Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Update 2.01 Released; Brings Sandalphon DLC

[summaraize]

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising update 2.01 is now available to download, and this is a major update as it adds a new playable character, along with plenty of story updates, gameplay changes, and bug fixes.

Here’s a breakdown of everything in today’s update.

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Update 2.01 Is All About Sandalphon

New DLC Character

• Sandalphon has been added as a playable character.

• Sandalphon has been added as a Premium Avatar.

• A music track, weapon skins, badges, trophies, card design, sticker, weapon cutout, and Figure Studio poses and expressions for Sandalphon have been added.

– Sandalphon must be unlocked as a playable character to access these features (except stickers).

• Sandalphon has been added to the Rupie Shop under Special Content.

– Purchases made via the Special Content tab do not come with a bonus serial code.

• (PS5/PS4 only) Sandalphon Purchase Bonus has been added to the Serial Codes screen in the Options menu.

>> Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising – Sandalphon Character Guide

A new gameplay video showcasing Sandalphon’s unique skills is now available.

Check it out now on YouTube!

Battles and Online Matches

• Character level cap has been increased from 999 to 2000.

• New rewards have been added beyond level 500.

• A new stage, Canaan Shrine, has been added.

The above stage can be unlocked by purchasing it from the in-game Rupie Shop or as part of Deluxe Character Pass 2.

• Survival Mode has been added.

Unlock upgrades to your character and defeat as many CPU foes as you can!

Receive completion rewards based on how many foes are defeated.

This new game mode can be accessed from the main menu on the Play screen.

• A fast-forward feature has been added to replays.

• Added the option to set opponent character illustrations to always display as the default illustration for online matches under Battle Settings.

• The following features have been added to Button Configuration (Battle).

• • Added the option to set ← (Hold) → inputs to On, Off, or ↓↘→ .

This setting applies to the following characters and skills.

– Charlotta: Shining Onslaught

– Vaseraga: Battalions of Fear

– Eustace: Flamek Thunder

• • Added the option to set ↓ (Hold) ↑ inputs to either On or Off.

This setting applies to the following characters and skills.

– Charlotta: Holy Ladder

– Anre: Fleeting Spark

– Eustace: Slow Kill

– Seox: Empty Hand

• Added the option to toggle between technical and simple inputs for SBAs and SSBAs (with some specific exceptions). As a result of this change, using the Technical Inputs option now only applies to skills.

• Online match-ups will now cancel if a player does nothing for a set period of time on the battle results screen.

Community Features

• The crew feature has been added.

The newly added crew feature allows players to create and join crews to connect with fellow players. Members in a crew can chat with one another via a private guest book.

This new feature can be accessed from the main menu on the Community screen.

• Unique player IDs have been added. Players can use IDs to search for and invite other players to their crew.

Player ID can be confirmed on the Player Info screen.

• Players can now view the player profiles of posters in the guest book.

Room Matches

• An Online Training feature has been added, available at stations that have been set as training stations via Room Settings.

• Added the option to view the room password while within a room.

• The UIs for Create a Room and Find a Room have been updated.

Online Lobby

• A new mini-game, SHARK TO GLORY, has been added to the online lobby.

Store/Rupie Shop

The following items have been added to the Rupie Shop.

• Character Colors
• Sandalphon Colors 5–21
• Color 22 for the 5 characters who received it in Battle Pass Round 1
• Color 22 for the 4 characters who received it in Battle Pass Round 2
• Weapon Skins
• Sandalphon Weapon Skins 2–9
• Weapon Skin 10 for the 4 characters who received it in Battle Pass Round 1
• Weapon Skin 10 for the 5 characters who received it in Battle Pass Round 2
• Character Illustrations
• Sandalphon (Original Ver.)
• Character illustrations for the 3 characters who received them in Battle Pass Round 1
• Character illustrations for the 3 characters who received them in Battle Pass Round 2
• Lobby Avatars
• Bloody-Blood Stabby Man
• Jade
• Stages
• Canaan Shrine
• Stages & Music
• 2 stage music tracks introduced in Battle Pass Round 1
• 2 stage music tracks introduced in Battle Pass Round 2
• Card Designs
• 5 card designs introduced in Battle Pass Round 1
• 4 card designs introduced in Battle Pass Round 2
• Other Figures
• • Lobby Avatars

Can be obtained either by purchasing Figure Studio Set 1 or through the in-game Rupie Shop.

• • Extra Effects and Objects Set

Can be obtained either by purchasing Figure Studio Set 2 or through the in-game Rupie Shop.

Special Content

• • Beelzebub (Conqueror’s Carapace)
  • Narmaya (The Black Butterfly)
  • Zeta (Crimson Bomber)
  • Unlock Character: Sandalphon

Also available for purchase on each platform’s respective stores.

Training Mode

• Added the option to toggle the display of the combo limit gauge on the Display menu.

Story Mode

• A new quest, Shifting Skies and Sinking Stars, has been added to part 3 of the story.

It can be unlocked by completing Episode 82: When Tomorrow Comes.

• A notification will now show up when unlocking soundtracks, stages, card designs, trophies, badges, or avatars from completing a quest.

Ranked and Casual Matches

• Players will now be removed from standby if the match-up timer runs out without player input.

Grand Bruise!

• Game selection odds for the second stage have been adjusted.

• Appearance rates for items have been adjusted in all game modes.

