Marvel’s interplanetary heroes (also frequent outlaws), the Guardians of the Galaxy, are returning later this year with a nearly nonsensical new lineup. After blowing up from three titular Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, the Guardians are set to return this August in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Arc System Works’ upcoming fighting game has been notable for its radical character redesigns, taking beloved Marvel heroes and villains and giving them a distinct anime makeover.
With a tag-team system in place for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, well-known affiliations are being reintroduced and remixed with sometimes head-scratching lineups. Marvel Tokon‘s new version of the Guardians of the Galaxy is called the Amazing Guardians, with Spider-Man usurping Star-Lord in the leading role. Peter Quill still joins Peter Parker’s band, alongside Ms. Marvel, Peni Parker, and Peni’s trusty mech, SP//dr. It is an odd assortment of characters, to say the least.
The Guardians of the Galaxy have made regular gaming appearances, though the most notable is the self-titled and often-underrated Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, a third-person action-adventure game that came out in 2021. Various members of the team are playable in 2024 arena shooter Marvel Rivals, though the game doesn’t necessarily treat them as an explicit grouping. The Amazing Guardians is a brand-new configuration regardless, and they were revealed alongside the Knowhere stage, a classic Guardians of the Galaxy location.
Marvel Tokon is a tag fighter built around teams of four. In the Amazing Guardians’ case, Spider-Man is the team leader, while Ms. Marvel, Peni Parker, and Star-Lord are the default assist fighters. Another example is the new Knights of Doom, led, of course, by Doctor Doom, and comprising Green Goblin, Carnage, and Magneto. That said, these default team configurations aren’t required outside the story mode – you could have Spider-Man, Black Panther, Storm, and Doctor Doom team up, even though they are each officially on a different team.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls will release on August 6, 2026, and it looks like it will be a major new entrant to the fighting game scene. Arc System Works’ previous fighting games have been well-received, 2021’s Guilty Gear Strive especially, and Marvel Tokon‘s character designs have been a huge hit so far. Its four-character tag teams are also an inspired choice, since Marvel characters are often associated with numerous in-universe groups.
The Amazing Guardians is one of the more eclectic accumulations, alongside the Knights of Doom. The Fighting Avengers (Captain America, Black Panther, Iron Man, and Hulk) and the Unbreakable X-Men (Storm, Wolverine, Magik, and Danger) both feel quite a bit more thematically cohesive. A fifth and final team, led by Ghost Rider, has yet to be fully revealed, but it could also be an odd amalgamation of characters like Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls‘ new mash-up of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
- Released
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August 6, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
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Arc System Works, Marvel Games, PlayStation Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
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Yes