While Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite was a solid fig?h??ting game, it was unfortunately overshadow by its flaws, among them being its less than handsome graphics. It's been nearly seven years since its launch, and it's been decided the game needs a fresh coat of paint courtesy of an impressive looking mod.

This mod comes courtesy of one WistfulHopes, and was commissioned by streamer and fighting game content creator Maximillian Christensen, better known as Maximilian Dood. According to Christensen, the mod is still "in the early stages, with only a couple days of tinkering," but it's frankly already a major glow-up for the game. You can see some screenshots of the mod on WistfulHopes' Twitter account, as well as a brief gameplay clip demonstrating how the mod looks in motion.

The goal seems to be to bring Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite more in-line with the cel-shaded, comic book inspired visuals of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, which I personally think always was the better looking game. Infinite's efforts to bring its cast of Marvel and Capcom icons into a more realistic art style resulted in some unflattering character models (remember how Chun-Li originally looked before the day one patch?). The visuals in general were rather dismal looking, and simply didn't pop with any vibrancy or energy. I enjoy watching MvC3 matches if only for the high-octane visuals; something Infinite sadly lacked.

Capcom has long since abandoned Infinite (and the Marvel vs. Capcom series in general has gone dormant), but this mod could reignite interest in the game. After all, the actual gameplay is the best thing about it, but those who couldn't put up with how it looked may find themselves coming back to it once the mod comes out. MvC3 has an ongoing and healthy modding scene too, with new characters still being added to it. Maybe one day, a new Marvel vs. Capcom will be greenlit ??but, in the meantime, fans are delivering ??the next best thing with all these mods.

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Better late than never

Razer (popular PC peripheral maker) and Capcom are teaming up to create the official Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite arcade stick. Priced at?? $219.99/€239.99, this PS4 exclusive piece of tech will be based on the Razer Panthera and include premium Sanwa hardware. Much like the old MadCatz sticks of the last generation, this stick has been tested by eSports legends and will be fully customizable.

Here ??are the official specifications of what the stick is?? made with:

• 10 tournament-grade Sanwa™ Denshi buttons
• Authentic Sanwa joystick with ball top
• Easy one-touch access to internals and storage
• Fully accessible internals and storage compartments for easy modding
• Honeycomb structure on the inside for easy screw mounting
• Storage room for alternative bat top joystick (not included) and more
• 9.8 ft. / 3 m detachable screw-lock USB cable for secure connection
• Screwdriver included for modding

The stick should currently be available in Europe from the official MadCatz website and will be heading to North and South America next month. I would link to the website, but that just redirects to a 404 error. I'm guessing the excitement of something actually happening with MvC: I took down Razer's servers.

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Will anyone buy the Windows 10 version?

During E3 2016, Microsoft took to the stage to announce its "Play Anywhere" initiative. This new program would see games being released simultaneously on PC and Xbox One with crossplay enabled. One purchase (most of the time) would grant you access to both versions and you wouldn't need to worry about restarting your progress as save files would transfer over. While there aren't that many titles available with "Play Anywhere" (this Wiki page lists 57), Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is suddenly now a part of the program.

Popping up on the Windows store out of the blue, the crossover fighting game is currently available for $39.99 with the entir?e host of DLC ready to go. A deluxe version is also available for $59.99 and includes the character pass DLC. If you purchased this game digitally on Xbox One, you should already have the PC version (along with any DLC), but an?yone who was waiting (for some reason) should know that this version is Windows 10 exclusive. It will also be a UWP (Universal Windows Platform) app, so that might bring performance problems or installation oddities.

I have very limited experience with newer UWP apps, but both Forza 7 and Age of Empires: Definitive Edition run perfectly fine. I would imagine this does??, too, as the p??revious PC version was solid.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite gets Xbox Play Anywhere support [Windows Central]

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Neither will the X-Men

After being rejected for EVO 2018, you'd think Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite would avoid more headlines about exclusions from tournaments. Turns out that isn't the case. As reported by Kotaku, MvC: I won't be present at the Capcom Pro Tour, otherwise known as Capcom's own serious to??urnament for fighting games.

As pointed out in the Kotaku report, MvC: I was also not present at last year's Capcom Pro Tour, but this was due to releasing too late for inclusion. This year, it just seems like Capcom is moving on from the game. Capcom reps didn't have much to share, saying that the company is focusing on Street Fighter V's recent Arcade Edition ??and thi??rd season of characters at the moment.

While I've only played the demo for Infinite, I can't say I'm surprised. The game seems like a rushed attempt to capitalize on Marvel buzz following the success of the films. With more polish and attention to detail (not to mention a year delay to possibly incorporate X-Men), I feel like fans would be more on board with Infinite. As it stands, it looks like even C??apcom doesn't care anymore.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Won’t Be On The Capcom Pro Tour [Kotaku]

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'We're definitely sorry it didn't make the cut'

Speaking during the EVO 2018 broadcast, tournament organisers Joey "Mr. Wizard" Cuellar and Mark "MarkMan" Julio briefly touched upon the reasons that Capcom's Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, a game which has been out for less than six months, failed to make the main line-up for EVO.

