MARVEL legends, assemble! Coming to PlayStation 5 in 2026, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a 4v4 team-based fighting game created in partnership with Arc System Works — renowned for Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball Fighter Z — PlayStation Studios, and MARVEL Games.
The game has captured the attention of both fighting game enthusiasts and MARVEL fans alike. We spoke with Arc System Works Producer Takeshi Yamanaka, Game Director and Lead Battle Designer Kazutoshi Sekine, and SIE PlayStation Studios XDEV Senior Producer Reed Baird about the game’s standout features, unique elements, and the debut of Spider-Man and Ghost Rider as playable characters at Tokyo Game Show 2025.

Takeshi Yamanaka
Producer, Arc System Works

Kazutoshi Sekine
Game Director & Lead Battle Designer, Arc System Works

Reed Baird
Senior Producer, SIE PlayStation Studios XDEV
From Japan to the world – a tribute to MARVEL and its fans
PS Blog: How was the title MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls chosen?
Yamanaka: A beam of light flashes between the characters when they’re swapped, and we interpreted that light as a “soul,” which inspired the inclusion of “Fighting Souls” in the title. However, “MARVEL Fighting Souls” alone didn’t capture the Japanese identity we wanted to convey, especially when one of the project’s goals was to deliver something special from Japan to a global audience. That’s why we added the Japanese word “Tōkon,” which means fighting spirit.
With heroes and villains able to join forces, is the game meant to be an epic yet chaotic crossover of MARVEL characters?
Yamanaka: I can’t reveal specifics just yet, but each character has their own detailed lore and backstory. As for why heroes and villains can team up, we’ll have more to share in future updates.
What was most important to you when bringing MARVEL characters into a fighting game?
Yamanaka: We made sure to respect each character by retaining their iconic elements that fans know and love. At the same time, our goal was to showcase our unique Japanese perspective and the Arc System Works identity within the designs. MARVEL Games responded most strongly to Iron Man and Storm. With Storm, I believe we were able to deliver the v