Guilty Gear Strive reinvigorated its classic franchise and the fighting game genre as a whole when it launched back in 2021, but the game's continued support has also allowed it to stay more relevant than ever. A fixture of tournaments and competitive play in general, Guilty Gear Strive has taken Arc System Works' flagship series to its biggest level yet. As the third season of DLC characters is already underway, however, the future of the game's roster is the biggest topic within the community.

A strong representative of the anime fighting game subgenre, Strive has stayed strong in the face of releases like Street Fighter 6 through its consistent addition of new characters to the roster. Season 3 is already off to a strong start with the recent release of Johnny, and the remaining members of the roster are the source of much speculation. With some returning and others predicted to make their first-time debut, there are a multitude of characters from across the Guilty Gear franchise that are equally likely to show up.

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Guilty Gear Characters Who Could Return in Season 3

• Slayer - An immortal vampire engaging in combat purely for his own amusement, Slayer has one of the most memorable personalities of the series. A quirkier character obsessed with haiku and his personal philosophy of "Dandyism", his return would make older fans feel much more at home in Strive.
• A.B.A - One of the most obscure characters in the franchise, A.B.A has become one of the most requested DLC picks by fans despite only appearing all the way back in Guilty Gear XX Slash as a later addition. With a fighting style centered around her giant anthropomorphic key that also happens to be her husband, it's no surprise that she's so hard to forget.
• Robo-Ky - He may have sacrificed himself to stop Bedman in Xrd's story, but the flawed robotic copy of franchise face Ky Kiske could return as a brand-new model in Strive.
• Elphelt Valentine - An infamously powerful fighter who controlled the battle with her arsenal of guns in Guilty Gear Xrd, some fans wish to see Elphelt return alongside the other Valentines as an answer to the dominance of Happy Chaos' own gun abilities.
• Zappa - A man only capable of fighting involuntarily via the multiple spirits that seem to violently possess him, Zappa was one of the more disturbing fighters of the Guilty Gear XX era. Having recovered from his troubled state in the lore since, Strive would likely see an entirely new take on him.
• Dizzy - With deep familial ties to several members of the existing cast, the compassionate Gear known as Dizzy's return would only be natural following the addition of her son and mother with Sin and Jack-O respectively.
• Raven - The masochistic immortal servant of series antagonist Asuka R. Kreutz, better known as That Man, Raven's presence in Strive would see him walk a new path. Free from his master after the events of Xrd, Raven seems to have turned over a new leaf similarly to Asuka.

Guilty Gear Characters Who Could Make Their Playable Debut in Season 3

• Gabriel - The leader of Potemkin's nation of Zepp, Gabriel has an immense power in fighting that has never been shown in gameplay.
• President Vernon - Heavily highlighted in Strive's story mode, Vernon is capable of more than meets the eye through his cybernetic arm and appreciation for American Football.
• Daryl - The third king of Illyria alongside Ky Kiske and Leo Whitefang, Daryl is the only one who hasn't shown off his combat prowess.
• Ariels - The big bad of Guilty Gear Xrd, the human form of the antagonistic Universal Will, Ariels has long been requested by fans following her omission from the last game.

Guilty Gear Strive is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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