Marvel Rivals and Tokon Fighting Souls are Two Sides of the…

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls was one of several titles announced during PlayStation's State of Play on June 4. Though many Marvel fans were hoping to see an update on Insomniac's highly anticipated Wolverine title, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is garnering a significant amount of attention among fighting game fans. Developed by Arc System Works in collaboration with PlayStation Studios and Marvel Games, this 4v4 tag fighter has fans excited, especially given Arc System’s impressive track record with previous titles.

Although the recent State of Play came as a surprise, having been announced only a few days earlier this week, it came out swinging with news concerning heavy hitters like 007 First Light, Silent Hill f, and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. Additionally, though rumors were already abounding, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has been officially confirmed and is set to release in 2026 for PlayStation 5 and PC. The timing feels especially relevant, considering the recent popularity of Marvel Rivals. Despite Marvel Rivals still being in its early seasons, having only been released in December of last year, it's already apparent that the games represent two sides of the same coin.

Marvel Rivals player recreates MVP screens using stop motion.

Marvel Rivals Player Creates Impressive Stop Motion Tribute

One Marvel Rivals player manages to recreate some of the popular hero shooter's most iconic MVP screens using stop motion animation.

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By Matthew O’Dwyer

Marvel Games Aren't Holding Back

With major Marvel films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday generating excitement ahead of their inevitable release dates, a stacked list of Marvel games in 2026 makes complete sense. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' recent announcement is a testament to this, alongside Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, which was delayed from its original 2025 release to 2026. Despite it likely being too early to make any real comparisons, some are calling Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls a satisfying realization of what they had hoped Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite would be.

Since Avengers: Doomsday is also set to release in 2026, there will be clear marketing opportunities for the upcoming fighting game. NetEase Games' hero-shooter has already demonstrated a strong proficiency in aligning film releases with in-game rewards and events, with Thunderbolts* and Captain America: Brave New World cosmetics arriving in Marvel Rivals in sync with their theatrical debuts. Other games, like Marvel SNAP, have also included similar promotional rewards. Notably, with Marvel Rivals so prominently in the spotlight as of late, it might make more sense for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls to take notes from the latter, particularly because both games are more action-oriented.

Rivals and Tokon Signal A Major Shift For Marvel Games

Marvel Rivals and Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls TheBestWarGames

Beyond their shared IP, Marvel Rivals and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls are clear examples of Marvel Games setting out to explore new genres and challenge the status quo. While there's no guarantee its fans will embrace these risks, Marvel is taking a leap of faith and thinking outside the box. To illustrate, Marvel Rivals went against the grain by incorporating Marvel characters into a super-powered third-person shooter, featuring destructive environments, an open queue format, and Team-Up Abilities. Although Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls doesn't release until 2026, it's already making significant strides in the fighting game scene thanks to its distinct Japanese-inspired art style, streamlined controls, and hopes to appeal to a broader player base.

In an interview with PlayStation Blog, game director and lead battle designer Kazuto Sekine articulated that in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, players "only need to master one character in order to play the game." The 4v4 tag-fighter is being carefully designed to allow players to perform a variety of actions using either traditional fighting game inputs or more straightforward controls. This is a stark contrast to many popular fighting games, where players often need to dedicate significant time to mastering the kits and intricacies of multiple characters to succeed. Moreover, team versus fighting games are traditionally 2v2 or 3v3, making Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls a unique innovation with its 4v4 team versus system.

For newcomers or more casual fans of the fighting genre, this could provide a much-needed breath of fresh air. Regardless, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls could also learn from Marvel Rivals' competitive system, which has had its fair share of controversy, but has also not shied away from experimentation. Fortunately, it already has distinctive team-up abilities similar to those in NetEase Games’ hero shooter, which is promising. Beyond confirmation that eight characters will debut with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' roster, hopefully, Arc System Works will reveal a more concrete release window for the tag-team fighting game in the near future.

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