Marvel Vs Capcom Infinite
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is a
fighting video game A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as blocking, grappling, counter-attacking, and chaining attac ...
developed and published by
Capcom is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
. It is the sixth main entry in the ''
Marvel vs. Capcom is a series of crossover fighting games developed and published by Capcom, featuring characters from their own video game franchises and comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series originated as coin-operated arcade games, though ...
'' series of
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games. Like previous installments, players control characters from both the
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
and Capcom universes to compete in
tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
battles. ''Infinite'' features two-on-two fights, as opposed to the three-on-three format used in its preceding titles. The series' character-assist moves have been removed; instead, the game incorporates a tag-based
combo Combo may refer to: Technology *Combo television unit, a television with either a VCR or a DVD player built into a single unit * Combo drive, a type of optical drive that can read CDs and DVDs *A guitar amplifier incorporating one or more loudsp ...
system, which allows players to instantly switch between their two characters to form continuous combos. It also introduces a new gameplay mechanic in the form of the
Infinity Stones The Infinity Stones are fictional items in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). They play a significant role in the first three phases (also called the " Infinity Saga") of the MCU, including being the MacGuffins of the films '' Avengers: Infin ...
, which temporarily bestow players with unique abilities and stat boosts depending on the type of stone selected. ''Infinite'' was announced during
Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
's
PlayStation Experience PlayStation Experience, also known as PSX, is an annual event for the video game industry presented by Sony Interactive Entertainment used to reveal and advertise PlayStation games and game-related merchandise. The event is open to the public ...
event in December 2016. Capcom initially lost the use of the Marvel license in 2012, after
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
decided to focus on self-publishing its own gaming titles; however, Capcom was able to reacquire the license after Disney dissolved its console publishing division. ''Infinite'' was designed to be more accessible than previous ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' games, resulting in several changes to the series' traditional mechanics. The game also features a larger emphasis on storytelling with the series' first cinematic story mode. The plot follows the heroes of the Marvel and Capcom universes, who must work together to save their merged worlds against a new threat, Ultron Sigma. ''Infinite'' was released in September 2017 for
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
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, and
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
. The game received average to positive reviews; critics praised its new gameplay elements, but criticized its presentation (particularly its art direction) and character roster. The game also underperformed commercially. Capcom originally expected the game to sell two million units; however, it missed its sales target, selling approximately one million copies by the end of December 2017.


