The text below was published on the PlayStation Blog.
PlayStation Studios, Arc System Works (Arc), and Marvel Games have joined forces to create the newest team-based fighting game (4×4), MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls! Experience the Marvel Universe like never before with reimagined characters and stages, a breathtaking soundtrack, intuitive gameplay mechanics, and jaw-dropping visuals that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Whether this is your first fighting game or you’re a genre veteran, Arc has incorporated easy-to-learn controls and gameplay mechanics that remain accessible while offering the depth and versatility needed for high-level competition.
“From the beginning, our goal was to make MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls a title that could be enjoyed by a wide variety of players,” explains Kazuto Sekine, Game Director and Battle Chief Designer.
“Typically, a team-based fighting game requires players to learn multiple characters, but in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, you only need to master one character to play. We designed the mechanics so you can perform various actions using either traditional fighting game inputs or simplified commands. With the press of buttons, multiple characters can appear on screen to provide support or attack together—creating a fresh and exciting team battle experience.”
“From day one, our trusted long-term collaborators at PlayStation and the team at Arc System Works poured an incredible amount of talent and passion into reimagining the Marvel Universe in a way only they can,” said Michael Francisco, Senior Manager of Product Development at Marvel Games. “MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls proves they are absolute masters of their craft and true Marvel fans at heart. Players are about to embark on an incredible journey.”
Characters
Join the fray with iconic Marvel heroes and villains like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, Storm, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, and Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)—each featuring Arc’s unique touch on their character designs and playstyles.
Arc Producer Takeshi Yamanaka states: “With so many amazing Marvel characters, it was a challenge to select our roster, but we had several criteria. First and foremost, we wanted to include characters that we felt were the ‘face’ of Marvel. At the same time, we needed characters offering balanced battle types and styles. Lastly, we wanted surprises and space for characters never playable in a fighting game before.”
Yamanaka-san continues: “Early in development, we experimented with a shader to recreate a Western comics visual style, but Marvel’s team expressed a desire to embrace something closer to Arc’s signature style. That’s when we shifted our approach to lean more into the Japanimation aesthetic Arc is known for.”
Gameplay Mechanics
From close-range strikes to cinematic Ultimate Skills, each character boasts a customized set of Normal, Special, and Unique attacks inspired by their Marvel lore abilities and powers. Arc went to great lengths to ensure the playstyle, movement, and feel of these legendary characters are innovative, groundbreaking, and wholly unique in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls.
But it wasn’t just individual character gameplay that was refined; immense dedication went into reimagining what it means to be a team fighter.
“Team VS fighting games traditionally use 2v2 or 3v3 formats, so this was a topic we deeply discussed with the development team. We debated constantly whether a 1v1 format or established 3v3 structure would be best.”
Sekine-san continues: “Ultimately, we felt team versus battles shine when multiple characters fill the screen simultaneously. Moreover, a key appeal of Marvel comics is seeing vast character rosters unite in unique team combinations.”
“Guided by these ideas, we concluded a 4×4 team VS system delivers both over-the-top moments and meaningful evolution for the team fighting genre.”
Stages
Stages come alive in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, packed with easter eggs for dedicated fans. Most stages also feature multiple areas. These transitions aren’t just action-packed and visually impressive—they serve strategic purposes too. Check out screenshots of Marvel’s New York City to see what awaits.
More to Come
Today’s announcement is just the start of our journey. From characters and stages to game modes and online experiences—there’s so much more we can’t wait to share with you!
