Straight answer first: Lucy drops into GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- on August 21, letting players freeze time and dish out Quickhacks just like in Cyberpunk 2077.
After four years since the game’s release, a new DLC will soon introduce a character that will likely mark the end of an era for the title, as the final addition to Pass 4 in this form.
Lucy DLC release date
Arc System Works has announced the Lucy DLC release date, by the end of this month, players will have a chance to test out Quickhack in battle. Fans have been waiting a long time for such an anime crossover. Lucy, the star of this season’s update, follows in the footsteps of Sin Kiske and Johnny, further bridging the gap between the fighting-game community and anime fandom.
The Quickhack mechanic can be seen in the latest trailer. Tt’s the moment when Lucy uses her mental power to manipulate the opponent’s coding, the character briefly freezes, and debuff icons appear above their head. Our heroine can affect enemies with skills like Algorithm Malfunction, Optics Inhibition, and Energy Siphon. Sounds interesting, right? And that’s exactly how Season Pass 4 with the upcoming DLC is shaping up, which will definitely impact your combat strategy. And if you’re a fan of Cyberpunk 2077, you’ve probably noticed the similarity in mechanics.
Lucy at Evo 2025
Lucy’s debut at Evo 2025 instantly sparked a debate among pros and fans alike, with many calling her the most unique addition in Season Pass 4. Her abilities to freeze enemies and apply debuffs introduces a layered playstyle. Early frame-data breakdowns show her normals are a bit slow on startup, but she gains solid plus frames after triggering a successful Quickhack, opening up new pressure opportunities.
From the Evo stage demos, top players experimented with setplay-heavy approaches, while others explored zoning and burst bait to counter her flow. The Evo 2025 trailes also gave a sneak peek at an advanced combo loop – it’s clear Lucy is more than a visual novelty, she’s a serious contender that could reshape tier lists in the coming months.
After the end comes a new beginning
Lucy, as the last playable character, doesn’t signal an end but a new beginning. Guilty Gear Strive tweeted, “GGST will continue..” Along with the message came a video thanking the fans, because Strive has reached 3.5 million players since launch.
The devs also confirmed that Guilty Gear Strive 2.00 is in development, with a release window set for 2026. What changes it will bring to gameplay remains a mystery for now. Perhaps even more exciting, though, is the tease of two upcoming characters, sparking fan speculation that Robo-Ky and Jam Kuradoberi might be making a return.
Show off your Quickhacks
It’s your time, jump into the xyz.com Discord and drop your nastiest Lucy tech, from frame traps to full-screen hack setups. Don’t forget to clip your wildest hack combinations and tag us for a chance to be featured in our weekly recap. Let’s see who breaks the meta first.