Like a disturbance in the force, you knew it was coming. With the official announcement popping out for the Japanese market last week, today we hear that Darth Vader and Yoda will be made available as downloadable characters for Soul Calibur IV in the US as well. Which means 360 owners can play as Vader, PS3 owners, as Yoda. Both will be available on October 23 - same day as Japan - and will cost 400 MS Points/$US5.

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You're surprised? Please, don't be. When Namco Bandai released the multi-platform Soulcalibur IV, the PS3 got Darth Vader and the Xbox 360 got Yoda. Now you can get both thanks to the magic of DLC and capitalism. Ah, bless capitalism. It's made it not only possible for Vader and Yoda to fight each other, but for them for battle women with ridiculously large swords.

Starting October 23rd in Japan, Yoda will be available as PS3 DLC for ¥600 (US$5.93), and Vader will go for 400 Microsoft Points. Check out the gallery below.

ベイダー対ヨーダがついに実現！ 『SC IV』のDLCは23日配信 [Dengeki Online]

This weekend should be full of "Oh shit!" moments, as Kotaku Towers West and Kotaku Annex Atlanta prep for the Leipzig Games Convention. We're mostly caught up on our bookings, but I still need to score a train ticket from Frankfurt to Leipzig, as well as book my German vacation days. You won't have this editor to kick around post Games Convention, as I'm taking my first vacation days of the year after the con. Speaking of, any Munich-based Kotaku readers with some local recommendations?

In my downtime (ha!), I'll be relaxing with some Soulcalibur IV and pulling my hair out with some PixelJunk Eden. I'm surprised to find myself only halfway through my Spectra collection and completion. There's little doubt that Q Games gives you plenty of value for your dollar.

What about you? What are you playing this weekend?

EcoGamer's Anthony has once again sent us a great tip for those looking to pick up Soul Calibur IV on the cheap. We've previously posted prices for a bunch of popular stores, but if you're willing to do a bit of leg work, you can shave $50 off the RRP.

I could paraphrase Anthony's tip, but bless him, he's done an excellent job of summing up the details:

If anyone missed out or thought SCIV was too expensive, using a combination of deals you can pick it up for just $49.90. Even less with an EB Games EDGE card (10% discount).

EB Games started their 'Buy 2 preowned games' sale this week, and you can pick up Gears of War, Fight Night Round 3 and Bomberman: Act Zero which are currently not on JB Hi-Fi's trade in exclusion list. Then simply walk into JB Hi-Fi and trade in all three to get Soul Calibur 4. This is also a good opportunity to get Ninja Gaiden 2, DBZ Bust Limit and GRID amongst others for $50. These trade in deals end on the 10th and it is not known yet which ones will be carried into the next catalogue.

Either bigger boobs or Star Wars characters did the trick, because Namco Bandai Games has announced that Soulcalibur IV has already sold (not shipped, sold) over 2,000,000 copies of SCIV. The multi-platform game went on sale in the States on July 29th and in Japan and Europe on July 31st. Many people have purchased it.

バンダイナムコ、PS3/Xbox 360「ソウルキャリバーIV」
全世界での累計販売本数が200万本を突破 [Game Watch]

That character creator in Soulcalibur IV certainly has opened up a barrel nutty! Picking up where Kotaku reader CB's Metal Gear Solid creations left off, just check out this rogues gallery which includes appearances by Ronald McDonald (with an afro!), the girls from Lucky Star, Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer, Dante from Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy IV, the Mario Bros., the bride from Kill Bill, Gundam and many, many more! Right up there, that's Japan's number one Xbox fanboy Jamzy.

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While some could-be-real, could-not-be-real images and video of Vader battling Yoda in Soul Calibur IV have surfaced over the past few weeks, the rumour that both characters will feature as DLC (Yoda for PS3, Vader for 360) is far from confirmed. Enter Soul Calibur IV director Katsutoshi Sasaki, who...fails to confirm or deny said rumours, saying "We don't have any plans" to add the pair as platform-crossing DLC. Once was a day "no plans" meant just that, there were no plans, but these days it could just as easily mean "sure we will, but we'll announce it in a month's time when you're starting to get sick of the game".

XCN Soul Calibur IV Q&A with Katsutoshi Sasaki, Director [MSXBOX World]

PC World's Darren Gladstone got an itching to make some custom characters in SCIV, and created U.S. presidential candidates John McCain (Vietnam vet headband, big arse mallet) and Barack Obama (shirtless and swingin' nunchaku.) And of course, the video ends with their series tied at 2-2, just so no one thinks this is an endorsement of or in-kind advertisement for either -- because FEC paperwork is a bitch.

I'm trying to make allegories between their fighting traits and campaign positions but to be honest, haven't followed things that closely. I do think the choice of weapons is rather adroit. Do you want your president to be some dancing elitist who prefers foreign fightin' styles with sticks, or a guy with good-ole cornfed brute strength enough to pound his enemies with a massive phallic object?

As one commenter on GamePolitics aptly pointed out: Thank God Hillary did not get the nomination. I'll let you think on it for a second.

McCain vs Obama -- FIGHT! [PC World, via Gamepolitics]

I can't write about any version of SoulCalibur without saying how amazing the Dreamcast version of the first installment was, so we'll get that out of the way up front. The original SoulCalibur for the Dreamcast is the game that got me hooked on 3D fighters, and no other game before or since quite compares to the thrill of the first time I spun up the disc in my imported Sega console. Nevertheless, Namco Bandai continues to try, and now the fourth installment (fifth counting Soul Edge) is upon us, marking the series' first appearance on current generation hardware. SoulCalibur IV brings us new fighters, new modes, a robust character creator, and the addition of online play - a franchise first. On top of all that, they've added a healthy dose of midi-chlorians to the mix in the form of cameos from Yoda, Darth Vader, and the Secret Apprentice from The Force Unleashed. Do all of these new additions lift the franchise to new heights, or throw it off balance so it falls right out of the ring?

Love it or hate it, here's your SoulCalibur IV review.

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Once upon a time, when you mentioned Soulcalibur, people thought of swords. Now, they think of jubblies. So no wonder UK men's magazine FRONT returned for another round of Photoshop-cheesecake-models-into-videogames. This time, Page Three girls Danni Wells and Amii Grove bust out the "i"s and the sporting equipment for an in-mag SoulCalibur IV. Look at that picture! It's like they're thus destroying and pillaging Soulcalibur IV. (But can cricket bats defeat lightsabers? Gah....)

Hit the jump for a good old fashioned butt-off.

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