Gameplay

Like its predecessors, ''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' is a 2D fighting game in which players compete against each other in
tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
combat using characters from both the
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
and
Capcom is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
universes. Players must knock out the opposing team by repeatedly attacking the opponent and draining their
health bar Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, Mental health, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World H ...
. ''Infinite'' features two-on-two partner battles, similar to '' Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes'' and earlier installments in the franchise. Unlike past entries, the game does not allow players to use traditional call-in assist attacks from off-screen characters; instead, ''Infinite'' utilizes a "free-form" tag system, known as "Active Switch", which shares similarities with ''
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting video game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It was released for the PlayStation ...
'' "Team Aerial Combo" system and ''
Street Fighter X Tekken (pronounced "Street Fighter Cross Tekken") is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom and released in March 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in May for Microsoft Windows and in October for the PlayStation Vita. The game feature ...
'' "Switch Cancel" system. Players can immediately switch between their team members at any point, even while mid-air or during attack animations. This provides players with the abilities to create their own offensive or defensive assists through the tag system and form continuous combos between their two characters. As with previous ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' titles, players will charge their "Hyper Combo Gauge" as their characters deal or receive damage during the fight. Players can then expend the accrued meter from their Hyper Combo Gauge to perform "Hyper Combos", cinematic attacks which deal larger amounts of damage to the opponent. Alternatively, players can sacrifice meter from their Hyper Combo Gauge to perform the newly introduced "Counter Switch" mechanic, which tags in their partner character while the opponent is attacking them. This provides players with the opportunity to counterattack and free the character trapped in the enemy's combo. The Hyper Combo Gauge in ''Infinite'' is limited to four bars of meter, as opposed to the five-bar maximum used in '' Marvel vs. Capcom 2'' and ''3''. ''Infinite'' moves away from the button layout previously used in ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3'', and instead employs a control scheme more similar to ''Marvel vs. Capcom 2'', which includes four attack buttons, consisting of two pairs of light and heavy punches and kicks, and two additional buttons used for swapping characters and activating Infinity Stone powers. To improve accessibility, the game includes an "auto-combo" system which allows players to repeatedly press the light punch button to automatically perform both ground and air combos. In addition, certain Hyper Combos can now be activated by simply pressing the two heavy attack buttons, as opposed to the specific joystick and button combinations required in previous titles. ''Infinite'' also implements the Infinity Stones as a gameplay mechanic, similar to '' Marvel Super Heroes'', where each stone grants unique abilities. Before the match begins, players select one of the six Infinity Stones. Each Infinity Stone bestows one ability that can be activated at any time, known as the "Infinity Surge". For example, the Power Stone produces a knockback effect when used, while the Space Stone pulls an opponent closer to the player character. A second, stronger ability called the "Infinity Storm" can be activated after players fill their Infinity meter at least halfway, giving them a significant boost for a limited time, similar to the X-Factor system from ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3''. The boost is determined by the chosen Infinity Stone; for example, the Power Stone increases the user's damage output and combo ability, while the Space Stone traps an opponent within a confined area that severely limits their movement. The game offers various offline and online single-player and multiplayer
game modes In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-shap ...
. The offline features include Story Mode, a two-hour cinematic story campaign; Arcade Mode, a classic
arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...
experience where players fight against several AI-controlled opponents before confronting the final boss characters Ultron Sigma and Ultron Omega; Mission Mode, where players can complete tutorial missions and character-specific challenges; Training Mode, where players can practice their fighting abilities and adjust various training field parameters; Versus Player 2, where two players can battle against each other locally; Versus CPU, where players can battle solo against an AI-controlled opponent; and Collection Mode, where extras unlocked through gameplay are stored, including story cutscenes, character and stage information, concept artwork, and audio tracks. Online multiplayer includes ranked and casual matches, global leaderboards, replays, and eight-player lobbies with spectating. The online mode also introduces the Beginners League, a special league designated for low-ranking players to compete for graduation into higher ranks.


Playable characters

''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' features a base roster of 30 playable characters, consisting of both new and returning heroes and villains in the ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' series. Six additional characters were also released post-launch as
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
(DLC). New characters to the franchise are listed below in bold.


