SoulCalibur V goes gold

Gamers eager to leap into the throes of fighting in SoulCalibur V are one step closer today, as publisher Namco Bandai has announced that the game has gone gold. The Project Soul-developed fighting game is due on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America on January 31, followed by a February 3 release in Europe.

When it ships, gamers can grab the title in two distinct editions. On top of the standard $60 edition of SoulCalibur V, gamers can grab an $80 collector's iteration of the title. This top-tier SKU includes the game, an art book, a soundtrack CD, making-of videos, a download token for Black Knight and White Knight armor sets, as well as original artwork and a letter signed by Project Soul developers.

Gamers desiring a nonstandard gamepad control scheme can pick up the MadCatz-produced SoulCalibur V fight stick for $160. The new fight stick will be similar to the Super Street Fighter IV Chun-Li Tournament Edition FightStick, but with a new button layout specifically designed for SoulCalibur. It will also sport a translucent body and cosmetic stylings to make it fit in with the SoulCalibur aesthetic.

SoulCalibur V--set 17 years after the events of SoulCalibur IV--is the latest entry in Namco Bandai's weapon-based fighter that started its life in arcades in the 1990s. Namco has slated 30 characters for inclusion, and the series' tradition of including guest characters from other games will continue with Ezio from Assassin's Creed confirmed to be joining the mix.

For more on the fighting game, check out GameSpot's latest hands-on preview with SoulCalibur V.