The exclusion of MvCI as a headliner was met with memeriffic cries of "When's Marvel?" from viewers, but Mr. Wizard had little issue plainly speaking when responding. "It was on a slippery slope and it had a lot of competition going forward, and it just kind of... fizzled." stated Wizard. "Not to talk smack on Marvel or anything. It's always been a great game for EVO... It was the main game fo?r eight straight years... But I?? don't think people are playing it, and that's the problem". Wizard and Markman followed up by saying that the game would feature in a side-tournament.

Response from Marvel players came thick and fast, with devotees on social media voicing their displeasure at the game's disappearance from the main card. Markman then took to twitter himself, explaining the situation in a lengthy stream of tweets, noting in particular tha??t it's "Hard to include a game that doesn't have support. I'm not talking about Capcom, cuz they've supported it the most."

It's been a rocky road for MvCI. It started off with complaints about the game's visual style and overall flat presentation. Things got worse with the revelation that many roster veterans, such as the X-Men, would not be included for the first time in the series' storied history. On top of that, there was Capcom's incredibly aggressive esports plan for the game (which irked EVO's promoters) and a piss-poor $200 Collector's Edition.

Gameplay-wise, MvCI is pretty good, but it has failed to capture the wide audience its predecessors have. Capcom have also gone very quiet on the title, seemingly putting all of their eggs in the Street Fighter V: AE basket. There have been no recent character reveals, or any efforts to stoke hype for 2018's tournaments. The smash success of Namco Bandai's Dragon Ball FighterZ, which features similar tag-based, ground-to-air fighting, serves only to push MvCI further into the background.

It may be up to the Marvel fanbase to make their voices heard come EVO, with players coming out to show support for the title, engaging in matches to set the scene alight. It will also take Capcom themselves to shine a light on the struggling fighter, by teasing new content, promoting a tournament, or just showing some sense of commitment to its future, otherwise the "When's Marvel?" ques?tion may remain unanswered for quite some time.

EVO 2018 take??s place in Las Vegas on the weekend of August 3.

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Though I'm sure it'll probably be there

Alongside last weekend's Capcom Cup, which saw the best on the world throw down on Street Fighter V, there was also a tournament held on Capcom's crossover title, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite.

The "Battle for the Ston??es" tourney had a great trophy and some wacky rules, meant to represent the chaos of the Infinity Gems. These allowed players to mess with various conditions. I?ncluding gimmicks such as screwing with button layouts, or guaranteeing first hits etc.

Unfortunately, the tournament didn't set Twitch alight for the most part. There were a lot of empty seats in the audience, and an online count of around 5,000 viewers. Many fans?? have pointed out that this number was on a dedicated "Battle for the Stones" channel, and that the game ma?y have seen more success were it broadcast on the more established "Capcom Fighters" channels. It should be noted that viewing figures did pop over 17k for the grand finals.

Regardless, the figures didn't go unnoticed, clearly, as EVO organiser Joey Cuellar (aka Mr. Wizard), posted on Twitter yesterday, straight up asking followers if MvC:I was "dead". When asked whether the response would affect Marvel's appearance in EVO 2018, Cuellar followe??d up by admitting the team was "torn" on the idea.

First up, I'm pretty sure MvC:I is going to be at EVO. Chances are that Capcom, publishers of EVO's main game, will make sure ??of it. But Cuellar's brazen comment, coupled with the game's relatively muted showing at a major tournament, speaks volumes of the crossover fighter's status. Perceived or otherwise.

Mr. Wizard's poll, for whatever its worth, is currently evenly split, but is ultimately a figure that lacks weight and shouldn't be used toward the decision. The EVO 2018 line-up is expected to be revealed sometime in January, so I guess we'll find out if MvC:I makes the cut soon enough.

Blowup Tuesday! Is Marvel dead? There?? ??was no reveal at Capcom Cup. Only 5K viewers on Twitch. Poor sales. Only 350 people online max. Chime in now!

— Joey Cuellar (@MrWiz) December 12, 2017

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Though many players may be elsewhere...

Capcom have announced that PlayStation Plus members will be able to try out Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite ??online later this week, as they ar??e having another free weekend to get people on-board with the comic-book crossover title.

The fighter recently underwent a balance overhaul, as well as receiving some additional content. The free weekend will open up the fighter's launch roster to all players, but only Training Mode and the Online Vs. portions of the game will be available, hence the PlayStation Plu??s account requirement.

I personally wouldn't have held it the same weekend that they're holding their own, highly-anticipated, Monster Hunter: World beta. That seems incredibly bad planning, especiall?y considering they publish both titles.

The Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite free weekend s?tarts at December 8 at 08:00 PST/12:00 GMT, until the same time on December 11.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite free weekend [Capcom Unity]

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Bucky and Co. join the battle

Comic crossover fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite gets a boost in content today, with update 1.05 bringing new costumes, new characters and balanc?e tweaks to the tag-team punch-up. The 2.7GB patch is available to download on consoles now.

The update actually went live? yesterday, re-balancing various characters -- including the much desired Dante nerf -- but Venom, Black Widow and Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier, were not made available for purchase. That changes today, as the thr??ee new fighters will be good to go, priced at $7 each, with a 2017 Character Pass also being available for $30

Also available are two DLC packs containing new costumes for a selection of the game's roster, the most important skins being C?asual Fridays Thanos and At-The-Office Haggar. The costumes are priced at?? $4 each, $12 per pack or, for another $30, you can buy a teeth-grindingly gross Premium Costume Season Pass.

