Arc System Works has named Phoenix Cyclops as the first additional character coming to MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Producer Takeshi Yamanaka revealed the fighter during the Behind the Battle panel at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, alongside several other announcements ahead of the game’s launch.
Ray Chase voices the character. Rather than the standard X-Men leader, this version draws on the Phoenix Five incarnation from Avengers vs. X-Men, which gives Scott Summers the cosmic power of the Phoenix Force on top of his usual arsenal. Arc System Works says he keeps the Optic Blasts and hand-to-hand ability associated with the character, with the Phoenix Force layered over both. The studio has not detailed how those abilities translate into his fighting style, and says more will follow.
What Else Arc System Works Revealed at San Diego Comic-Con
The panel doubled as a showcase for the game’s presentation. Japanese animation studio Sanzigen produced the newly revealed opening movie and the cinematic sequences in Episode Mode, working in the 2.5D style both studios have pushed. Yamanaka describes the goal as combining classic fighting game openings with the energy of early-2000s anime openings.
The theme song pairs two Japanese rock vocalists, Keiko Terada of SHOW-YA and mayu of NEMOPHILA, on dual vocals. Kanata Okajima wrote the lyrics, with composition and arrangement by MEG (MEGMETAL). Daisuke Suzuki of Sanzigen directed the opening animation.
Costumes received unusual attention for an Arc System Works title. Yamanaka notes that alternate costumes have historically been limited in the studio’s games, and says the team has placed greater emphasis on them here, with more planned after launch.
How the Insomniac Games Collaboration Works Both Ways
The costume push extends into a crossover with Insomniac Games. The Wolverine Battle Reborn Suit arrives in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls on September 1, free for every player at no additional cost. The Ultimate Edition separately includes a costume based on the Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
The exchange runs in the other direction as well. Wolverine’s suit from MARVEL Tōkon is heading into Marvel’s Wolverine, unlockable through progression from day one. Yamanaka says the Arc System Works team visited Insomniac’s studio during development and shared an in-progress build, crediting the feedback as a source of encouragement.
When the Marvel Tōkon Open Beta Runs
The Open Beta opens on July 24 and runs through July 26 on PlayStation 5 and PC, with a PlayStation account and internet connection required. Arc System Works had planned a 15-character roster for the beta, then added Green Goblin, bringing it to 16.
Yamanaka frames it as the last chance to play free before release, and says post-launch plans include new characters and new stages beyond the Year 1 content. Countdown illustrations from the development team and Marvel guest artists are also planned in the run-up to launch.
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