Marvel characters


Capcom characters


Plot

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
is visited by Jedah Dohma, who proposes an alliance to achieve equilibrium between life and death on both their worlds. Needing the six Infinity Stones to do so, Death deceives Thanos and Ultron into aiding her, granting Thanos the Space Stone and sending Ultron to retrieve the Reality Stone from Abel City. Sigma intercepts Ultron, and the two forge their own alliance. They betray the others and use the Space and Reality Stones to merge the two dimensions and fuse themselves into a single being named "Ultron Sigma". To wipe out biological life, they begin unleashing an evolved form of the Sigma Virus that turns organic creatures into synthetic beings under their control. An alliance of heroes from both worlds is then formed. They manage to keep Ultron Sigma at a stalemate until they rescue Thanos from Ultron Sigma's prison and secure him in a containment field at Avengers Tower. To gain their trust, Thanos reveals the locations of the remaining four Infinity Stones, and teams of heroes are dispatched to find them. Ryu, Chun-Li, Captain America, and Hulk travel to Val
kanda Kanda may refer to: People * Kanda (surname) *Kanda Bongo Man (born 1955), Congolese soukous musician Places * Kanda, Tokyo, an area in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan **Kanda Station (Tokyo), a railway station in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo * Kanda River, a ri ...
to obtain the Time Stone. Despite Captain America's warnings, Black Panther, the ruler of Valkanda, refuses to surrender it. Ultron Sigma's drones arrive and spread the virus, infecting a Dah'ren Mohran. After Ryu and Hulk defeat the creature, Black Panther agrees to give them the Stone. Next, Dante, Morrigan, Ghost Rider, Arthur, and Doctor Strange travel to the
Dark Darkness, the direct opposite of lightness, is defined as a lack of illumination, an absence of visible light, or a surface that absorbs light, such as black or brown. Human vision is unable to distinguish colors in conditions of very low lum ...
Kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
, where they encounter Jedah, who is using the Soul Stone to feed souls to a Symbiote creature, hoping to use it against Ultron Sigma. While the heroes battle Dormammu and Firebrand, Jedah escapes with the Stone. Meanwhile, Iron Man sends Spider-Man to assist Chris Redfield in infiltrating an A.I.M. brella facility. There, they find Frank West and Mike Haggar, and discover
M.O.D.O.K. MODOK (also written as M.O.D.O.K.; an acronym for Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first MODOK is George Tarleton, a former e ...
turning people into bio-organic weapons, infused with Symbiotes at Jedah's demand. The heroes defeat M.O.D.O.K.'s enforcer, Nemesis, and retrieve the Mind Stone. However, they are soon attacked by Jedah and his giant Symbiote. On
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, Captain Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Nova, Strider Hiryu, and X defeat Ultron Sigma's ally,
Grandmaster Meio ''Strider'', released in Japan as is a hack-and-slash platform game released in arcades in 1989 by Capcom. ''Strider'' is set in a dystopian future with a wide range of settings that affect gameplay. The game resulted from cooperation between C ...
, and rescue Zero from his control. Upon taking the Power Stone, the station ejects its core, which falls towards
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Metro City carrying a massive Sigma Virus payload. While Doctor Light, Iron Man, Nathan Spencer, and Hawkeye build a weapon to harness the Infinity Stones, Ultron Sigma attacks Avengers Tower. In the chaos, Thanos is released and attacks Ultron Sigma, cracking the Reality Stone and forcing them to retreat. The heroes use their Stones to destroy the Symbiote and the falling core, but are infected in the process. The infected heroes then head for X
gard Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;post-credits scene A post-credits scene (commonly referred to as a stinger or credit cookie) or mid-credits scene is a short clip that appears after all or some of the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV series, or video g ...
, Jedah tells Death that he has another plan, but Thanos arrives seeking vengeance against them. Believing the Satsui no Hadō is capable of killing immortals like Death and Jedah, he prepares to attack them with a Go
hadouken The is a special attack from Capcom's ''Street Fighter'' series of fighting games. Game designer Takashi Nishiyama credits an energy attack called Hadouho (lit. the "Wave Motion Gun"), from the 1970s anime ''Space Battleship Yamato'', as the o ...
.