If you want to check out how your favourite heroes and villains have fared in the balance overhaul, then full patch notes can be found right here. I hope December brings you all the buffs... unless you're Dante.

Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite Update 1.05 [Capcom Unity]

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New looks for Earth's Mightest

Next week is a biggie for crossover fighter Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite. December 5 not only sees a trio of new characters join the game, but there wil?l also be around $25 worth of costumes available ??to buy.

Two videos have been released by Capcom to show-off the DLC skin packs that launch Tuesday. The Cosmic Crusaders pack will feature new gear for Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Nova, X, Zero and Strider Hiryu. The second pack is the Stone Seekers set, which houses alternate looks for Spider-Man, Ultron, Thanos, Jedah, Frank West and Haggar, who's gonna fight in his civvie?s, like the man's man?? that he is.

These premium outfits will cost $4 each, $12 per pack, or can be picked up as part of the $30 Premium Costume Pass, a term that is so fuckin??g gross my fingers turned black momentarily whilst I was typing it. The same day will also see newcomers Black Widow, Winter Soldier and Venom available for purchase.

Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

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Take it for a ride

Fans got so hype upon hearing the latest news about the new characters coming to Capcom's crossover fighter Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, that another tidbit, announced on the Capcom Unity blog, passed a few folks by.

This weekend, PS4 owners will be able to play the star-studded title for free. Only the online portion will be playable, so you will obvious??ly need a valid PlayStation Plus account. The demo, which runs from November 24 at 08:00 PT until the same time on November 27, will feature the entirety of the game's current roster, so you can try out everybody before realising that Thanos is clearly The Man.

If you get a kick out of the title (and your opponents) then bear in mind that the game is currently discounted as part of PSN's Black Friday sale, reduced by 30% to $41.99. If you haven't tried it out yet, give it a shot. A few issues aside, it's pretty good.

MvC: Infinite PS4 online weekend [Capcom Unity]

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Here come the men (and women) in Black

Ever since Venom's symbiote was revealed to be a part of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite's story mode, I'm sure we've all been curious as to how he would look and play. Luckily, i??t's the same as he's be??en in the rest of the series but with a few new tricks. 

The second wave of DLC fighters includes Winter Soldier (a gun boy with some impressive invincibility frames), Black Widow (whose moveset thankfully focuses on the electric gauntlets seen in the Avengers films), and Venom (who has made the ?transition to 3D pretty well). 

The three fighters will be available for purchase December 5, though it'll be included in the 2017 Character Pass for those who purchased it. 

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I'm your prom date you ugly sack of

Despite the disappointing sales, Capcom is still hard at work updating Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. On December 5, a big shakeup wi??ll occur with a few characters, as well as some ge?neral mechanical tweaks.

To sort of sum up the big stuff, the Reality Stone is getting overhauled a bit, and you can now move forward/backward after getting crumpled. OTG (off the gro?und) relaunches are now limited to two per single combo, and a bunch o??f bugs have been squashed.

As far as specific characters go, Dante got hit with the nerf bat significantly, as nearly all of his stats have been changed, including a 10% health decrease, a removal of homing capabilities from nearly all his abilities,? and smaller hitboxes all-around. Conversely Chris Redfield got damage increases for?? almost all of his specials, ranging from 10% to over 100% in one instance (his grenade toss HK explosion damage).

Others are sprinkled in there like Ultron, Thanos, Gamora, and Captain Marvel, but their changes are smaller than the above two. Although I don't have many people to play with I'm still having fun with Infinite, and these ch??anges mostly are a step in the right direction (Dante might be overkill though).

Patch Notes for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite &ndas?h; Decem??ber 5 Update [Capcom Unity]

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18 Premium costumes on the way tomorrow

Along with additional characters Black Panther, Sigma, and Monster Hunter, 18 premi??um costumes will be available for ??purchase tomorrow. 

They'll run $3.99 USD individually, $11.99 for a specialized six pack, and $29.99 for the "Premium Costume Pass," which includes all 18. Some of these may be neat pulls like Hulk's Joe Fixit outfit and the DmC version of Dante, but the price is admittedly a bit too steep for my blood. But if you're interested, he??re's how they break down into six packs:

Avenging Army: Iron Man, Ha?wkeye, Thor, D??ante, Spencer, and Arthur

World Warriors: Captain America, C??aptain Marvel, ??Hulk, Chris, Ryu, Chun-Li

Mystic Masters: Doctor St?range, Dormammu, Ghost Rider, M?orrigan, Firebrand, Nemesis

According to the post?? on Capcom-Unity, the remaining characters should receive costumes before the end of the year. 

Battle in style with these new Premium Costu?mes available on October 17 in Marvel vs??. Capcom: Infinite! [Capcom-Unity]

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Did 'Payback' run away?

Fighting game website Event Hubs posted a great message sent to them by Marvel vs Capcom Infinite player "482 MastaStef"?? which the latter received in t??he wake of a random online victory.

A lot of regular fighting game players (or online players in general) will have received salt-soaked hate mail in their time. Hell, sometimes people try to add you after a fight specifically so they have access to wi??shing death upon you, or attempt to somehow ruin your year by making lame accusations on your sexuality or social life.

