Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (also unofficially referred to as Marvel vs. Capcom 4) is a fighting game developed and published by Capcom, released on September 19, 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. It is the sixth main entry in the Marvel vs. Capcom series of crossover games, and the ninth overall main entry in Capcom's Vs. series; the player controls characters from both Marvel Comics and Capcom in tag-team battles. Infinite features two-on-two battles, as opposed to its two previous predecessors, which featured three-on-three battles. In addition, the series' traditional character assist feature has been removed, in favor of a free-form, tag-based combo system, which allows players to form continuous combos between their two characters. It also introduces a new gameplay mechanic in the form of the Infinity Stones, which temporarily bestow players with unique abilities and stat boosts depending on the type of stone selected.

Infinite was announced during Sony's PlayStation Experience event in December 2016. Capcom initially lost the usage of the Marvel license in 2012, after Marvel's new parent company, the Walt Disney Company, which acquired Marvel in 2009, decided to focus on self-publishing its own gaming titles, such as the Disney Infinity series; however, Capcom was able to reacquire the license after Disney scrapped their plans to continue self-publishing their own titles. Infinite was designed to be more accessible than previous Marvel vs. Capcom games, resulting in departures from some of the series' mainstays, such as assists. The game also features a larger emphasis on storytelling, with its own cinematic story experience. The plot follows the heroes and villains of the Marvel and Capcom universes, who must work together to save their merged worlds against a new threat, Ultron-Sigma.

Gameplay
Like its predecessors, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is a 2D fighting game in which players compete against each other in tag-team combat using characters from both the Marvel Comics universe and Capcom's video game franchises. As with Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Infinite features characters and background stages that are rendered in 3D graphics, but the gameplay is restricted to two dimensions, resulting in a 2.5D graphical design. Infinite features two-on-two partner battles, similar to Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes and earlier installments in the franchise. Unlike past entries, the game does not allow players to use assist attacks from their off-screen characters; instead, Infinite utilizes a "free-form" tag system akin to Marvel vs. Capcom 3’s "Team Aerial Combo" system and Street Fighter X Tekken’s "Switch Cancel" system. Players can freely tag out their team members at any point, even while mid-air, during long attack animations, or during the middle of combos, allowing them to form continuous combos between their two characters. Alternatively, players can sacrifice meter from their Hyper Combo Gauge to perform the newly introduced "Counter Switch" mechanic, which tags in their partner character while the opponent is attacking them, providing the opportunity to counterattack and free the character trapped in the enemy's combo.

Infinite moves away from the button layout previously used in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and instead employs a control scheme more similar to Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which includes four attack buttons, consisting of two pairs of light and heavy punches and kicks, and two additional buttons used for swapping characters and activating Infinity Stone powers. To improve accessibility, the game includes an "auto-combo" system, which allows players to repeatedly press the light punch button to automatically perform both ground and air combos. In addition, certain Hyper Combos can now be activated by simply pressing the two heavy attack buttons, as opposed to the specific joystick and button combinations required in previous titles.

Infinite also implements the Infinity Stones as a gameplay mechanic, similar to Marvel Super Heroes, where each stone grants unique abilities. Each player selects one Infinity Stone before the match begins, which bestows one ability that can be activated at any time, known as the "Infinity Surge". For example, the Power Stone produces a knockback effect when used, while the Space Stone pulls an opponent closer to the player character. A second, stronger ability called the "Infinity Storm" can be activated after a player fills their Infinity meter, giving them a significant boost for a limited time, similar to the X-Factor system from Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The boost is determined by the chosen Infinity Stone; for example, the Power Stone increases the user's damage output and combo ability, while the Space Stone traps an opponent in a confined area that severely limits their movement. The game will also include a two-hour cinematic story mode; single-player modes, such as training, mission, and arcade modes; a collection mode, where extras unlocked through the story and arcade modes are stored; and online multiplayer with ranked and casual matches, global leaderboards, and online lobbies with spectating.

Playable characters
As with past installments, Infinite features both new and returning heroes and villains in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. Additional characters will also be released post-launch as downloadable content (DLC). Returning characters have received various adjustments from their previous appearances, including new special moves, abilities, and hyper combos. According to Producer Mike Evans and Associate Producer Peter Rosas, the development team examined the strengths and weaknesses of each returning character and adjusted them by providing new moves and abilities, hoping to make every fighter viable. In terms of roster selection, characters were chosen based on two aspects: their potential interactions within the story and their gameplay style. The developers sought to include a variety of different character archetypes, from small, nimble characters, such as Strider Hiryu, to large, brawler-type characters, such as the Hulk. Capcom worked closely with Marvel staff members, who provided feedback to maintain the authenticity of their characters' portrayals.

Producer Mike Evans has stated that the characters on the Marvel side of the roster would not be limited to those who have appeared in the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; however, this has proven to be mostly false; almost every character, with the exceptions of Venom and Ghost Rider, have appeared in, or will appear in, the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and are all members of either the Avengers or the Guardians of the Galaxy.

