5 Iconic Heroes and Villains That Have No Place in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls
The roster for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls strikes a good balance between legacy characters and new additions, though it does feel somewhat safe. That said, Arc System Works has mixed household names with surprising choices, creating a cast that feels fresh instead of relying entirely on the same heroes and villains fans have seen for decades. That balance is one of the biggest reasons I am excited for DLC, because there is no shortage of iconic Marvel characters still waiting for their chance to step into the arena.
Yet not every famous Marvel character deserves a roster spot, though. Fighting game rosters work best when every character offers something distinct, whether through gameplay mechanics, visual style, or story potential. We’ve already seen many popular characters alongside more niche picks, proving Arc System Works is willing to think beyond the obvious. While plenty of legendary heroes and villains remain absent, some of the biggest names could actually make the roster less interesting. Whether because they are oversaturated across Marvel games or because similar characters already fill their role, these five fan favorites are better left on the sidelines rather than joining the fight in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.
5) Thanos
If there is one villain who has dominated Marvel media over the last decade, it is Thanos. His appearances in comics, films, mobile games, and console games have made him one of the most recognizable antagonists in entertainment. There is no question he deserves his legendary reputation. Marvel likley wouldn’t have its popularity today without him, both in and outside the MCU.
That said, his gameplay role has become equally familiar. Massive damage, incredible durability, and overwhelming power are traits players associate with Thanos. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls already has larger-than-life powerhouses, like Hulk, capable of filling that archetype without relying on Marvel’s most obvious cosmic villain. If Arc System Works wanted another character to fill this role, it should look outside Marvel’s most well-known villain.
Leaving Thanos off the roster would also reinforce what has made the game’s reveals so exciting so far. Instead of simply checking every famous Marvel name off a list, Arc System Works has balanced iconic heroes with unexpected additions. Continuing that philosophy will make the final roster feel far more memorable than another collection of characters fans have already used in countless Marvel fighting games. Not only that, Thanos deserves to enjoy his retirement after terrorizing the galaxy in the MCU.
4) Phoenix
Jean Grey’s Phoenix form has long been one of the most feared characters in Marvel fighting games. From the Marvel vs. Capcom series to numerous comic storylines, Phoenix has become synonymous with overwhelming power, and players are quite vocal about this. Translating that into a balanced competitive fighter has always been difficult because the character is designed around near-limitless cosmic abilities.
There is also another reason Phoenix feels unnecessary here. Cyclops has already been revealed in his unique Phoenix Cyclops form, giving the roster a fresh interpretation of the Phoenix Force instead of revisiting the version players have already controlled in previous Marvel fighters. That immediately helps the game distinguish itself from earlier titles. It also means that we really don’t need a dedicated Phoenix character if Arc System Works is already bringing in a corrupted Scott Summers.
Including Jean’s Phoenix form alongside Phoenix Cyclops risks redundancy while reducing what makes Cyclops’ inclusion so interesting. Arc System Works chose an unexpected direction that gives one of Marvel’s classic X-Men a fresh identity. Doubling back to the traditional Phoenix would weaken that creative choice. Considering that Cyclops is another Marvel character that is oversaturated in fighting games, the twist of combining these characters is a great way to circumvent that.
3) Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange seems like a perfect fit for Arc System Works at first glance. His magical abilities could lead to elaborate spell effects, portals, and screen-controlling projectiles. Visually, he would almost certainly become one of the game’s most spectacular characters. He has also seen an uptick in popularity thanks to the MCU and even Marvel Rivals. Gameplay variety, however, is already represented by several ranged specialists and characters with unconventional movement.
Strange’s toolkit would inevitably overlap with existing archetypes while requiring enormous development resources for visual effects and animations. Those resources could instead create entirely new gameplay concepts for lesser-known Marvel characters. Considering that Strange’s most iconic magic is portals and we already have both Magik and Doctor Doom who both use portals in their arsenal, introducing a third portal-reliant character seems overkill, even if he played differently.
Doctor Strange has enjoyed tremendous exposure over the past decade through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, comics, and multiple games. While popularity matters, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has already shown it wants to surprise players. Continuing to dig deeper into Marvel’s roster feels like the stronger creative decision rather than including a character who is already well-loved and known by most fans.
2) Venom
Venom is undeniably one of Marvel’s biggest stars. Between comics, films, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and numerous fighting games over the years, the symbiote has rarely been absent from Marvel’s gaming lineup. With Spider-Man in the roster, he feels like a natural villain to thwart the webslinging hero. His popularity is impossible to deny, but that popularity is also why he should sit this one out.
The current roster already features several aggressive, close-range brawlers with explosive offense. Venom’s brutal melee style would not feel nearly as unique as it once did. While obviously different, Carnage already feels like the perfect symbiote choice, and Venom would step on his toes as this is his debut as a playable character in a Marvel fighting game. Arc System Works has an opportunity to introduce characters with mechanics players have never experienced before instead of returning to another familiar favorite.
Venom has earned his place in Marvel history, but he has also become one of the publisher’s most represented characters across games and media. Allowing other villains or antiheroes to receive the spotlight would help Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls establish its own identity rather than following the same roster formula seen in previous Marvel fighters.
1) The Fantastic Four
It feels strange to argue against Marvel’s First Family appearing in a Marvel fighting game, especially with the team’s renewed popularity ahead of their latest film and comic stories. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls even sets up the Fantastic Four as the reason why each team only has four members. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm are among Marvel’s most recognizable heroes, and each possesses abilities that could translate well into a fighting game. On paper, they seem like obvious additions.
The problem is that adding just one member would feel incomplete. If Mister Fantastic joined without Invisible Woman, fans would immediately ask where the rest of the family was. The same applies to Human Torch or The Thing. The Fantastic Four are inseparable in the minds of most Marvel fans, making it difficult to justify including only one of them.
That creates a roster problem. Four character slots devoted to a single superhero team limit opportunities for more creative picks from across Marvel’s enormous universe. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has already demonstrated a willingness to spotlight lesser-used heroes and villains. Preserving that variety is far more valuable than dedicating four positions to one family, no matter how iconic they are.
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