482 MastaStef instead received a collected admittan?ce of defeat, followed by a specific plan of action for his opposition to take revenge for the loss precisely one month from now. MastaStef has said he will keep people updated as to whether his own personal Moriarty keeps to his word and steps back into the ring in four week?s time.

Ok sure, this is hardly Red-Hot News. But it's amusing to see someone take a loss as if they were bested in a gentleman's duel. Hatemail is typically an ugly, torrid and hurtful affair, I suppose that's why they don't call it "Nicemail", but to see someone truly inspired to take a random online match and turn it into a Rocky-style redemption story, wel??l, here's hoping the declared rematch takes place.

The Liam Neeson of MVCI [Event Hubs]

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Spidey loses combo loop

Capcom's comic-book brawler Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite will see its first major update in a few days, and have released the patch notes ahead of time so you can get your favourite fighters gameplan? in ??order.

First and foremost, Spider-Man will lose his notorious combo loop that does, like, a zillion damage. This will stop players, who show a complete lack of Great Responsibility, from abusing it in battle. There are also some bug fixes affecting Captain America, as well as some changes across the b??oard related to Air Recovery.

The list of tweaks can be seen bel??ow. The update goes live on October 16, with the game's first three DLC characters becoming available for download the follow??ing day.

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Coming October 17

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite took a lot of heat from the gaming?? community for its launch roster, but just seeing how great Sigma (who has a great Level 3 Hyper) and Black Panther (who has some major Sabretooth vibes) are makes me feel a bit worse about the whole thing. They undoubtedly are going to be exciting additions to the roster, and would've for sure been more welcome outside of these DLC trapp??ings. 

Regardless the two characters, along with the recently shown off Monster Hunter (complete with their premium costume variants), are part of the 2017 Character Pass and will be available ??October 17.? You can also purchase them separately for $7.99 each. 

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Discussing Marvel vs. Capcom's big eSports push

Now that Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is out, and those interested have played around for a little while, there's a question that's been bugging me ever since I first laid my eyes on it. I've openly gone back and forth over Infinite's visuals, and the strong gameplay and netcode made it harder, but I?'ve been trying to figure out why that is. Why do the visuals suddenly matter so much to me given the how little they should mat??ter in fighting games? 

I think it's because it feels like Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, the latest in a seri??es known for its carnival atmosphere welcoming everyone to its broken ride, seems to be more focused on those who'd be willing to buy a ticket regardless since their careers could depend on it. 

Since this is such a huge topic, and because it's far too early to definitively come to a conclusion, I reached out to Reviews Director and Co-Editor-in-Chief Chris Carter (who wrote Infinite's review) for a second opinion. Hopefully this is the start of a conversation around eSports and its effect on the Versus serie??s that'll be clearer as the months roll on. 

Nick: Before Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite's release I know I was openly against its art style, and you seemed to react the same way per your review, but I've been trying to figure out why they would even pursue a style with such a lack of fanfa??re. But after playing it for two weeks, I think it's because there's a greater focus on professional players this time around. Much of the, well, "excess" seems to be ?stripped away in favor of a more easily discernible game that could be shown on ESPN. What do you think?

Chris: The "pro" angle is such an interesting phenomenon. We saw how well it worked out for Street Fighter V, given that it was the most-played competitive fighter to date at major tournaments, but at what cost? Sales were lower than expected, and the lack of ancillary modes for casual players to mill around in crippled the franchise. There's a lot of reasons why SFV performed below expectations (console exc??lusivity didn't help, as did the ultimately harmless, yet confusing Fight Coin system), but that was a big part of it.

Part of my heart breaks that Capcom decided to effectively neuter a Versus game. I've been all-in on this concept since I used my first-ever Birdie attack in X-Men vs. Street Fighter. Mechanically I'm okay with reigning in the crazy?? assists and the like, but I really miss the wacky touches like comic book font and the more outlandish character designs. Do you think people will be okay with this long term?

Nick: It's funny you bring up parallels to Street Fighter V's initial release, because it's at a much better place now than it was then. Missing features began cropping up, DLC characters added more variety, etc., but SFV never quite recovered outside of the professional scene. It has its staunch defenders, but those who decided to ignore it based on its troubled launch never looked back. I'm hoping this?? isn't the case here.

Infinite shares a lot of this same vibe. It may have a story mode and standard arcade, but the little personality touches casual onlookers have come to know from the series may find this lacking. To nitpick, there isn't an intro (not even a collection of gameplay clips) nor is there a reward for completing Arcade mode beyond a simple "Congratulations" screen. Like it or not, aesthetics play a huge role in whether or not someone plays a game, let alone play it enough to dig into its mechanics. So I do believe it's something we'll be okay with given time (I'm personally already adjusting to it), but it's going to have to work in order to have lasting power. Infinite's roster is also meant for a wide appeal.

Will the focus on the Marvel Cinematic Universe ??draw the attention Capcom wants?

Chris: Good call on the intro, that's not even something I thought of the fourth or fifth time I loaded it up. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is the Soylent of video games, confirmed!

You nailed it when it comes to presentation. Positive affirmation and the like can go a long way, which is why they noodled around with auto-combos. But look at a competitor like Dragon Ball FighterZ -- Arc tried to incorporate those same ideas but the game looks amazing as hell. You can have both! And with a marquee series like MvC you really need to.

