Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
A 2017 crossover fighting game with two-on-two battles and Infinity Stones.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is a crossover fighting game that Capcom developed and published in 2017. It marks the sixth main installment in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, following *Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3* (2011). Players pick characters from the Marvel Comics and Capcom universes for tag team bouts. Unlike the three-on-three matches of the two prior games, *Infinite* uses two-on-two fights. The series’ traditional assist moves are gone, replaced by a tag-based combo system that lets players instantly swap between their two characters to chain attacks together. A new feature, the Infinity Stones, gives players temporary special abilities and stat boosts depending on which stone they choose.
The game was revealed at Sony’s PlayStation Experience in December 2016. Capcom had lost the Marvel license in 2012 when Disney decided to publish its own games, but regained it after Disney shut down its console publishing division. *Infinite* was made more accessible than earlier series entries, leading to several changes in core mechanics. It also put a bigger focus on storytelling, including the franchise’s first cinematic story mode. The plot has heroes from both universes joining forces to save their merged worlds from a new enemy, Ultron Sigma.
*Infinite* came out in September 2017 for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Critics gave it average to positive reviews, praising the new gameplay elements but criticizing the art direction and character roster. The game sold poorly; Capcom had expected two million units, but only about one million copies were sold by the end of December 2017.
**Gameplay**
*Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite* is a 2D fighting game where players battle in tag teams using Marvel and Capcom characters. The goal is to knock out the opposing team by draining their health bars. Matches are two-on-two, like *Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes* and earlier titles. Unlike past games, there are no traditional call-in assist attacks from off-screen characters. Instead, *Infinite* uses a “free-form” tag system called “Active Switch,” similar to *Marvel vs. Capcom 3*’s “Team Aerial Combo” and *Street Fighter X Tekken*’s “Switch Cancel.” Players can swap between team members at any time, even mid-air or during attack animations, letting them create their own offensive or defensive assists and string together continuous combos.
- Developer
- Capcom
- Publisher
- Capcom
- Release year
- 2017
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
- Genre
- Fighting game
- Series
- Marvel vs. Capcom
- Roster size
- 30 base characters, 6 DLC characters
Lore & Background
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite was announced during Sony's PlayStation Experience event in December 2016. Capcom had lost the use of the Marvel license in 2012 after Disney decided to focus on self-publishing its own gaming titles, but reacquired the license after Disney dissolved its console publishing division. The game was designed to be more accessible than previous entries, resulting in changes such as an auto-combo system and simplified Hyper Combo inputs. It also features the series' first cinematic story mode, which follows the heroes of the Marvel and Capcom universes working together to save their merged worlds from Ultron Sigma.
Reader's Guide
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite received average to positive reviews, with critics praising its new gameplay elements but criticizing its presentation, particularly its art direction, and its character roster. The game underperformed commercially, selling approximately one million copies by the end of December 2017 against Capcom's expectation of two million units. Its significance lies in its attempt to reboot the series with a more accessible control scheme and a focus on two-on-two combat, while introducing the Infinity Stones as a strategic layer. The game's commercial underperformance and mixed reception marked a turning point for the franchise, leading to uncertainty about its future direction. Despite this, the Active Switch tag system and Infinity Stone mechanics were noted as innovative additions to the series' gameplay.
Did You Know?
- The game uses a two-on-two format instead of the three-on-three format used in its preceding titles.
- It introduces the Infinity Stones as a gameplay mechanic, each granting unique abilities via Infinity Surge and Infinity Storm.
- The game features a cinematic story mode, the first in the series, with a plot involving the merged worlds of Marvel and Capcom.
- Capcom originally expected the game to sell two million units, but it sold approximately one million copies by the end of December 2017.
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