• Properties for the following items have been adjusted.

• Bahamut Anima: Knockback has been reduced.
• Spear: Knockback has been reduced.
• Bow: Knockback has been reduced.
• Sword (charged): Knockback has been reduced.
• Axe (charged): Knockback has been reduced.
• FRIED SHRIMP: Time until activation has been extended.
• FRIED SHRIMP: Total ammunition has been reduced from 3 to 2.
• Shield: Attack speed has been reduced.

• The following game modes have been adjusted.

• Rising Royale: Positions where the game will respawn the character at a checkpoint in all stages have been adjusted.
• Rising Royale: Time limit has been adjusted.
• Rising Royale (Final Stage): Width of the final bridge before the finish line has been increased.
• Rising Royale (Final Stage): Wind strength in front of the finish line has been adjusted.
• Golem Defense Force: Laser attack speed and reload speed have both been increased.
• Gold Brick Hoarder: Travel speed while carrying gold bricks has been reduced.
• Slime Blaster: Points lost from getting knocked down have been reduced.
• Beam Bouncers: Launch distance when hit by the laser has been adjusted.

Bug Fixes and Other Changes

• The Gift Crate screen’s UI has been updated.

• Trophies in the PlayStation® version will now default to English instead of Japanese if the system language is not supported.

• The Figure Studio object Spoon is now categorized as Tableware.

• Fixed an issue with Lunalu in online matches where the character selected at random from the second match forward would sometimes differ for each player.

• Notes have been added to the Story Mode Command Lists for characters whose skills have differing properties from other game modes.

• Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes become unresponsive when the announcements on the main menu and another window were displayed at the same time.

• Fixed an issue where the trophy That’s How We Do It in Zinkenstill! would not unlock in some instances when the player used Vikala in Combo Practice due to the total number of successful combos not updating correctly.

• Fixed an issue where the trophy Where’s My Hug? would not unlock in some instances when the player used Lucilius’s , , or  versions of Iscariot due to the total number of throws not updating correctly.

• Fixed an issue where the opponent’s total number of matches played would display incorrectly on the RTT display screen when a player matched up with a blocked player at a match station.

• Fixed an issue in Situational Training where players would sometimes successfully clear Vikala: Using Fire! Strategically even if they did not follow up with Fire!

• Fixed an issue in Grand Bruise! where players could not view replays in some instances if the room that they were in was disbanded.

• Fixed an issue where an application error would occur when users in the following regions changed their Sound and Language settings for System Voice, Display Language, and Voice Language at once and then canceled the changes.

• Steam
• PS4: North America / Europe / Asia
• PS5: North America / Europe / Asia

• Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes become unresponsive if the player accepted items from the Gift Crate and switched tabs at the same time.

• Fixed an issue where an application error would sometimes occur if the player mashed the cancel button after selecting Claim All in the Gift Crate.

• Fixed an issue where an application error would sometimes occur if the player selected Retreat during a Story Mode battle after their internet connection cut out.

Battle and Character Adjustments

Building upon the adjustments made in Version 1.50, the primary focus of this update is to further refine and balance the risk and reward aspects of gameplay, making necessary improvements to enhance overall game balance.

For all characters, we have implemented changes to Brave Counters, invincible skills, and counters—specifically, we have increased the reward for players who successfully anticipate and block or evade these moves, thereby making such actions riskier to perform.

Brave Counters

Brave Counters are a universal action that, despite costing Bravery Points to perform, have been a highly effective and powerful reversal option. While it is possible to block a Brave Counter, blocking one would still result in a frame disadvantage, leading to scenarios where players would counter Brave Counters with their own, creating a loop that undermined strategic gameplay involving Bravery Points.

To address this issue while preserving the effectiveness of Brave Counters as a reversal tool, we have adjusted them to grant frame advantage to the blocking player. The properties of Brave Counters on hit and counter hit remain unchanged.

Invincible and Counter Skills

We have implemented adjustments to skills with invincibility (including armored invincibility) on start-up, as well as certain skills with guard point properties and skills that counter incoming attacks. This includes Skybound Arts and Super Skybound Arts.

Previously, these skills were difficult to punish even when successfully blocked or dodged. To address this, we have adjusted their frame advantage and pushback on block, making them easier to punish.Additionally, to increase the inherent risk of performing these actions, any hits taken during their recovery will now count as counter hits. The goal of these changes is to ensure that players who successfully defend or evade these powerful skills are appropriately rewarded.

Character Balance

As a result of these universal adjustments, some characters may become relatively stronger, while others may be significantly affected. With these potential outcomes in mind, we have also implemented some individual changes to characters to maintain overall game balance.

On the whole, we have reduced the effectiveness of characters who possessed overwhelming strengths, actions that were difficult to punish, or skills where the rewards heavily outweighed the risks. These changes are aimed at improving the overall competitive environment. Conversely, characters and mechanics that struggled to find their footing have been enhanced, focusing on increasing their utility.

In line with the extensive adjustments made in the Version 1.50 update, this update introduces significant changes to the game’s overall balance. We will continue to fine-tune as needed, incorporating player feedback to guide future adjustments.

The F used in the descriptions below refers to frames.

Button inputs will use the following format:

 ＝ Light Attack /  ＝ Medium Attack /  ＝ Heavy Attack /  ＝ Unique Action

System-Wide

A full list of fighter adjuments can be found on the Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising page.

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