As for the MCU, I uh, don't know if people will care. Iron Man was cool years ago when I acquired my first target with Proton Cannon, not because he cracks wise in the story mode many folks won't ev??en play. I also found it really odd Rocket's character selection portrait heavily plays up the fact that Groot, a cloying MCU posterboy, is involved in his kit when he really isn't. I kind of just wish they went all out and gave us more daring roster additions like....dare I say, Daredevil, or Jessica Jones. Gamora was a step in the right direction but it's not enough. Imagine years from now saying "I can't wait to see Justin Wong's Daredevil!" Maybe that'll still happen with a character like Black Panther?

Nick: Back when the first couple of roster leaks revealed a heavier focus on the MCU, I thought a character like Black Panther could become a new central figure overall. But admittedly holding him (and the majority of the new additions) ba??ck as DLC will definitely limit the audience.

Professional players will buy them regardless, but I don't know if I'm ready to read "Can't wait for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite" a billion times. Infinite is a full title that doesn't feel like anything necessary was stripped away, but it does feel like I h??ave to pay extra to get crazier stuff that I'm more interested in. What do you think?

Chris: Yeah it's weird to see fighters come to this. Versus games used to have wacky experimental stuff from the start, and were packed with characters. I played Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for 24 hours straight when I picked it up on the Dreamcast just because I wanted to see who I unlocked next! Now Capcom just?? tells me who I need to pay for weeks in advance. They're not the only ones guilty of this, as Arc System Works has leaned heavily into the DLC angle too. It's always strange to see a DLC character enter the meta, prompting everyone to buy them.

In this case, I can't be too mad. I think Infinite is complete when it comes to content. But like you said, bill??ions wi??ll disagree!

Nick: As much as I want a little more flair, I can't knock Infinite's launch pack??age too much. It does feel like a full release that'll please passersby for a weeken??d with enough depth to its mechanics to please professional players, but this is another title in a line of Capcom's laser-focused tournament marketing.

Because it also begs the question of how exploitative this model can potentially be, righ?t? Are companies like Capcom, NetherRealm, and the like, focused on initial sales anymore? Or is this new model of using a base game as a platform to layer transactions onto those dedicated players, and those whose careers rely on practicing against every possible outcome, the better business model?

I guess I've just been going back and forth on Infinite because it's the first, and most prominent, of a very vibrant series to emphasize functionality over personality. So my final question to you, Chris, is whether or not you see mostly catering to the professional scene as the right decision. I know it's much too early to ask, but do you see Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite's potential being as "infinite" as its namesake?

Chris: Capcom goes back and forth too. The whole "one SKU, always'" sorta bombed and potentially died with Street Fighter V. Hell, we've seen more rumors of a "Super Street Fighter V" than we can shake collective sticks at, but they'r??e kind of bent over a barrel there and will likely of??fer that as a free update.

Either way, you're not the only one going back and forth. Fighting games are ever-evolving, and publishers constantly seesaw between whether or not they want to placate the casual or competi??tive crowd first.

As for what's right? I feel like it depends on the series. For something that has a wide appeal like Versus, Dragon Ball, or even Street Fighter, catering to everyone but fine-tuning for the pro scene is a great idea. But for other niche titles like Guilty Gear, I hope they keep them as complex as they've always been. Infinite seems to be going down that road, but I wonder if it'll? fizzle out after the first seaso??n pass salvo quiets down.

You've read our thoughts, now let's hear yours! Does Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite focus too much on professional players? Is the eSports push the right direction for a series like this? Did you even notice any of this?

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I took my roof off at the red light

Regardless of how I've felt about the launch roster for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, I'm pretty excited about all of the interesting things the DLC characters will bring to the table. If the rest of the characters look as good as Monster Hunter from Monster Hunter, I think we're in for a goo??d set of ?new characters. 

Monster Hunter, first seen in Infinite's story mode, utilizes different weapons in her moveset. A bow projectile gives her spacing options, one of her supers seem to charge her dual swords, and her Level 3 hyper combo has a ton of super armor on start up. I hope she comes to Infinite sooner rather than later. 

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Gonna take you for a ride

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has finally launched, to some pretty positive reviews. Hope?fully fans will feel the same way about the latest iteration in Cap?com's long-running, crossover, fighting game series.

However some fa??ns, those that forked out $200 for the game's Collector's Edition, are already less than enthused, thanks ?to the "Infinity Stones replica set" contained within. Far from being six glowing soul gems, containing the power to manipulate time, reality and the universe itself, they're more somewhat-glowy, pastel-coloured, plastic eggs.

Though the GameStop pre-order page told wannabe intergalactic tyrants that the set would have fans "...behold dynamic replicas of the infamous Infinity Stones..." in actuality we get a cruddy box containing six miserable ovals that look??, quite frankly, like Love Eggs.

The stones cannot be removed from their housing, and all light up together via a warm bulb housed behind them, which is a far cry from the glowing, crystalline spheres in the promotional image. Already some fans have taken to Reddit and other social media to express their displeasure at the po?or quality of the product.

But you have to really feel for Thanos, who is going to show up to his hot date with Death bearing these gifts. We reached out to Nebula for further comment, but she just told us that her adoptive patriarch "was a real dick", that she hadn't played MvC since she sold her Dreamcast, and finally adding that Street Fighter V needs an arcade mode.

