Does MvC Fighting Collection Signal Marvel vs Capcom 4?
Let us hop into a time capsule and return back to 2001. The Sega Dreamcast was losing steam as the PS2 was just hitting it's stride, Limewire kept us knee deep in stolen music and Arcades were still a thing. Also this year, Capcom had not one but two of the greatest fighting games of all time proliferating through coin-ops world wide.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was released in 2000 and Capcom vs. SNK 2 dropped the following year in '01. These two games marked the pinnacle of Capcom's efforts. On one side was the quintessential "Vs." game in MvC2, a game that would go on to provide the FGC with some of its finest and funniest moments. On the other, was CvS2, a refined and grounded game that provided calculated and creative gameplay. Both were collaboration games and both hold a special place in the FGC's hearts.
Now, Capcom seem to be looking to revive some of that good feeling around these games, and potentially revive them for a new generation. So let's take a look at the past few years and see why Vs. games could be seeing a return.
Going For A Ride Once More
Just earlier this week, during June's Nintendo Direct, Capcom announced that they were re-releasing the entire Marvel vs. Capcom. The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection is a huge deal considering most of the games included have never had official online capabilities. But more than that, it's a sign that Marvel and Capcom still have a healthy working relationship.
The MvC series, typified by its highly technical and quick gameplay, saw a low point with the Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite in 2017. The gameplay reverted back to a 2v2 from 3v3 and lacked a lot of the charm that the previous games had. The game was so maligned, that it never saw the main stage at EVO, losing its Vs. game place to Dragonball Fighterz. But at EVO 2023, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 saw a main stage bracket that saw over 1,200 entries, illustrating that the love for the MvC games was still alive and well. Coupling this with the new MvC collection could revitalize the sub-genre and push for a new MvC game sooner rather than later.
Mark of The Millennium Returns?
Capcom vs. SNK, however, feel like it's ripe for a return. Mostly because of the announcement ofTerry Bogard and Mai Shuranui coming to Street Fighter 6 in the next year. Not only does this mark a new level of cooperation, it also means that those two characters will be built into Capcom's proprietary RE Engine. And like Capcom vs. SNK 2, the former could easily take the frame work of Terry and Mai and use it as a foundation to an RE Engine-powered CvS 3.
Further bolstering this claim is that back in 2021, the two companies revived their collaboration to re-release the 1999 Neo-Geo Pocket Color game, SNK vs. Capcom: Match of Millennium. This was a very obscure and little-known game, but its release meant that the two companies wanted to return their joint products to the market. Knowing this, the two companies came back and agreed to push for two classic SNK characters in the most popular fighting game in the world right now.
What Does It All Mean?
The Capcom vs. SNK series hasn't seen any meaningful collection releases ever. So while CvS 3 would be amazing, the more likely is a re-release of those games with rollback netcode and updated features. CvS 2, the series' pinnacle, hasn't seen a port since 2002, so it might be overdue for an update.
On the flipside, the hunger for a true successor to UMvC 3 is perhaps at an all-time high. The gameplay and expression in the MvC series are unlike any other game out there. And if Disney/Marvel play ball and let Capcom hold the reins again, we could be in for a true treat. So while this is all speculation, it wouldn't be shocking to see all this renewed partnership lead to the next phase of Vs. games.
NORRIS HOWARD