Development

Following the release of ''
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book se ...
'' for the
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in 2012, Marvel's new parent company,
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, which acquired Marvel in 2009, chose not to renew their licensing deal with Capcom, instead opting to move its viable properties towards their self-published game titles, such as ''
Disney Infinity ''Disney Infinity'' is an action-adventure sandbox toys-to-life video game series developed by Avalanche Software. The setting of the series is a giant customizable universe of imagination, known as the Toy Box, populated with toy versions of i ...
''; this resulted in ''Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3'', '' Marvel vs. Capcom 2'' and ''
Marvel vs. Capcom Origins ''Marvel vs. Capcom Origins'' is a fictional crossover, crossover fighting video game developed by Iron Galaxy Studios and published by Capcom. It is a compilation of ''Marvel Super Heroes (video game), Marvel Super Heroes'' and ''Marvel vs. Cap ...
'' being delisted from the
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and
PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
in 2013. However, in May 2016, Disney announced its decision to discontinue self-publishing efforts and switch over to a licensing-only model, allowing third-party game developers, including Capcom, to negotiate licenses with Marvel once again. The same year on December 3, ''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' was officially unveiled during
Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
's
PlayStation Experience PlayStation Experience, also known as PSX, is an annual event for the video game industry presented by Sony Interactive Entertainment used to reveal and advertise PlayStation games and game-related merchandise. The event is open to the public ...
event; its first gameplay footage debuted on the same day following the conclusion of
Capcom Cup 2016 Capcom Cup 2016 was a ''Street Fighter V'' video game tournament that was held in December 2016. 32 players qualified for the tournament by winning one of the eleven Capcom Pro Tour Global Premier Events, Evo 2016, one of the Capcom Pro Tour 2016 ...
. Norio Hirose, a
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who had previously worked on ''
X-Men vs. Street Fighter is a crossover fighting video game developed and published by Capcom. It is Capcom's third fighting game to feature Marvel Comics characters, following '' X-Men: Children of the Atom'' and '' Marvel Super Heroes'', and is the first installment ...
'', '' Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter'', and '' Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes'', as well as other Capcom fighting games, such as ''
Project Justice ''Project Justice'', also known as ''Project Justice: Rival Schools 2'' in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, and known in Japan as is a 3D fighting video game produced by Capcom. It is the sequel to '' Rival Schools: United By Fate'' and w ...
'' and '' Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000'', served as ''Infinite''s director. Game development involved Capcom Japan, Capcom USA, and
Marvel Games Marvel Games is the publishing brand for video games based on Marvel properties, and is also the video game division of Marvel Entertainment. Before the incorporation of Marvel Games, video games based on Marvel properties released between 1982 an ...
. According to Mike Jones, Executive Producer at Marvel Games, ''Infinite'' was designed to be a "more elegant and simplified" game which remained as "complex and hardcore" as past ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' installments. While the developers sought to keep the core elements of the series intact, such as air combos, they also wanted ''Infinite'' to push away from its predecessors, resulting in several changes to the series' traditional formula. The decision to change the three-on-three battle system used in ''Marvel vs. Capcom 2'' and ''3'' was considered for a long time before ultimately settling on two-on-two fights for the sake of accessibility. Producer Mike Evans hoped that introducing a more manageable two-character system would give casual ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' fans the ability to play the game without becoming overwhelmed. To offset the streamlined character select system and removal of call-in assist attacks, the six
Infinity Stones The Infinity Stones are fictional items in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). They play a significant role in the first three phases (also called the " Infinity Saga") of the MCU, including being the MacGuffins of the films '' Avengers: Infin ...
were implemented to provide teams with additional customization options and increase gameplay depth. Marvel and Capcom compared the Infinity Stones to the "Groove System" used in '' Capcom vs. SNK 2''. The primary goal with the Infinity Stones was to create a level playing field by acting as a comeback enabler, and allowing players to compensate for their characters' deficiencies and enhance their strong points. According to developers, the inclusion of the Infinity Stones and the theme of "infinite ameplaypossibilities" influenced their decision to use ''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' as the game's title, rather than ''Marvel vs. Capcom 4''. To further differentiate ''Infinite'', the developers opted to use the
Unreal Engine 4 Unreal Engine (UE) is a 3D computer graphics game engine developed by Epic Games, first showcased in the 1998 first-person shooter game ''Unreal''. Initially developed for PC first-person shooters, it has since been used in a variety of genre ...
to develop more cinematic and modern visuals, as opposed to the stylized art direction used in ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3''. The budget provided for the development of ''Infinite'' was reportedly little more than half the amount used to develop DLC content for ''Street Fighter V''; as a result, developers re-used assets from older games, including ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3'', to save time and money. According to Producer Evans and Associate Producer Peter Rosas, the development team examined the strengths and weaknesses of each returning character and adjusted them by providing new moves and abilities, hoping to make every fighter viable. In terms of roster selection, characters were chosen based on two aspects: their potential interactions within the story and their gameplay style. The developers sought to include a variety of different character archetypes, from small, nimble characters, such as
Strider Hiryu is a fictional character jointly owned by Capcom and Moto Kikaku. Although primarily known as a game character, Hiryu (''飛竜'', "Flying Dragon") debuted in 1988 as the protagonist of a Japan-exclusive manga titled ''Strider Hiryu,'' publishe ...
, to large, brawler-type characters, such as the
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
. The Marvel characters' designs were proposed by Capcom's
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team in Japan, who took inspiration from both the characters' comic book and film appearances. Marvel staff members worked closely with the team, providing feedback to maintain the authenticity of their characters' portrayals. While speaking at
E3 2017 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017 (E3 2017) was the 23rd E3, during which hardware manufacturers and software developers and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to the attendees, primarily retailers a ...
, Evans explained how they picked the roster based on which characters Marvel was currently pushing or planning to push in the future. Beyond appealing to genre and series fans, Capcom sought to target a diverse audience with ''Infinite'' and bring in casual players who were fans of Marvel's movies, comic books, and television shows. To this end, the developers wanted to introduce a more robust, cinematic story compared to previous ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' titles. Bill Rosemann, Creative Director at Marvel Games, stated that ''Infinite''s increased emphasis on storytelling was influenced by Marvel's story and character-centric approach to their recent projects in games, film, and television; Rosemann and Jones cited
Insomniac Games Insomniac Games, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Burbank, California and a studio of PlayStation Studios. It was founded in 1994 by Ted Price as Xtreme Software, and was renamed Insomniac Games a year later. The company is mo ...
' ''Spider-Man'' video game and
Telltale Games Telltale Incorporated (trade name: Telltale Games) was an American video game developer based in San Rafael, California. The company was founded in July 2004 by former LucasArts developers Kevin Bruner, Dan Connors and Troy Molander, following ...
' ''
Guardians of the Galaxy The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It may more specifically refer to: Comic book teams * Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
'' title as examples. While speaking at the 2017
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, Rosemann also explained that Marvel Games would not force its development partners to tie their games into existing storylines throughout Marvel's universes, giving them more freedom to craft their own original stories and create new visions for their characters. ''Infinites story mode script was penned by writer Paul Gardner, with oversight from Rosemann and Marvel's gaming division. Gardner first became involved with the project beginning in 2015 and finished writing the script in 2016. Marvel provided feedback to Capcom on the revisions, animations, music, and presentation of the overall story mode experience. Frank Tieri, the lead writer for ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3'', has also confirmed his involvement with ''Infinite''. According to developers, Capcom's struggle with the launch of ''Street Fighter V'' influenced several decisions during ''Infinite''s development. The heavy criticism towards ''Street Fighter V''s lack of content prompted Capcom to promise a larger variety of single-player and multiplayer content for ''Infinite'' upon release. As a result of ''Street Fighter V''s initial online multiplayer server issues, the developers plan to forgo their own servers in favor of dedicated servers by Sony and
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
, aiming to provide more stable online play for ''Infinite''. The game does not feature
cross-platform play In video games with online gaming functionality, also called cross-compatible play, cross-platform play, crossplay, or cross-play describes the ability of players using different video game hardware to play with each other simultaneously. It is c ...
, with Evans citing Capcom's trouble with implementing the Capcom Fighters Network cross-platform structure into ''Street Fighter V''. ''Infinite'' also does not include any currency systems similar to ''Street Fighter V''s "Fight Money".