Source and photo credit [Eventhubs]

The post Thanos reportedly fuming at MvC Collector’s Edition’s ‘Infinity Stones’ appeared first on Destructoid.

From Digital Deluxe to Standard Edition

Pre-load has started for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and if you're thinking about picking the game up on release week, digital copy is probably the way to go for those without membership with Best Buy GCU or Amazon Prime. As of writing, you can score up to 35% off on digital version of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite depend??ing on the edition and platform you choose.

Here's ?the quick br?eakdown: PS4 gamers gets a nominal 10% off while PC gamers can pick up Steam version from 25% to 35% off. If you're buying on PC and you pre-order before its official launch time (should be 9am Pacific) - you should still be able to get the pre-order bonus of DLC costumes. 

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Digital Deals

PC

• Standard (Steam) — ~$40.47  (list price $60) <- after GBP to USD
• Deluxe Edition (Steam) — $67.49  (list price $90)

PS4

• Standard (PSN) — $53.99  (list price $60)
• Deluxe Edition (PSN) — $80.99  (list price $90)

Pre-load has been live for the game across all platforms and all retailers above are sending out keys as of writing. Xbox One gamer? ?You're SOL because we haven't spotted any deals on the game, digital or physical (except for aforementioned membership route). If we spot some deals on the game, we'll be sure to add them above during release week.

Deluxe Edition of the game gets you the 2017 character pass which contains access to six additional characters post-launch. Pre-order the PC Digital Deluxe also gets you 4 cost?umes vs 2 in the Standard Edition.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite releases in the US/EU on September 19, 2017. For gamers in Japan and Asia, you need not apply to the deals above given the game is region locked and releases later on September 21, 2017. You can read the review of the game here.

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Bucky!

Let's break down the DLC for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite so far -- I mean, it's Capcom, we probably need a chart or some sort of mathematical f??ormula at some point. So far, we have Black Panther and Sigma confirmed. Outside of pre-ord??er costumes that isn't super convoluted, but it'll probably get there.

Today, Capcom has confirmed that four more characters will be coming as DLC "in 2017," though -- "Monster Hunter" (she's already in the story), Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Venom. All of them are either relevant in the film industry (Venom is getting a new movie) or have a new game coming out (Monster Hunter World), so you could have probably put money on these, no problem. A leak almost had t??his spot-o?n too, it just had Gill in place of Black Widow.

No footage or screens were provided, bu?t you can expect lots of streams once they do hit.

The post Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite will be getting Venom, Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and ‘Monster Hunter’ as DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Let's go crazy

When's Marvel?

It's a phrase you hear all too often. Like Smash it's worked its way into the vernacular of fighting game fanatics and has earned its place into the annals of FGC history. But it's not just all memes and hype -- one of the first games I ever watched grainy videos for and competed at regionally was Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

It's always had an endeari?ng, dedicated place in my heart, but ?I fear it's been slowly losing favor for a while.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (PC, PS4 [reviewed], Xbox One)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: September 19, 2017
MSRP: $59.99

I'm not entirely sure the fangasm narrative for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite works as well as Capcom would have hoped. Years back, when Mega Man was more relevant, the idea of Sigma teaming up with a Marvel villain would have been pretty damn explosive. But with so many crossovers, a complete and utter lack of X-Men, and a basic story that most?ly just involves? a clash with a big bad isn't as impressive.

It lasts a few hours, and wil?l keep you engaged throughout, but there's a few hangups I had with the campaign. For one, they should have gone a little harder on some of the Marvel characterizatio??ns if they so desperately wanted to incorporate MCU elements. They went full RDJ knockoff for Iron Man but many others are more forgettable, including meat-head Thor.

The art style is a crime against humanity. Capcom basically went "what if we took the Disney Infinity Marvel look, then made it more realistic, and didn't make any adjustments beyond that?" Cartoony characters like the ones from the Mega Man stable, or robots like Ultron mostly look fine, but others, like Tony St?ark with his helmet off, are garish.

Infinite's story does try to mix things up a little when you're actually fighting, to its credit. There's some accounting for 1v2 fights, a remnant of Street Fighter experiments, and some battles are just fodder with the same few "infected" NPCs or Ultron Drones. Then there's a really cool fight with Ultron Sigma! Then there's more fodder. They tried. And hey, hey, at least it has a real story mode at ?launch (and an arcade mode, trials, online lobbies, plus tons of challenges).

But, as most people know, as a long term fighting game player I'm more concerned about the guts than the pageantry, and these guts are good. Infinite is an amalgam of multiple iterations, as it brings back the (working) four-button system from the second game. In terms of the fundamental shift from 3v3, I actuall??y like the 2v2 conceit better.

It's more intimate, and although many would argue that the more characters there are that are out at any given time the more complex the game is, the original Marvel vs. Capcom worked just fine with 2v2. The lack of traditional assists (it's all tag-based now) also cuts down on spam from a casual perspective, as you now need to tag to meaningful??ly combo wit??h your partner.

The Infinity Stones (you can choose one per match), which folks feared would be another Gem-like Street Fighter X Tekken gimmick, have been reigned in. All six of them are manageable in t?hat they give small buffs or powers, but they need to be accounted for with each individual combatant. Players can take rushdown characters and min-max them with the Time gem that allows you to dash through projectiles, a strategy that you'll need to both master and counter when any opponent picks a specific stone. You can also proc them to initiate Infinity Storm, a much more balanced form of X-Factor that operates as another super.

