Namco Bandai announced that Soulcalibur IV, the newest sequel to the weapon-based fighting game franchise, has gone gold for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Soulcalibur IV will be available in the States on July 29, July 31 in Europe, Japan, and Australia, and - last but not least - on August 1 in the UK.

Redesigned from the ground, Soulcalibur IV doesn't only feature new HD graphics but also new gameplay elements such as the ability to destroy protective armor or the new finish moves. Online play and character customization is also part of the new installment.

Among other new characters, the home console versions also feature two Star Wars characters: Yoda for the Xbox 360, and Darth Vader for the PS3.

The original Soulcalibur was released on Xbox Live Arcade now, and could very well serve as appetizer for bridging the wait for the release of Soulcalibur IV at the end of this month.