Release

''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' was released for the
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
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, and
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
, on September 19, 2017, in North America and Europe, and September 21 in Japan. The game was available in three editions: a standard edition, a ''Deluxe Edition'', and a ''Collector's Edition''.
Pre-order A pre-order is an order placed for an item that has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came because people found it hard to get popular items in stores because of their popularity. Companies then had the idea to allow customers to r ...
s for the standard edition include the Evil Ryu and Warrior Thor alternate in-game costumes. Pre-orders for the ''Deluxe Edition'' include the Evil Ryu, Warrior Thor, Gladiator Hulk and Command Mission X alternate costumes, in addition to the "2017 Character Pass". The ''Collector's Edition'', which includes the ''Deluxe Edition'' and its pre-order incentives, features four character dioramas of Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Mega Man X and Chun-Li by TriForce, and a case filled with six
LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor Electronics, device that Light#Light sources, emits light when Electric current, current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy i ...
-powered Infinity Stone replicas. The Major Carol Danvers alternate costume was also packaged exclusively with the PlayStation 4 version. A story mode demo was released on June 12, 2017, following Sony's press conference at the
Electronic Entertainment Expo E3 (short for Electronic Entertainment Expo or Electronic Entertainment Experience in 2021) is a trade event for the video game industry. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) organizes and presents E3, which many developers, publisher ...
. In February 2018, ''Infinite'' was listed on the
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as an
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title. To coincide with the game's release, Capcom announced their first global tournament series for ''Infinite'' called ''Battle for the Stones''. In addition to extending special invitations to the
Evolution Championship Series The Evolution Championship Series, commonly known as Evo, is an annual esports event that focuses exclusively on fighting games. The tournaments are completely open and use the double elimination format. As with Super Battle Opera, contestants ...
' seven ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3'' champions, Capcom selected six community events to act as "Infinity Stone Tournaments". The winner of each event, in addition to qualifying for the ''Battle for the Stones'' finals, received an Infinity Stone that could be used to gain a unique advantage during the competition. For example, the Space Stone allowed its bearer to swap their position within the
tournament bracket A bracket or tournament bracket is a tree diagram that represents the series of games played during a knockout tournament. Different knockout tournament formats have different brackets; the simplest and most common is that of the single-elimin ...
to face a different opponent, while the Mind Stone allowed its bearer to pick their opponent's team. Fellow competitors could steal Infinity Stones by successfully defeating their current owners. Capcom also held three regional online tournaments to fill out the remaining bracket spots. The finals were held in
Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
on December 9–10, 2017, and included a prize pool. The winner of the tournament was Jonathan "Cloud805" Morales, who received and an
Infinity Gauntlet ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series (comics), limited series written by Jim Starlin and Penciller, pencilled by George Pérez and Ron ...
trophy.


