To say the Marvel video game division has been on a streak lately would be an understatement. Exhilarating titles such as Marvel Rivals and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 were launched to great levels of success, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra will nearly hit shelves, and to top things off, multiple anticipated games are currently being developed, including EA Motive's Iron Man, Marvel's Wolverine, and Marvel's Blade.
Sure, there have also been some occasional lows, such as the cancellation of the Black Panther video game or the release of Marvel's Avengers (we don't talk about that one). But, for the most part, gamers have been in for an amazing time... and an unexpected announcement just made things better.
June is typically the month for big video game news, as events such as Summer Game Fest unveil what's next for the industry. Fortunately, this year hasn't been the exception, as PlayStation recently held a State of Play presentation that closed things off with a bang thanks to the reveal of the next Marvel fighting game. Arc System Works is behind this anticipated title, and what has been shown so far is nothing short of mesmerizing.
Introducing Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a 4v4 tag team fighter game set in the Marvel Universe. Each playable character features a set of normal, special, and unique attacks tailored to their comic book superpowers and abilities. While it's exciting to know that the usual "3v3" formula is being re-imagined, it also prompts the question of whether we need to master four different characters in order to win a single match. Fortunately, that's not the case, as Game Director Kazuto Sekine explained how the combat system can be tailored to the player's needs:
”For MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, you only need to master one character in order to play the game. We have designed the mechanics in such a way that you can perform a variety of actions with either traditional fighting game inputs or simple inputs. With the press of a few buttons, multiple characters can appear on screen to provide backup or attack together – creating a new and exciting team VS battle experience.”
Marvel characters all have their own twist, as their design have been reinvented to deliver a unique presentation that isn't found anywhere else. Iron Man's suit looks more akin to a mecha, while Spidey's costume seems to have a little more padding/armor than in other renditions. So far, Captain America, Ms. Marvel, Doctor Doom, Star-Lord, Storm, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man, and Iron Man have all been announced as playable characters. However, developer Arc System Works has confirmed that more heroes and villains will be unveiled in the future.
Another standout feature of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is its arenas. They seem to react to the player's battle, and they are also filled with many secrets and easter eggs. On the very first course presented in the trailer, we can see the Avengers Tower looming in the background, along with the Oscorp and Baxter buildings. Janet Van Dyne's name can be seen in the entrance of a store, and there's also an ad featuring J. Jonah Jameson. Fogwell's Gym is present in a different section of the fighting course, and even Matt Murdock makes a special cameo. Could he eventually be a playable character?
Matt Murdock can be seen as a background character for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Grounds. pic.twitter.com/M0AVNBMhOt
— Fighting Game Anniversaries (@FGAnniversaries) June 4, 2025
While there's a lot to unpack in the Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls reveal trailer alone, it won't be long before we get to learn more. The game is targeting a 2026 release window and will arrive on PlayStation 5 and PC. With that in mind, it's just a matter of time before Developer Arc System Works unveils more about additional playable characters, game modes, and arenas. With a little bit of luck, things only get more exciting from here.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls will be released in 2026.