The newest entry in Arcade1Up’s line of home arcade systems will be none other than the Capcom Classic fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Along with being faithful recreations of some of the most iconic games ever to populate arcade floors, Arcade1Up’s domestic arcade cabinets often include multiple titles and modern features. Even arcade gems as old as the original Star Wars games have been recreated, with Arcade1up’s Star Wars machine providing the entire Star Wars arcade trilogy.
Since beginning life as X-Men vs. Street Fighter in 1996, Marvel vs. Capcom has grown into one of the most iconic video game crossovers in gaming. 2000’s Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 is, to this day, considered one of the most in-depth and character-rich games in the series even over 20 years since its release. Featuring a roster of 56 fighters from across a wide selection of Marvel and Capcom properties and refining many systems used in current MvC entries, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is a highly regarded experience amongst fighting fans. Of course, this has not gone unnoticed by Disney and Capcom, as rumors have emerged about a potential revival of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 in progress.
Arcade1Up has officially announced that fan-favorite fighter Marvel vs. Capcom 2 arcade machines will be available for pre-order on September 8, 2022, and will release later this fall. The game will feature the entire 56-character roster and free modernized Wi-Fi to allow cabinet owners to compete online. “Following the success of our Marvel vs. Capcom arcade machine, we heard from fans that they wanted more experiences with their favorite heroes, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 delivers on that in a big way,” said Arcade1Up CEO Scott Bachrach. Professional fighting game player and Arcade1Up QA Product Specialist Justin Wong took to Twitter earlier to express his excitement about the long-awaited release. Wong will be offering a sneak peek at the machine and answering questions at the start of the 2022 Evolution Championship Series (EVO) held in Las Vegas, at Noon ET on Arcade1Up.com.
Justin Wong Reveals Arcade1Up's Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Cabinet
Similar to the release of Arcade1Up’s Mortal Kombat arcade machine, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 customers will be receiving eight retro titles from Capcom's Marvel collection. Along with Marvel vs. Capcom 2, the cabinet will include Marvel vs. Capcom 1, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men Children of the ATOM, X-Men Mutant Apocalypse, and Marvel Super Heroes in War of the Gems. Scott Bachrach had further comments to share on the cabinet's plentiful collection: “We’re delighted to exclusively offer this fan-favorite title alongside Arcade1Up’s other Marvel and Capcom offerings, providing players with the ultimate value for their heated face-offs in one machine."
Despite Marvel vs. Capcom 2’s reputation as such a beloved title, the game itself is not readily available to the average consumer. Like many licensed titles, MvC2 was unceremoniously pulled from digital retail shelves shortly after the license expired. Professional gamer Maximilian Dood had spearheaded the #FreeMVC2 movement within the fighting game community as an effort to return Marvel vs. Capcom 2 to digital shops. However, despite the earlier rumors of a possible return from Capcom and Disney, no official word has been given since of Marvel vs. Capcom 2's future.
With such a prominent title in the fighting game lineage still MIA from casual markets, Arcade1Up's Marvel vs. Capcom 2 arcade cabinet recreation now stands as the only official way to purchase MvC2 in this day and age. While Arcade1Up's cabinets are not financially friendly, a potential sales success could be enough to hurry negotiations between Disney and Capcom in returning the dearly departed title to console markets. The impact of the title on fighting games cannot be understated, and hopefully, fighter fans can experience Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for themselves via arcade or its long-awaited digital return in the near future and see for themselves why it was a ride worth taking.
Source: Arcade1Up, Justin Wong/Twitter