Let's break the roster down, because these Versus games can get out of hand. There's 30 characters, and seven are new (at launch). Having played all of them, there really isn't a face I don't like (well, figuratively, because some of the faces are mutated). I know people are going to get up in arms that the roster doesn't hold a candle to [x] Versus game, but for me, it's right on the money. I have at least 10 that I really dig, and I was willing to try out everyone without groaning or feeling like any of ??them were inadvertent joke characters.

No Wolverine (who is practically the Versus poster boy) still stings but you have heavy-hitters like Strider and Morrigan, as well as Captain America and Spider-Man -- and even Dante from Marvel 3, who has earned his place. C?ombos are intuitive, rushdowns are quick and frenetic, and keep away characters have plenty of tools in their toolkit. The only real complaint I have against the movesets is a petty one -- most of the ultimates (level ??3 hyper combos) aren't flashy enough.

Although it didn't directly impact this review as it's content yet to come, Capcom is dangerously flirting with DLC. We have a Season Pass of characters on top of multiple pre-order bonuses, which is typical Capcom fare. But this is in a post Street Fighter V world, where sales were lower than expected and a lot of the good will from IV has been evaporated. I hope they cool it and let people focus on Infinite where it counts.

I feel like Capcom was finally able to settle on a formula that doesn't feel too experimental, while at the same time not being so safe that it's a bore. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is s?terile on the surface, but a functional as hell fighter. I'm fine ??with that. Are you?

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite appeared first on Destructoid.

An early access advantage

When I think of Marvel vs. Capcom, I think of Justin Wong.

While there are plenty of other big names in the community like ChrisG or Filipino Champ, some of my favorite FGC matches of all time are from Wong's work in the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 scene. We'll have to wait a little bit, it seems, to see him in Infinite.

Announced via Tw??itter, Wong will not be competing formally in the game until October, despite the game's September 19 release. The reason for this delay is because he's had early access to the game, and thinks that with his bout of extra practice, it wouldn't be fair on others.

Now, you can either see this as a kindness to the community so he doesn't wipe the floor with them, or a form of showmanship. Either way Wong is a huge name in the Marvel vs. Capcom ?;community, and when he doe??s make his debut, it'll probably be explosive.

Justin Wong [Twitter]

The post Justin Wong won’t compete in Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite until October because he has an edge appeared first on Destructoid.

Fighting robot strategies

With Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite a little under a week away from release, and with all of the launch characters announced, it's time to dig a little deeper. Capcom uploaded a few tutorial videos for Mega Man X, Iron Man, Ryu, Captain America, Morrigan, and Captain Marvel. They're a good jumping off point for how combos in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite work. 

At the very least, it shows what kind of a beast Mega Man X can be in the right situations. I'm sure we'll get a few more of these as the weeks rol??l on, and once everyone gets the game in their han??ds. 

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite releases September 19 for PlayStation 4, X?box One, and PC.&nbs??p;

The post These Marvel vs. Capcom: Infi?nite tutorial videos are a pretty good place to start appeared first on Destructoid.

Hulk is Spartacus

You just gotta love pre-order culture. I mean, you have to, because it's not going anywhere (sadly). To give fans a closer look at some of the cut content being offered for shelling out cash early, Capcom has uploaded a trailer showing off the alternate costumes for Ryu, Hulk, Thor and X. I mean, they look cool, bu??t not cool eno??ugh to get me to put down a reservation.

To make things ultra confusing, people who pre-order the standard version will only receive Evil Ryu and Warrior Thor. You'll need to nab the $89.99 Deluxe Edition (which at least has the season pass) to get Gladiator Hulk and Command Mission X. You can also go for the $199.99 Collector's Edition if you want everything with a bunch of physical goodies. As for me, I'd rather just be given the chance to actually unlock costumes ?again.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite - Pre-order Costumes [YouTube]

The post Here is a closer look at Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s pre-order costumes appeared first on Destructoid.

'Limitless or endless in space, extent, or size'

After months of waiting, weeks of arguing about leaks, the full launch roster for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has been revealed. As Capcom noted on the UK upload of the latest full story trailer (pointed out by Eventhubs), the&nbs?p;"newly added characters bring the?? final roster at launch up to 30 characters, with more post launch characters to be revealed in the future." 

So what do you think of the roster? Before you answer, here are a few ??facts:

1. There are six characters never seen in the series before (five if you don't include the new version of Thanos).
2. There are no characters from Fox film properties like series favorites Wolverine, Magneto, or Storm. 
3. There are only four female characters (Captain Marvel, Chun-Li, Morrigan, and Gamora).
4. Sigma and Black Panther have been confirmed as DLC additions. 

I'm personally not mad at the size of the roster as 30 characters is pretty generous for a 2-on-2 fighter, but it's hard not to feel something's missing from these selections. I'm hoping more hands-on time with its cool gameplay will shake the hollow feeling I have. 

