There are plenty of classic fighting game franchises out there; Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Tekken are just a few of the series that have gone on to garner huge fan bases and persist for more than two decades. However, for many players, there’s nothing that compares to the action of the Marvel vs. Capcom games.
In 2011, fans were treated to Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and its Ultimate re-release. It’s long been assumed that the third installment would put a cap on the series, as a result of Disney’s acquisition of Marvel and the expiration of Capcom’s licence to use the company’s crop of superheroes — but now there are widespread rumors that a fourth game is inbound.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Marvel vs. Capcom 4 is in development, according to a report from Polygon. The game is expected to put a focus on characters featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and will apparently release in 2017.
When Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 launched in 2011, Marvel’s cinematic output was still in its early stages, and characters like Doctor Strange and Rocket Raccoon weren’t particularly well known among mainstream audiences. Given that so many Marvel heroes are now household names, it makes complete sense that Capcom would be eager to leverage their popularity.
However, this focus on the Marvel Cinematic Universe will seemingly come with a caveat, as it’s being reported that characters that are outside the film franchise are likely to be dropped from the roster. This means that fan favorites like Wolverine and Magneto might not make the cut.
Of course, fans of the Marvel vs. Capcom series will be happy to see a new installment regardless, even if they’re forced to rethink which characters they utilize in combat.
This weekend, Sony will host the PlayStation Experience event at the Anaheim Convention Center, where the Capcom Cup 2016 Street Fighter V tournament is set to take place. It’s thought that Marvel vs. Capcom 4 will also be revealed at the event.
It remains to be seen whether these rumors are legitimate or just wishful thinking — but fans of the series will be certainly be waiting with bated breath for an official announcement at PlayStation Experience.
