The quest to save Marvel vs. Capcom 2

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (MvC2) It was a 2000 title that marked a before and after in the fighting game genre. The sequel to Superhero clash introduced the wild number of 56 playable characters, long before other series like Tekken and Smash Bros. they became encyclopedias. It was a complex system of teams of three against three characters, and a soundtrack that I could take you for a ride. It also created a cultural phenomenon that expanded beyond games; for example ESPN created a “character select screen” in clear reference to last year’s NBA Finals game.

Although Marvel vs Capcom 2 became one of the most influential games of the genre, its current state is far from what the title deserves. MvC2 It has been impossible to buy for eight years and counting, aside from the more expensive platform versions that can be found online. Issues with character licenses and rights, plus its latest edition being digital only, left fans with almost no other options than emulation and piracy. However, the passionate fighting game community is trying to make a change.

Originally released in arcades, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 It was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and the original Xbox. The Dreamcast version is considered to be the most faithful to the arcade experience, while the PS2 and Xbox versions suffered from gameplay changes and performance and resolution issues.

In 2009, the Backbone Entertainment studio released a new edition with online games, a widescreen format and other quality-of-life changes in the digital stores of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 before it closed its doors. The game was pulled from stores on both platforms at the end of 2013 due to the expiration of the license for the comic book characters, but users who have already purchased it can still play it, even online. And that’s it: one of the most fundamental pieces of fighting game history has been mostly erased from (legal) existence.

It’s a shame. MvC2 it conquered the scene in the past, even with its fair share of criticism during the initial release for its simplified control scheme of four attack buttons instead of six and the “embarrassing” imbalance of characters like Magneto, Cable, and others. He saw the birth of legendary professional players like Yipes, creator of the famous “It’s mahveel, baybeeRecording that became a meme for years to come. It allowed Justin Wong to create one of the most publicized moments of any competition. But perhaps most importantly, it was the first step for a generation of newcomers to fighting games in general, thanks to its incredible roster and more accessible approach.

Over twenty years since its original release, fans they are trying to bring MvC2 back to life. In 2020, MvC2 was going to appear in a special tournament during the online edition of Evolution Championship Series 2020, the most important fighting game competition, also known as EVO. Fans, content creators, and professional gamers were beyond excited for the game to be back on the cover. However, the entire event was canceled after former CEO and organizer Joey Cuellar was accused of sexual abuse. The game was not selected for this year’s edition, although the reasons are unclear.

In the early days of August 2021, Maximilian Dood, a popular streamer and YouTuber who focuses on fighting games, started an online campaign with the hashtag “FREEMVC2”. During the campaign video, Max encouraged fighting game fans to show how important MvC2 was (and is) for them.

After Max’s YouTube video, hundreds of messages and tweets began to flood social media, and gamers showed their love for MvC2, sharing clips of bombastic combos, awesome illustrations, and even a theme carpet. A fan holding a poster for the Max campaign was Recorded during wrestling matches at All Elite Wrestling’s Dynamite on August 18, 2021.

Maximilian’s initiative is going places and has reached major ears: Digital Eclipse, a company reborn from former Backbone Entertainment workers and current Other Ocean workers. Important members of Digital Eclipse have already Show interest working on a new version of Marvel vs Capcom 2.

Digital Eclipse, originally founded in the early 1990s, has been developing modern emulations and versions of classic arcade titles since its early days. The company resurrected popular titles like Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection, Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collectionand games outside the arcade like The Mega Man Legacy Collection and the 2017 release of The Disney Afternoon Collection.

In an email interview with Polygon, Digital Eclipse studio director Mike Mika and VP of Business Development and Production Tom Russo wrote about their thoughts on preserving games and Maximilian’s campaign to save. MvC2.

“We always seek to accurately tell the story of these games, while building on the features that fans expect and appreciate,” explained Tom Russo. Sometimes, however, the features were quite unexpected and “unique” additions to the product. For example, the team managed to find a “finished but unreleased” version of Samurai Shodown V Perfect, which later “convinced” the SNK company to include it in the NeoGeo Collection. At the same time, Russo says that “there is always the challenge of what new modes we can add,” highlighting the importance of keeping things fresh for the fighting game community.

When asked what he thought about the resonance of # FREEMVC2, Mike Mika wrote: “Max led the rallying cry and all the fans, all of us, come together… it is extraordinary to see so many passionate and positive people. With all the toxic things that have been flying in connection with the games, it’s a breath of fresh air to see everyone come together. ”

Mika also highlighted the endurance and dedication of gamers who do not make the leap between console generations to continue playing a specific fighting game. According to Mika, there are more people playing MvC2 on PS3 than many other titles on modern hardware.

Mika sees MvC2 as a “great example of the importance” of game preservation. Compare the situation with other media, such as cinema: “Frank Cifaldi (the Videogame History Foundation) once gave a great analogy: Movies, unlike games, don’t just die at the end of a hardware cycle. By its nature, it is easy to send a movie to almost any device. The games, however, are much more complicated. They are more expensive to migrate. ”

Despite the challenges, Mika does not have a pessimistic view of the future of preserving games. “We are now at a point where the collective voices of fans are pushing hardware manufacturers to embrace backward compatibility. My hope is that future platforms will continue to support this initiative, ”he wrote. Mika encourages the purchase of remasters, re-releases and the support of groups such as The strong and the Videogame History Foundation.

As for the future of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, “It really depends on Disney and Capcom,” says Mika. A representative for Capcom declined to comment for this story. Mika and his team, for their part, appreciate all the effort that the fans are making and wait for the right opportunity. “If the stars align, we are eager and ready.”