Marvel: 

• Iron Man
• Captain America
• Hawkeye
• Thor 
• Hulk
• Nova
• Rocket Raccoon
• Spider-Man
• Dr. Strange
• Dormammu
• Ghost Rider
• Thanos
• Ultron 
• Gamora 
• Captain Marvel 

Capcom

• Ryu
• Chun-Li
• Morrigan
• Zero
• Strider
• Chris Redfield
• Nemesis
• Arthur
• Haggar
• Spencer
• Frank West
• Dante
• Firebrand
• Jedah
• Mega Man X

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite launches on September 19 for P??layStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. 

The post What do you think of th??e full Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite launch roster? appeared first on Destructoid.

I guess they may as well be the same thing at this point

I'm hoping Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has just been a victim of bad first impressions. I know I haven't helped in this matter at all, but the more I look at this newer art style, the more I'm adjusting to it. Is this the case for anyone else? Anyone else warming up to it? I'd argue the more? cartoonish characters translate very well. 

Regardless, this full story trailer shows off quite a few cool things. We see the scope of the new story mode (showing off just how involved Darkstalkers' Jedah is going to be), we see how Ghost Rider and Dormammu (with a blink and you'll miss it Firebrand) look in the new style, the Venom symbiote (probably confirming those Venom DLC rumors). and get a look at Chun Li's new face??! It's been a point of contention among series fans, so I'm curious to find out ??what you think.  ;

Also Capcom confirmed a couple of modes: Story, Arcade, standard versus modes, Training, Mission, Collection (which is a gallery mode with unlockable character art, etc.), and along with standard online offerings is something interesting called the "Beginner's League," which is fought between players Rank 14 and lower. That's a neat way to compete online, even if you're not a super pro. I just want Infinite to succeed, so at least t??he story mode seem??s more put together than it did at first glance 

The post Full look at Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s story reveals the Venom symbiote and Chun-Li’s new face appeared first on Destructoid.

Cue sad trombone (or should that be Tron Bonne?)

On Tuesday, a slip-up caused a video, detailing Capcom's entire esports plan regarding Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, to be ?uploaded to the YouTube account of its esports di??rector, John Diamonon.

The five-minute video, featuring proposals, figures, sponsorship ideas, and profit distribution, was quickly removed, but not before savvy-japesters had already bagged themselves a copy to be reuploaded on NeoGAF ?and elsewhere (most of these re-uploads and screengrabs have since been removed.)

The video showcased plans for a 16-man tournament to be held at the Capcom Cup this year, with fourteen of the entrants winning a spot via online qualifying sessions. 2018 would see a full year Pro-tour, in the exact same vein as Street Fighter V, with a distributed prize pool of $600,000.

The video goes on to talk marketing and profit budgets, as?? well as detailing how much profit will be expected and shared between Capcom USA, Capcom Japan and, of course, Marvel themselves. There were suggestions that both YouTube and Twitch would put money into the cause as part of a recoupable licensing fee.

Aspirations of how to incorporate the annual EVO tournament into sponsorship deals has caused EVO boss Joey Cuellar to leap onto his Twitter, denying that he has even been consulted about such matters and also saying that EVO footage was used ?without permission.

John Diamonon also took to Twitter to provide some context. "The Capcom esports video that was ??mistakenly uploaded to my YouTube channel was a proposal and the information included was not final," tweeted Diamonon. "Capcom has lots of exciting esports plans for our fighting games and we look forward to sharing those final details in the?? future."

I personally think the most surprising aspect of these plans is the thought of holding a Top 16 at the prestigious Capcom Cup made up of competitors who won in an online capacity. Hopefully MvCI will have exceptional netcode at launch, if that is the case.

The post Capcom accidentally releases Marv????el vs. Capcom esports business plan onto YouTube appeared first on Destructoid.

Semi-related: Should I watch the Cage films?

Taking a cue from their recent Firebrand and Dormammu reveal, Capcom and Marvel have confirmed Ghost Rider for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite with a rather sweet comic book variant cover.

Ghost Rider joins the #MVCI roster at Gamescom on 8/22, but this week he's alongside Morrigan in our Defenders variant cover! pic.twitter.com/YfC90O5SUy

— MVC: Infinite (@marvelvscapcom) August 8, 2017

Also like Firebrand and Dormammu, we won't get to see how Ghost Rider translates to Infinite until gamesco?m begins on August 22. I?? can't say I'm in love with these low-key announcements for familiar characters. Give us something, anything, to look at from the game itself. Even just a peek!

The post Ghost Rider is next in line for Marv?el vs. Capcom: Infinite appeared first on Destructoid.

Should've bargained some more

A few months back, Marvel unveiled a few variant comic covers which featured a number of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite characters. I personally ignored it for the most part, thinking any characters featured could've been a poor tease or some kind of red herring. The most peculiar of which was the Spider-Man/Deadpool #20 cover featuring Firebrand and Dorm?ammu. 

See, at the time of the initial announcement, the four characters hadn't been announced or confirmed. It was a complete toss up. Deadpool being the most peculiar of the four since the lack of X-Men characters this time around is looking more likely every reveal. But the Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Facebook page officially announced the return of the huge stars, Firebrand?? and Dormammu, teasing a gameplay reveal August 22 during Gamescom??. 

What do you think of this announcement? Pretty stellar, right? Can you tell how excited I am? I can't believe how functional these characters will be. 

The post Dormammu and Firebrand returning for?? Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite appeared first on Destructoid.