt a new round of iconic fighters was in order.

Namco Bandai today announced from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it would be partnering with LucasArts to add Darth Vader to the PlayStation 3 version's roster, with Yoda joining up with the Xbox 360 crew. Screenshots released with the announcement reveal the two will both wield their respective red and green lightsabers, though no other details on how the two characters will play were given.

Voldo seems to be no match for Vader.

Soulcalibur IV continues the story begun in the first three fighter installments in the Soul Calibur/Soul Blade series, with Project Soul returning to development duties on the game. In addition to new battle system, Soulcalibur IV will let fighters create their own custom characters with distinct looks and moves and will also feature online play. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

714 Comments

  • yungeasy

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 8:44 am GMT

    there adding yoda to ps3 and darth vader 360 later in update

  • darkkhaoswar

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 9:48 am GMT

    Yet again Namco is being gay with there exclusive characters for each console. I mean really i'm not getting a freakin PS3 to play Darth Vader. Come on Namco really stop the crap. XBOX360 American Made hell ya!!!

  • Ahiru-San

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 4:14 am GMT

    i think they only put yoda in the 360 cause he's green, and vader is black, so he goes to the ps3... lame addition...

  • FrankCastIe

    Posted Jul 23, 2008 7:57 pm GMT

    Im getting it for both so i get to use both! ha

  • Merc1319

    Posted May 29, 2008 5:15 am GMT

    are the developers making a comment on the force alignment of the two consoles???
    hmmm yoda kicks ass. play soul calibur 4 i will =D

  • aiz_filter

    Posted May 4, 2008 4:32 am GMT

    @ cilla123, shut up you ps3 fanboy

  • CptObvious1031

    Posted May 2, 2008 5:40 am GMT

    Yoda kicks !!!! Darth is nothing more than a poor confused old man who was lied to and tricked into being evil. Triumph over evil, Good always will.

  • cilla123

    Posted Apr 27, 2008 9:57 am GMT

    Yeah Darth Vader is going to better he's cooler. That a cool idea though Yoda for Xbox 360 and Darth Vader for Ps3. Everybody seems like Darth Vader......360 sucks

  • Dragorro

    Posted Apr 24, 2008 11:36 am GMT

    Yoda+better online = win

  • Kenji_Masamune

    Posted Apr 17, 2008 11:25 am GMT

    vader + free online multiplayer = win

  • SpoonHeroSR

    Posted Apr 16, 2008 9:05 pm GMT

    I would rather play as darth vadar so i might be picking it up for the ps3 instead of 360.

  • FlameAlchemist9

    Posted Apr 16, 2008 6:51 am GMT

    I personally am a little ticked off because I wanted to play as Darth Vader...But oh well...Still gonna get the game ^.^

  • 6monkey1

    Posted Apr 12, 2008 11:44 am GMT

    This is going to be awesome.oh, and havenlyhunter, adding kratos would get it an M rating lol

  • jameeler91

    Posted Apr 11, 2008 4:31 pm GMT

    GuitarHero171 If you want to play as those characters u just named, u might as well go play ssbros. or some naruto game
    they would never be in soulcaliber

  • Lorick_vs_Vash

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 8:57 pm GMT

    This is namco's way of comparing the two untis... Here let me explain.

    Yoda (360): -360 green -when the unit breaks get the red ring of death... (vaders lightsaber) -Smaller -Older -The good guy in the console war (Yoda good side of the Force) -Makes weird noises

    Vader (PS3) -Black -Bigger -Has those air vents that look like Vader(look at a PS3 it resembles Vader) -Mostly Mechanics hardly any soul -Ends up dieing in the long run

    I'm sure there are many other simplarities too these two characters and there respected Cameos...

  • deannatrois

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 9:38 am GMT

    darth maul is pants vader for 360 vader 4ever

  • HavenlyHunter

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 6:54 am GMT

    The better add kratos to ps3 version and masterchef to xbox 360 version !

  • silent_riku

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 4:36 am GMT

    oh man... I'm not all that hyped up about having Star Wars characters in soul caliber... don't get me wrong, i love star wars... but they're holding lightsabers for crying out loud... why in the world isn't yoda or vader able to just melt through the weapons? i loved how SC would always have these secret cameo characters from other games as unlockables but taking star wars characters and putting it in SC is a total thumbs down from me...

  • masterjedi74

    Posted Mar 3, 2008 10:58 am GMT

    ok..this is way cool that namco/bandai treamec up with lucasarts to inplace yoda and vader in this game. too bad they cant both be on both consoles. but there might be a twist to these additions. if you play yoda on 360 and win all the battles, this might unlock vader to give you a true force fight. vice versa for the ps3.that would be really awesome. definitely something to look forward too.

  • JDA_KING23

    Posted Feb 27, 2008 9:16 pm GMT

    oh yeaa..... cant wait 2 buy this game on ps3.... 2 play with sith lord DARTH VADER!!!!!!!!!!!

  • BlindEnigma

    Posted Feb 12, 2008 9:21 pm GMT

    Yoda is cool, and a great iconic figure....but when it comes to fighting, do I want a Jedi that fights only in defense? Or a figure of death and destruction, my Lord Vader? Vader must come to the 360 to wreak Sith destruction upon the Soulcalibur world

  • KingSigy

    Posted Feb 9, 2008 9:29 am GMT

    Darth Vader must be on 360! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

  • Serchant

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 10:41 am GMT

    LOL!!! Star Wars and Soul Calibur?? That saounds pretty awesome!!