New characters to the franchise are listed below in bold. denotes characters available via downloadable content (DLC).

Playable stages

 * Xgard: - a fusion of Asgard and Abel City
 * Bifrost
 * Underground Prison
 * Throne Room
 * Final Battle
 * Abel City
 * Sigma's Lab
 * Knowmoon - a fusion of Knowhere and Third Moon
 * Gravitron Core
 * Walkway
 * Valkanda - a fusion of Wakanda and Val Habar
 * Plains
 * A.I.M.BRELLA - a fusion of an A.I.M. laboratory and an Umbrella Corporation laboratory
 * Control Room
 * Laboratory Pathway
 * New Metro City - a fusion of New York City and Metro City
 * Avengers Tower - Briefing Room
 * Avengers Tower - Lab
 * Downtown
 * Crossroads
 * Dark Kingdom - a fusion of the Dark Dimension and the Makai
 * Heart of Darkness
 * Wastelands

Infinity Stones
In Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, the Infinity Stones function similarly to the "Groove System" in Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001. Players will select one Infinity Stone at the beginning of a match, which will give the player two special power-up abilities. The first special power-up ability is called the "Infinity Surge," and can be activated at any time, akin to the V-Skills of Street Fighter V, and fills the Infinity Stone meter. The second, stronger special ability is called the "Infinity Storm," and can be activated when the player fills their Infinity Stone meter at least half-way, akin to the Ultra Combo Revenge Gauge from Street Fighter IV, giving them a significant boost for a limited time, similar to the X-Factor system from Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.

Game mechanics

 * Power Stone:
 * Infinity Surge: hits the opponent with an attack that knocks them against the wall, allowing for increased combo potential. This attack also destroys projectiles.
 * Infinity Storm: increases damage output ability and combo potential, similar to the X-Factor system from Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
 * Time Stone:
 * Infinity Surge: performs a quick teleport dash that can pass through the opponent; it can also be performed in the air.
 * Infinity Storm: increases speed, and grants the ability to perform custom combos, similar to those in the Street Fighter Alpha series and Capcom vs. SNK 2.
 * Space Stone:
 * Infinity Surge: pulls the opponent closer to the player's character.
 * Infinity Storm: traps the opponent in a cube that severely limits their mobility.
 * Reality Stone:
 * Infinity Surge: releases a homing projectile that tracks the opponent's position.
 * Infinity Storm: initiates elemental magic attacks that accompany and augment normal physical attacks.
 * Light punch: produces a wind blade that blows the opponent away.
 * Light kick: freezes the opponent in a block of ice.
 * Heavy punch: produces a fire beam.
 * Heavy kick: produces a lightning bolt.
 * Mind Stone:
 * Infinity Surge: hits the opponent with an attack that renders them dizzy for a few seconds.
 * Infinity Storm: continuously regenerates the player's Hyper Combo Gauge to maximum.
 * Soul Stone:
 * Infinity Surge: Shoots an energy burst that absorbs energy from the opponent into the player's own life bar.
 * Infinity Storm: Brings the player's partner character out to aid the point character in attacking the opponent together, akin to the Duo Team Attack feature from Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes and the Scramble Mode feature from Street Fighter X Tekken. If the partner was knocked out earlier in the match, they will be revived with 20% of their health restored.

Gameplay modes and features
Offline modes and features:
 * Story mode – puts players at the center of a fierce battle as heroes from both universes come together to stop Ultron-Sigma, the combined form of two robotic villains.
 * Arcade mode – recreates the classic arcade experience. Keep winning to move forward and confront the final boss in a showdown of skills.
 * Mission mode – this is where players can do various tutorial missions, or try their hand at advanced character-specific challenges.
 * Training mode – sets up a training area with various parameters and allows players to hone their skills in order to improve their fighting abilities.
 * Versus mode:
 * Player 1 vs. Player 2 – go head-to-head against another player locally.
 * Player 1 vs. CPU – play solo against an AI-controlled opponent.
 * CPU vs. CPU - watch two AI-controlled opponents fight each other.
 * Collection Gallery – the Dr. Light Database contains numerous unlockable items, including cutscenes from the story mode, character/stage information, concept artwork, and character/stage audio tracks.
 * Options - configure the settings of the game.

Online modes and features:
 * Ranked match – battle other players online to advance in the rankings.
 * Casual match – battle other players online without the results affecting the rankings.
 * Beginner's league – a special league fought between players of rank 14 or lower.
 * Lobby – search for or create a lobby where up to 8 players can engage in simultaneous player-vs.-player matches.
 * Rankings – view the rankings of players from all over the world.
 * Replay settings – configure replay settings and view replays.