Downloadable content

The "2017 Character Pass" includes six DLC fighters: Black Panther, Black Widow, Monster Hunter, Sigma, Venom, and Winter Soldier. Black Panther, Monster Hunter, and Sigma were released on October 17, 2017, while Black Widow, Venom, and Winter Soldier were released on December 5. Players could also obtain the
Superior Spider-Man Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places *Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lake ...
alternate costume by pre-ordering '' Spider-Man: Homecoming'' through the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One online stores before October 24, 2017. On October 17, Capcom released three themed costume packs, each containing six outfits: the Avenging Army Pack (Iron Man, Hawkeye, Thor, Dante, Spencer, Arthur), the World Warriors Pack (Captain America, Captain Marvel, Hulk, Chris, Ryu, Chun-Li), and the Mystic Masters Pack (Doctor Strange, Dormammu, Ghost Rider, Morrigan, Firebrand, Nemesis). The costumes can also be purchased individually or altogether with the "Premium Costume Pass". The Premium Costume Pass gives players additional access to the Stone Seekers Pack (Spider-Man, Ultron, Thanos, Jedah, Frank, Haggar) and the Cosmic Crusaders Pack (Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Nova, Strider Hiryu, X, Zero), which were released on December 5.


Related media

In February 2017,
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
announced a ''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' toy line during their presentation at the American International Toy Fair. Later in May, Marvel announced a series of ''Marvel vs. Capcom''-themed comic book variant covers, which became available in comic stores throughout August. In September, Marvel revealed a new wave of
Funko Pop! Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures licensed and limited pop culture collectibles, best known for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces licensed plush, action figures, apparel, access ...
collectibles, featuring the playable cast from ''Infinite'' in their premium alternate costumes. The collectibles were released in November 2017.


