Namco Bandai announced that Soulcalibur IV will hit the store shelves on July 29. The new title is available for both Xbox 360 and PS3.

In Soulcalibur IV, the epic struggle between the spirit sword, Soul Calibur, and the cursed sword, Soul Edge, continues with revelations about this ongoing story as fighters from across the galaxy seek the powerful swords for their own goals and to face the ultimate judgment. Propelling the franchise into the next-generation, Soulcalibur IV flexes its graphical muscles to shows its visual brilliance with a new look for both allies and enemies.

Continuing the tradition of breaking new boundaries, legendary Star Wars icons Darth Vader and Yoda invade the Soulcalibur universe to add a new layer of depth, challenge, and mystery.  Also for the first time in the franchise, customized characters or original favorites can be taken online to challenge others for the top spot of this timeless series.

Also, the company said a limited Premium Edition package, which includes exclusive content, will also be available at launch while supplies last.

Packaged within a collector’s metal case, the Premium Edition will include the standard version of Soulcalibur IV, an exclusive comic/art book that is a prequel to this latest iteration, a tournament kit, as well as a bonus redemption card, which unlocks extra customization content not available anywhere else in the US.             

Namco Bandai said that the standard edition will be sold for  $59.99, while the limited Premium Edition will be available for $79.99.

Besides the release date of Soulcalibur IV, Namco Bandai revealed their summer lineup of titles for Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network.

PowerUp Forever, a space arcade shooter will be made available on the both services, while Soulcalibur will be an Xbox LIVE exclusive.

“Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PLAYSTATION Network give us a unique opportunity to bring old classics and new, unique concepts to our consumers,” said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations of Namco Bandai Games America Inc.  “Digital distribution will continue to be an integral part of the company’s initiative to bring world class interactive entertainment to fans around the world.”

But the PS3 fans will be glad to hear that Namco also announced Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm  exclusively for the PlayStation 3. Based on the popular NARUTO animated television series from VIZ Media, the game delivers ninja action on an unprecedented scale as players go head to head in full 3D combat, investigate every inch of the Hidden Leaf Village in open-world exploration and revel in high definition graphics that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation. 

The game promises more than 100 unique missions and additional characters from the Nartuo animated series. Injecting additional variety to the game’s head-to head combat, these missions include races, special deliveries and large-scale battles against massive opponents.

The game will be developed and is scheduled to be launched this fall.