It has been over a month since Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls launched, and its initial player counts and sales figures on PC are generating concern within the fighting game community regarding the title's longevity. Arc System Works' latest tag fighting game has been a subject of considerable discussion, with player reception split between those who enjoy it and those dissatisfied with its tag system and online matchmaking.
Data from Steam Charts indicates that Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has an active PC player count of approximately 427 players on Steam, with a 24-hour peak of 791. The game's all-time peak on the platform reached 13,787 players. These figures represent only the PC player base and do not account for players on PlayStation.
Sales data from Alinea Analytics reveals a significant disparity between platforms, with 82% of copies sold on PlayStation compared to 18% on Steam. Across both platforms, the game has generated an estimated $49.7 million in revenue, with roughly 750,000 copies sold. While these numbers are not insignificant, the fighting game market is highly competitive, with titles like Street Fighter 6 currently dominating.
The game's PC port experienced notable issues at launch, leading to widespread criticism. Prominent content creator Maximilian Dood famously uninstalled the game on stream due to these problems. A patch was subsequently released to address these issues, but the game's producer acknowledged the difficulty in regaining player trust. The game's director, Kazuto Sekine, later issued an apology for the troubled PC launch and outlined plans for upcoming balance changes.
Despite its apparent success on PlayStation, the comparatively smaller player base on PC and lower sales on Steam have fueled discussions about Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' long-term viability, especially considering other upcoming IP-based tag fighting games. The game was also initially unavailable in 132 countries due to PlayStation Network requirements.
Fighting game professional William ‘Leffen’ Hjelte expressed concerns on X, formerly Twitter, stating that the game is "saveable if they act fast and correctly" but noted that the uncertainty surrounding patch releases and future character additions could jeopardize its competitive scene. He observed a significant lack of available matches in Europe, suggesting the active player base is a fraction of other popular fighting games.
Other players have drawn comparisons to the sales performance of previous titles, with one noting that Dragon Ball FighterZ sold over two million copies in its first week, suggesting Tokon may not reach that milestone within six months. Speculation also suggests that upcoming content, like the character Cyclops, might not be enough to draw the necessary player base.
Conversely, some members of the community argue that it is too early to make definitive judgments. They point out that the game has been available for less than two months and highlight its success on PlayStation. YouTuber Mightykeef commented on the prevalence of "doom posting," emphasizing that the game has not yet had sufficient time to establish itself.
Others have drawn parallels to the growth of classic fighting games, noting that titles like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 gained legendary status over years. They suggest that Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls may require more time to find its audience and that the focus should perhaps be on launching with more content rather than relying on seasonal DLC.