Lab Zero Games will relaunch its 2D fighting game Skullgirls as Skullgirls Encore on the PlayStation Network in North America on Feb. 11, according to the game's launch trailer.
The developer announced late last year that Skullgirls, which originally launched in 2012, would be temporarily removed from the PlayStation Store and Xbox Games Store due to a change in publisher. The game was slated to return to both platforms in early 2014 under the name Skullgirls Encore and, according to Lab Zero, would be "a 'new' and distinct game from the original release."
Those who already bought the original game for PlayStation 3 will be able to download Skullgirls Encore for free when it launches. Current Skullgirls owners will receive a voucher for a free copy of the game via a PSN XMB message. Clicking on the link to redeem it will take users to a page where they can download Encore. Coinciding with the launch is a new fighter named Squigly, who will be available as downloadable content.
Xbox 360 users won't have to download Skullgirls Encore from the Xbox Games Store when it launches — it will instead be available as a patch. Lab Zero Games told Polygon it is currently working to have release dates for the Xbox 360 patch and a European PSN version of the game "as quickly as possible." The Sony Computer Entertainment Europe release will likely be out the week following the North American launch, but Lab Zero said it could not make any guarantees.
Notes on the changes introduced in Skullgirls Encore can be viewed here.