Reception


Pre-release

In pre-release coverage, ''Infinite''s departure from some of the series' long-standing gameplay mechanics, namely three-on-three battles and character assist moves, for the sake of accessibility was met with mixed reception. Suriel Vazquez of ''
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' and Wesley Yin-Poole of ''
Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson. Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'' stated that ''Infinite'' could end up being a divisive game, especially to the hardcore audience, since both mechanics had defined the ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' series for nearly two decades. The issue was mirrored by ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' Daniel Krupa, who mentioned that the shifts in the series' formula could lead to a feeling among fans that their game was being "diluted" for newer players. Vazquez and Krupa, however, appreciated the changes, with Vazquez saying that he preferred the series "go for broke", rather than play it safe. ''
GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' David Houghton and ''
Kotaku ''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier. History ...
s Ian Walker gave positive remarks in their impressions of the press preview build, with both praising the development team's attempt to create an accessible environment for newcomers while also pleasing the competitive community. Early criticism was directed at ''Infinite'' less stylized art direction. Alex Donaldson of ''
VG247 ''VG247'' is a video game blog published in the United Kingdom, founded in February 2008 by industry veteran Patrick Garratt. In 2009, CNET ranked it as the third best gaming blog in the world. History Founded in collaboration on 1 February 2 ...
'' stated that "the art style just feels off — or at worst, unfinished...as it stands right now the art style is a mistake when compared to ''
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting video game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It was released for the PlayStation ...
''". Sergio Figueroa of ''
Gamereactor ''Gamereactor'' is a Scandinavian online media network covering video games in multiple languages and a former print magazines network. In 2013, it was "one of the biggest games publications in Europe" according to Develop. History The Gamereact ...
'' and Nick Valdez of ''
Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. History ' ...
'' also expressed disappointment with the visuals, particularly the in-game character models and the
HUD Hud or HUD may refer to: Entertainment * ''Hud'' (1963 film), a 1963 film starring Paul Newman * ''Hud'' (1986 film), a 1986 Norwegian film * ''HUD'' (TV program), or ''Heads Up Daily'', a Canadian e-sports television program Places * Hud, Fa ...
. Figueroa wrote that "the developers have chosen a simplistic and, in our opinion, insufficiently detailed character design that we think diminishes the fighters' personalities". The release of the story mode demo was also criticized. ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' David Cabrera felt the demo was a "squandered opportunity" by Capcom that "actively idthe good points of the game and ighlightedits failings", such as unpolished character models and awkward voice acting, while ''Game Informers Ben Reeves thought the demo lacked entertaining moments and failed to showcase Marvel and Capcom's "dream matchups" in any meaningful or creative way. Following complaints about the quality of certain character models, particularly on the Capcom side of the roster, the developers announced plans for a day-one
patch Patch or Patches may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Patch Johnson, a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'' * Patch (''My Little Pony''), a toy * "Patches" (Dickey Lee song), 1962 * "Patches" (Chairmen of the Board song) ...
that would focus on artistic improvements.


