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One of the biggest stories to come out of Summer Game Fest 2025 (so far) is the reveal of Marvel Token: Fighting Souls, a 4v4 fighting game from Arc System Works. It has all the chaotic energy of the developer’s previous games like Dragon Ball FighterZ and Guilty Gear, but with some of the most loved MCU characters throwing hands with each other. The designs give us some really distinct takes on Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man, which was a big part of the brief for Marvel Games.

Marvel Token: Fighting Souls’ producer Takeshi Yamanaka explained that the original designs Arc System Works submitted to Marvel didn’t excite them. “When we first submitted our designs to Marvel, I got the impression that [Senior Product Development Manager at Marvel Games, Michael Franciso’s] reaction wasn’t particularly positive,” he explained in a behind-the-scenes feature about the game’s development. “I kept wondering what was wrong. After talking with him more directly, he said something like, ‘Show us the Marvel that you (Arc) want to create.’”

What changed Marvel’s mind on Arc System Works’ character design? Just like the MCU, it all started with Iron Man. “I remember, personally, the first time I saw Iron Man was really when I felt we had something special,” explained Francisco.

The key, it seems, was to make Iron Man look more Japanese. “So if you take a look at our Iron Man design in this game,” Yamanaka says. “That distinctive Japanese design and Arc System Works design sensibility will be visible. Marvel’s team really loved it. It was like, ‘Yes, this is it!’”

What caught Marvel’s eye was the infusion of anime and mecha elements into Iron Man’s design. That Gundam eyebrow feature is unmistakable and sets this version of Tony Stark apart from anything that we’ve seen before. Because everything in Marvel these days starts with a good Iron Man. 

The gaming industry has come a long way since Pong blew all our minds in the 70s. We've got everything you need to know about the next big thing in games. Of course, Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the big game of 2026, but there are plenty of other games coming out between now and then. Here is our starter guide for every gamer:

• All upcoming games in 2025 and beyond
• Gamify My Life, our weekly gaming column designed
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And be sure to check Popverse regularly for the latest gaming news.