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Arc System Works didn't think they were up to making Marvel Token Fighting Souls when Sony suggested it - but the first footage proves them wrong
"Can our company really handle this?" was the first response from Marvel Token Fighting Souls producer when he was pitched the game by a friend at PlayStation.
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When you think of fighting games, there is one name that feels like the ultimate mark of quality. More than Capcom’s Street Fighter or NetherRealm Studios’ Mortal Kombat, Arc System Works has managed to deliver some of the most exciting, chaotic fighting games in recent years. Now the Dragon Ball FighterZ and Guilty Gear developer is delivering a 4v4 Marvel fighting game that fills our hearts with joy.
The trailer for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls dropped during the Sony State of Play in June 2025, showing off exactly the kind of chaotic energy that Arc System Works is known for. The 4v4 tag-team fighting game showed off gameplay from eight Marvel characters, including:
- Captain America
- Iron Man
- Ms. Marvel
- Doctor Doom
- Star-Lord
- Storm
- Ghost Rider
- Spider-Man
This is a big project for Arc System Works. Though they’ve had huge success in the past with Dragon Ball FighterZ and the iconic Guilty Gear series, Marvel is one of the biggest brands in the world right now, which was somewhat daunting for Arc System Works producer Takeshi Yamanaka, who recounted how the game was pitched to him by a friend at PlayStation. “While we were chatting over drinks, they suddenly said, ‘How would you feel about Arc making a Marvel fighting game?’ When I heard that, I was truly stunned. Marvel is a global IP and the offer was an incredible honor. But at the same time, I thought – can our company really handle this?”
Judging by the company’s past efforts and the footage we've already seen, it seems like Arc System Works is definitely up to the challenge of bringing a distinctly Japanese take on Marvel characters to the rest of the world.
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