Post-release

''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' was released to average to positive reviews, according to ''
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
'', which provided aggregated scores of 77, 72, and 69 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows versions, respectively. The game received praise for its gameplay, including its changes to the series' traditional tag team system and the addition of the Infinity Stones. ''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' Tamoor Hussain complimented the developers for simplifying tagging without sacrificing gameplay depth. He appreciated the game's more open-ended fighting systems, comparing ''Infinite'' to "a blank canvas" and its mechanics "as the brushes for painting your unique superhero squad". ''Polygon'' Chelsea Stark and Jeff Ramos also praised the revised core mechanics, saying that the new tag system opened more options for clever combo creation. Similarly, ''IGN'' Darry Huskey was impressed by the game's willingness to "completely
pend In Scotland, a Pend is a passageway through a building, often from a street through to a courtyard or 'back court', and may be for both vehicles and pedestrian access or exclusively pedestrians. The term "common pend" can often be found in descr ...
traditions fans have known since ''X-Men vs. Street Fighter'' in 1996" by overhauling time-honored game mechanics, such as the assist system. Additionally, Huskey described the decision to replace each team's third character with an Infinity Stone as the "crown jewel" of ''Infinites design, claiming that it "works so well, it makes the very idea of a three-character team now seem like old news". ''Game Informer'' Ben Reeves wrote that the streamlined fighting system and the inclusions of automatic combos and simplified super attacks would allow newcomers "to feel right at home". Reviewers largely criticized the game for its presentation. Huskey labeled the character design as "distractingly bad and stiff", and found the orchestral soundtrack to be "forgettable and easily ignored". Stark and Ramos proclaimed that the aesthetics were "the stalest the franchise has ever seen", and compared the user interface to "placeholder graphics that were never changed for the final product". ''Destructoid'' Chris Carter also loathed the visuals, describing the art style as "a crime against humanity". ''
GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' Sam Prell felt that ''Infinites presentation, in comparison to "the flashy cel-shaded art direction and over-the-top tone of ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3''" and "the silky smooth sprites and technical precision of ''Marvel vs. Capcom 2''", made the game fall "hopelessly short...in the shadow of its own pedigree". ''Eurogamer'' Wesley Yin-Poole reproached the art style, calling it a "desperate attempt to appeal to fans of Marvel's all-encompassing cinematic universe" and "an abomination of a look that neither appeals to movie nor comic book fans". ''Infinite'' was also criticized for its playable roster, which was smaller than the previous installment, ''Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3'', and recycled many of its characters. ''
VentureBeat ''VentureBeat'' is an American technology website headquartered in San Francisco, California. It publishes news, analysis, long-form features, interviews, and videos. History The ''VentureBeat'' company was founded in 2006 by Matt Marshall, a ...
'' Mike Minotti expressed his disappointment with the game's smaller selection of fighters, especially compared to its predecessors, and the meager amount of newcomers. Yin-Poole noted the lack of diversity in the roster, particularly the lack of playable female characters. The omission of characters from the ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' and ''
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
'' franchises was also chastised by critics, who speculated that the then-ongoing legal dispute between
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
,
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC (originally known as Marvel Films from 1993 to 1996) is an American film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Marvel Studios produces the Mar ...
, and
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
over their film rights was the main motive behind their exclusion. Prell and Yin-Poole both lambasted the lack of ''X-Men'' characters, pointing out the franchise's significance in establishing the ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' series with ''X-Men vs. Street Fighter''. The latter declared their omission as "a dagger in the heart of every 'Marvel vs. Capcom''fan - one that there is no recovering from". The game was nominated for "Best Fighting Game of E3 2017" by the
Game Critics Awards The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. Format The nomine ...
, but lost to ''
Dragon Ball FighterZ ''Dragon Ball FighterZ'' (pronounced "fighters") is a 2.5D fighting game, developed by Arc System Works and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Based on the ''Dragon Ball'' franchise, it was released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Micr ...
'', another game with similar gameplay to the ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' series, in which ''Infinite'' was negatively compared to and overshadowed by. It also received "Best Fighting Game of 2017" nominations by ''IGN'',
The Game Awards The Game Awards is an annual awards ceremony honoring achievements in the video game industry. Established in 2014, the shows are produced and hosted by game journalist Geoff Keighley, who worked on its predecessor, the Spike Video Game Awards, ...
, and the 21st Annual
D.I.C.E. Awards The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an award show in the video game industry started in 1998 and commonly referred to in the industry as the "video games Academy Awards, Oscar". The awards are arranged by the Ac ...
, but lost to ''
Injustice 2 ''Injustice 2'' is a 2017 fighting game, fighting video game it is the sequel to 2013's ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'' and is the second installment in the ''Injustice (franchise), Injustice'' franchise based upon the DC Universe. It is developed ...
''. In addition, it received nominations for "Control Precision" and "Game, Franchise Fighting" at the 17th Annual National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards, but lost to ''
Cuphead ''Cuphead'' is a run-and-gun video game developed and published by Studio MDHR. The game follows the titular Cuphead who, in a deal with the Devil after losing a game at the Devil's casino, is sent on a quest to repossess the souls of runaway ...
'' and ''
Tekken 7 is a fighting game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the seventh main and ninth overall installment in the ''Tekken '' series. ''Tekken 7'' was released to arcades in March 2015. An updated arcade version, ''Tekken 7 ...
'', respectively.


Sales

According to their sales plans for the
fiscal year A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ...
ending on March 31, 2018, Capcom expected ''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' to sell two million units worldwide. The game saw poor first-week sales in the United Kingdom, debuting at #12 on the all-formats chart. The PlayStation 4 version peaked at #16 in the individual formats chart, while the Xbox One version failed to reach the Top 40. In Japan, the PlayStation 4 version ranked #8 on the
Media Create is a Japanese company that gathers and analyzes data from the digital entertainment industry, specifically focusing on the Japanese console gaming market. Business operations include publishing, market research and consulting. It is a popular webs ...
sales chart after its first week, selling 8,273 copies; the Xbox One version did not make it into the Top 20. This marked a significant drop from the 80,966 units ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'' had sold in a similar time period. The game reached #6 in Australia and #7 in New Zealand for its first week. It ranked #6 in the United States' list of top-selling games for September 2017, and #19 in the US
PlayStation Store The PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital media store available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The store offers a range of downloadable content ...
's September download charts. In its first half report of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2018, Capcom reported that over 900,000 units had been shipped in the period ending September 30, 2017. In its third quarter report of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2018, Capcom disclosed that ''Infinite'' had sold one million units as of December 31, 2017, missing its initial sales target. In their 2018 integrated report, Capcom described sales for ''Infinite'' as weak, stating "''Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite'' delivered a certain level of sales, primarily overseas owing to deep-rooted popularity, but underperformed overall".


References

;Notes ;Footnotes


External links

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