
A modest 20‑fighter launch sets player expectations and shapes Marvel Tokon's monetization strategy, influencing its competitiveness in the crowded fighting‑game market.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls marks Arc System Works' latest foray into the tag‑team fighting genre, pairing Marvel’s extensive character library with an anime‑inspired visual style. Backed by PlayStation and Marvel, the title aims to capture both console and PC audiences, leveraging the brand’s cross‑media appeal. The recent Steam update that confirms a 20‑fighter launch roster provides the first concrete glimpse of the game's scale, while the limited number of revealed characters fuels speculation ahead of the State of Play showcase.
Roster size is a critical factor in fighting‑game launches, as it directly impacts early‑player engagement and competitive viability. Compared with recent entrants like 2XKO’s ten‑character debut and Invincible VS’s eighteen, Marvel Tokon's twenty fighters sit at the lower end of expectations for a 4v4 title. This modest lineup may reflect development constraints or a deliberate strategy to stagger content, relying on post‑launch downloadable characters to sustain interest. The anticipation of twelve yet‑unannounced fighters creates a pipeline for future announcements, which can drive ongoing community buzz and incremental revenue.
From a business perspective, the requirement for a PlayStation account on PC underscores Sony’s intent to integrate the game tightly within its ecosystem, potentially boosting cross‑platform user acquisition. The projected latter‑half‑2026 release avoids the crowded early‑year esports calendar, positioning Tokon for a quieter launch window. Combined with planned DLC expansions, the title’s rollout could generate a steady stream of microtransaction revenue, while the Marvel brand ensures a built‑in audience eager for new interpretations of iconic heroes and villains.
Published on February 9 2026 · EventHubs


It’s been more than eight months since Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls was first revealed, but there haven’t been any more character reveals since then (source).
While we haven’t gotten to see any new fighters yet, it appears we now know how many characters will be in Marvel Tokon at launch.
The Steam store page for Marvel Tokon was recently updated with new details, the biggest of which is the roster size.
“It’s time to build your dream team and break some spirits in blistering 4v4 fighting action. Choose from an expanding roster of 20 iconic Marvel characters at launch, each rendered in a bold new anime‑inspired art style and members of their own unique teams of equally impressive heroes and villains,” reads the about section now for Tokon.
So there we have it: Marvel Tokon will have 20 fighters available at launch.
“Choose from an expanding roster of 20 iconic Marvel characters at launch, each rendered in a bold new anime‑inspired art style and members of their own unique teams of equally impressive heroes and villains.”
This is likely building up to new Marvel Tokon reveals later this week at the big State of Play event (details).
Up until now we’ve only known that Captain America, Iron Man, Storm, Doctor Doom, Star‑Lord, Ms. Marvel, Spider‑Man and Ghost Rider would be in the game. Since that’s only eight characters, there are 12 more yet to be announced.
A 20‑fighter roster is probably smaller than many players hoped for in a 4v4 fighting game, but recent tag‑fighter releases have started with modest rosters:
2XKO announced a 10‑character roster last year (eventually 11) – source.
Invincible VS will launch with 18 heroes and villains – source.
There’s no shortage of Marvel icons for Arc System Works to choose from, but only 20 spots are open at release. Likely candidates that could miss the launch include Wolverine, Hulk, Thor, Fantastic Four, Cyclops, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Deadpool, Black Panther, Ant‑Man, Thanos, Jean Grey, Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, Venom, and Gambit.
With PlayStation and Marvel backing the project, post‑release DLC support should bring many more characters later. How quickly those new fighters will be added remains to be seen.
Additional details from the Steam page:
PC players will need a PlayStation account to play Tokon online.
There will be a single‑player episode mode to explore the cast further.
While no release date has been set, we can narrow the window for a 2026 launch. Since Marvel Tokon is absent from the Evo 2026 lineup (source), the game is likely to arrive in the latter half of the year.
We should be learning more about Fighting Souls this Thursday, February 12.
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