Capcom has been building Marvel-themed fighting games since 1994's X-Men: Children of the Atom. After a number of broadening iterations, development finally progressed into 1998's full-blown, crossover showdown, Marvel vs Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes. The game featured heroes from across the gamut of Marvel comics (Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine) and crossed them with heroes from Capcom's library (Ryu, Mega Man, Captain Commando). The most recent iteration of the series was Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, a 2011 incremental update for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Not a peep of confirmation had been heard since about a follow-up iteration. Capcom's license with Marvel expired in 2013, causing them to pull their previous games from Playstation Network and Xbox Live. Naturally, this left series fans concerned that Disney's changing plans for Marvel's brand may have killed any future Marvel vs Capcom games.
During this year's E3, an Insomniac developed, PS4 exclusive Spider-Man game was announced. Marvel VP of Games Jay Ong declared that this was the first of "a new era for Marvel games" and that the publisher was becoming much more choosy about their business partners to ensure the best possible experiences for their fans. When Polygon specifically asked Ong about Marvel vs Capcom, he responded, "Let's just say that we hear that a lot. We love our fans and we certainly want to please them."
Fortunately, a new development suggests that Capcom is one partner that Marvel still believe in. Polygon is now reporting multiple sources have informed them that Marvel vs Capcom 4 is coming and will hit sometime in 2017. An official announcement is expected during this week's PlayStation Experience event, which is hosting the 2016 Street Fighter 5 tournament. Despite Capcom's roots with X-Men characters, Polygon has heard that the new game will focus more the superheroes popularized by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Marvel Studios-centric approach isn't surprising, though it would be a disappointment if mainstays like Wolverine, Magneto, and Doctor Doom disappeared from the roster, simply due to the fact that their movie rights belong to 20th Century Fox. With any luck, the news will simply mean that characters who were previously overlooked (Ant-Man, Groot, Loki) but have since gained popularity through Marvel Studios' films might finally get the chance to shine.
Is there a character you will miss most if Fox's Mutants and Fantastic Four characters disappear from the roster? Are you excited about MCU characters appearing for the first time? Let us know in the comments section, and stay tuned to Screen Rant for updates on the status of Marvel vs Capcom 4 as they hit.
Source: Polygon