  • sdkingsht

    Posted Feb 4, 2008 1:09 pm GMT

    yoda was a cute character...however...in a fighting game there is NO competition for Vader or Darth Maul. Those two are easily the hottest SW characters you could put in a fighting game. oh i hope they let you choke someone in mid air with Vader.

  • sdkingsht

    Posted Feb 4, 2008 12:52 pm GMT

    raev92...the Xbox360 Elite (aka the PS3 edition) is black but it's not the default color. PS3's default is black & shiny like vader's helmet.

  • sdkingsht

    Posted Feb 4, 2008 12:49 pm GMT

    darthvader > yoda any day. yoda was cool but there is no star wars character cooler than vader. (although i thought darth maul was a close 2nd).

  • VioXtreme1

    Posted Jan 22, 2008 2:58 pm GMT

    why wouldnt they add both yoda and vader to both consoles...Wouldnt that pretty much be every star wars fan's dream fight?

  • Nexeus

    Posted Jan 22, 2008 6:44 am GMT

    PLZ LET VADER BECOME DLC!!!

    Im sorry man, yodas cool and all, but vader... I am saddend

  • raev92

    Posted Jan 21, 2008 8:41 pm GMT

    why not add vader as DLC in 360??? (after all the 360 is also black)

    AAAND Yoda as DLC in PS3?? iI bet that would sell a LOT more

  • funnymario

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 6:23 pm GMT

    popping4it this is my stupid logic. ps3 is black so is vader
    360 is white(and green) so is yoda

    You might not be too far off the mark.
    But who cares, YODA!!!

  • popping4it

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 1:54 am GMT

    this is my stupid logic. ps3 is black so is vader
    360 is white(and green) so is yoda.

  • parrot_of_adun

    Posted Jan 16, 2008 1:42 pm GMT

    WTF@$%#@^%!)*@!~~!!!!!!

    I DO want a PS3 regardless, BUT THIS IS JUST DUMB! I want vader! not yoda!

  • grandterra

    Posted Jan 16, 2008 7:52 am GMT

    uber cool my mate next door will get thois on the 360 and ill get it on ps3 and we can play as ether.
    just wont be thje same though id liike a yoda vs vader battle, it would be fun in my view.

  • nappan

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 12:58 pm GMT

    This is far too early in the console generation to be trying to entice peopel to drop a few hundred on a second console (most own one already) on the basis of a character in Soul Caliber. I'm with the people who say just put them together, unless they play so similarly that it would be redundant in the same game.

  • Kingdom_Key239

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 7:54 am GMT

    I can't believe they're doing this again. I would personally want Darth Vader, but I ain't spending $400 minimum for a PS3 just to play as him. That's completely lame. Another thing, when is Darth Maul going to be in a next-gen game? He would totally own.

  • alejandrosimms

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 7:15 am GMT

    This is awesome, but I am disappointed Vader is only available in the PS3 version.

  • gamecubepad

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 9:05 pm GMT

    The ironic thing is a lot of people won't buy this game just because they excluded Vader from the 360. 90% of Star Wars fans would prefer Vader. Maybe they can trade out Yoda for Obi Wan. Gimmicky nerds. I can see the marketing guys now, "Hey one is green and one is black. So is the systems. Gimmick time!"

  • chris_klein

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 10:25 am GMT

    "rexCo Is it wrong to still have hope for a Wii version?"

    I think the Wii version get's George Lucas

  • chris_klein

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 10:18 am GMT

    Cool I guess, but yeah. Who in the entire universe, DOESN'T want to see Vader AND Yoda in a lightsaber fight? Put both in both versions I say. They'll sell tonnes more if they did.

  • Mangler

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:23 am GMT

    This would be better news, if they put both Vader and Yoda onto the 360/PS3!!!

  • ryaz_weaponx

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 2:21 am GMT

    This is gonna rock

  • Serious

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 12:23 am GMT

    The last guest star characters didn't make all that much sense. What did spawn or link want with the blades. And Heihachi doesn't even use a blade. However it makes sense that Darth Vader would be interested in the Soulcalibur legend . The blades are renown for their dark power. Its evil matched with his dark force powers would give him the edge he needs to take down the Emperor. Something he was always searching the galaxy for. I can't wait to see the game conclusion if you win with Vader. While Yoda would leave his exile to prevent the Dark Lord from possessing such power. No console war debate here. Either version should be great fun. Adding Star Wars to this game is a great Idea. Now if they could add Capt Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones the game would be AAA

  • KaiserWebb

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 9:46 pm GMT

    I know alot of people disagree but I personally think this is awesome, but I shouldn't talk since I'm a Star Wars fan so DUH I like this idea. It is kinda random but none the less it is rather interesting and makes the game unique =/

    Lol I'm totally buying the 360 version (Yoda's the best)

  • LordGavo

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 8:02 pm GMT

    wow... this is pretty random. Coll though. Shame i don't have a PS3 or a 360 :[. Man, Vader looks awesome.

  • blarg_blarg

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 6:27 pm GMT

    YEAH BOI!

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 1:17 pm GMT

    the graphics are amazing. its so so so funny how there in it

  • rexCo

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 7:24 am GMT

    Is it wrong to still have hope for a Wii version?

  • Azhar85

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 6:01 am GMT

    just shut ur mouth sony fanboys..anyway i will get this game on my 360...it's AA titles for 360..

  • Olly464

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 4:31 am GMT

    haha darth vader is a bigger badass then any other character on SC! and Yoda will make raphael look like a incompetent pansy.

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