Marvel Legends, mount! Arriving at PlayStation 5 in 2026, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls It is a game with 4V4 teams created in cooperation with the Arc System Works-Znana from Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball Fighter Z-Plastation Studios and Marvel Games.
The game attracted the attention of both martial play enthusiasts and Marvel fans. We talked with the producer of Arc System Works, Takeshi Yamanaka, game director and main designer of the battle of Kazutoshi Sekine and Si PlayStation Studios with an older producer XDev, Reed Baird on the distinctive functions of the game, unique elements and debut Spider-Man and Ghoster Rider as playable characters in Tokyo Game Show 2025.
Takeshi Yamanaka
Manufacturer, the ARC system works
Kazutoshi Sekine
Game director and main battle designer, Arc System Works
Reed Baird
Senior producer, You PlayStation Studios XDEV
From Japan to the world – a tribute to Marvel and his fans
PS Blog: How was the title Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls?
Yamanaka: The beam of lithe flashes between the characters when they are converted, and we interpreted this lithe as a “soul” that inspired the inclusion of “Fighting Souls” in the title. However, the “Marvel Fighting Souls” did not capture the Japanese identity, which we wanted to convey, especially when one of the goals of the project was to provide something special from Japan to a global audience. That is why we added the Japanese word “tōkon”, which means fighting the spirit.
Can the heroes and villains who can join forces or the game should be an epic but disordered crossover of the character of Marvel?
Yamanaka: I can’t reveal the details yet, but each character has its own detailed knowledge and history. As for why the heroes and villains can connect, we will have more to make available in future updates.
What was the most vital for you when introducing the character of Marvel into a fight game?
Yamanaka: We made sure that we respect each character, keeping their iconic elements that fans know and love. At the same time, our goal was to present our unique Japanese perspective, and the ARC system works as part of the projects. Marvel games reacted to Iron Man and Storm the most. With Storm, I think that we were able to convey a vision that they hoped to see from Japanese artists.
What did you establish priorities in the field of presentation?
Sekine: We give the screen to choose a fresh, characteristic appearance, drawing both American comics and Japanese Manga Shōnen to get inspiration. The fittings that end with a passage on stage or great movement are presented in the panel style of the manga, creating a unique effect, differently than before.
Spider-Man and Ghost Rider became played for the first time. What was the concept of the Spider-Man project?
Sekine: Our intention in Spider-Man was faithful to capture his decisive features, while making him really pleasant to play. We wanted to make it easier for him to receive, reflecting his role as a hero of a “friendly neighborhood”. We adapted the way the game, and I wanted to make sure that we took into account Spidey Sense*, which has never appeared in the fighting game before.
*In this game, Spidey Sense allows Spider-Man to avoid attacks and throwing, while automatically hitting.
What about Ghost Rider?
Sekine: The distinguished Ghost Rider mechanic is “Revenge”, designed to resemble the tachometer. When the meter overheats, Ghost Rider becomes sensitive, but when he hits the red zone, his skills become stronger. This system encourages the Ghost Rider-Numerous A long-range warrior-to move close. Meter management is arduous, but the joy with the introduction of the red zone perfectly reflects his fiery spirit.
Reed: This type of mechanics is exactly what distinguishes ARC systems. Storm, which you mentioned earlier, also fights in a way that we have never seen before, which is very exhilarating.
How do you feed on previous demonstrations and closed beta test (CBT)?
Yamanaka: We received a lot of feedback and I did not expect it to be so positive. Of course, we also received constructive criticism and we will employ it to make significant improvements.
Sekine: In Evo, demonstration stations were always packed, which said about how beloved Marvel was and showed how well this game meets these expectations. Player passion is what keeps us.
Yamanaka: The father stood when his children had fun and their faces were shining with great smiles. As a creator, the sight of people of pleasant games I worked on is deeply satisfying.
Finally, do you have any words for fans who are looking forward to the game? Are there other details that you would like to look for?
Reed: I hope that playing this game will become a nursed memory for players. I still remember when I was deeply moved when I was a child. In this project we put a lot of love and, taking into account “from Japan to world”, we hope to reach fans around the world.
Yamanaka: We are thinking about the role of music in battle, so I would like players to pay attention to the soundtrack. Listen carefully how music changes as the battle develops.
Sekine: CBT has proven that the battles work smoothly online and scenes designs are the most vital event. Our goal is to present Marvel in a recent lithe, as well as evolve a group of combat based on a team. The game is full of hidden treasures and we can’t wait for players to discover them.