Story
Death is visited by Jedah Dohma, who proposes an alliance to achieve equilibrium between life and death on both their worlds. Needing the six Infinity Stones to do so, Death deceives Thanos and Ultron into aiding her, granting Thanos the Space Stone and sending Ultron to retrieve the Reality Stone from Abel City. Sigma intercepts Ultron, and the two forge an alliance. They betray the others and use the Space and Reality Stones to merge the two dimensions and fuse themselves into a single being named "Ultron-Sigma". To wipe out biological life, they begin unleashing an evolved form of the Sigma Virus that turns organic creatures to synthetic beings under their control. An alliance of heroes from both worlds is formed, and they rescue Thanos from imprisonment. They secure him in a containment field at Avengers Tower, but Thor Odinson becomes infected and escapes. To gain their trust, Thanos reveals the locations of the remaining four Infinity Stones, and teams of heroes are dispatched to find them.

In Valkanda, Ryu and Hulk were researching the phenomenal of convergence, until the plane they were in crashed into this country and eventually being found by Black Panther and Monster Hunter, shortly before by Captain America and Chun-Li's arrival. Despite Captain America’s warning about Valkanda’s safety from Ultron Sigma’s invasion will not last much longer, even with a Time Stone, Panther refuses to surrender the stone, but Ultron Sigma's drones arrive and spread the virus, infecting a Dah'ren Mohran. Ryu and Hulk defeat the creature and join the team to defeat Ultron Sigma, with Panther agrees to give them the Stone on behalf of Chun-Li’s wisdom. Dante, Arthur, and Doctor Strange travel to the Dark Kingdom, where Ghost Rider and Morrigan Aensland are pursuing a soul-stealing thief. Morrigan leads them to Jedah, who is using the Soul Stone to feed souls to a Symbiote creature, hoping to use it against Ultron Sigma. The heroes battle Dormammu and Firebrand, but Jedah escapes with the Stone.

At the same time when Doctor Strange’s squad enters the Dark Kingdom, Chris Redfield and Spider-Man infiltrate an A.I.M.brella facility. They run into Frank West, who is performing his own investigation, and discover M.O.D.O.K. turning people into B.O.W.s. at Jedah's demand. The heroes free Mike Haggar from containment and defeat M.O.D.O.K.'s enforcer, Nemesis. They take the Mind Stone, but are attacked by Jedah and his Symbiote. On Knowmoon, Captain Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Nova, Strider Hiryu, and X defeat Grandmaster Meio and rescue Zero from his control. Upon taking the Power Stone, the station ejects its core, which falls towards New Metro City carrying a massive Sigma Virus payload.

While Doctor Light, Iron Man, Spencer, and Hawkeye build a weapon to harness the Infinity Stones, Ultron Sigma attacks Avengers Tower. In the carnage, Thanos is released and attacks Ultron Sigma, cracking the Reality Stone and forcing him to retreat. As Chris’s team is pursued by the Symbiote, the heroes return to repel it. At a same time when Jedah went to invade the Avengers Tower instead, the curse of Satsui no Hadō within Ryu’s body caught Thanos’ attention, as he interferes and fights Jedah, causing the Dark Messiah retreat, just as the Symbiote monster will come near the tower. They use their Stones to destroy the Symbiote and the falling core, but are infected in the process. With hours left until they are turned, the heroes head for Xgard. While one group distracts Ultron Sigma, the rest infiltrate Sigma’s laboratory to finish their weapon, the Infinity Buster. When Thanos learns of Death and Jedah’s partnership throuh Time Stone, he becomes enraged and betrays the heroes, creating a mechanized gauntlet that absorbs the Satsui no Hadō from Ryu’s body, efficiently freed him from that curse before gave the Time Stone back for the heroes’ final stand against Ultron Sigma, and depart for revenge against Death. Dante returns to the Dark Kingdom and reclaims the Soul Stone from Jedah. He arrives in Xgard and pretends to surrender the Stone, but because they have no souls, Ultron Sigma is overwhelmed by the Stone and seemingly destroyed. However, the stone’s side effects transformed Ultron Sigma into a monstrous Ultron Omega. The Soul Stone purges the Sigma Virus within Thor, returning him to normal, even negating Ultron Omega’s master control Sigma Virus. The others appear and install the Infinity Buster into X, who uses it to destroy Ultron Omega.

In the aftermath, the virus is neutralized, but because the Reality Stone was cracked, the universes cannot be separated again. The heroes agree to protect the new world and split the Infinity Stones between them to keep them safe. In a post-credits scene, Jedah tells Death that he has another plan, but Thanos arrives seeking vengeance against them. Believing the Satsui no Hadō is capable of killing Death, he attacks them with a Gohadouken.

Development
Following the release of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 for the PlayStation Vita in 2012, Marvel's new parent company, the Walt Disney Company, which acquired Marvel in 2009, chose not to renew their licensing deal with Capcom, instead opting to move its viable properties towards their self-published game titles, such as the Disney Infinity series; this resulted in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes being removed from the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2013. However, in May 2016, Disney announced its decision to discontinue self-publishing efforts and switch over to a licensing-only model, allowing third-party video game developers, including Capcom, to renegotiate licenses with Marvel once again. On December 3, 2016, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite was officially unveiled during Sony's PlayStation Experience event; its first gameplay footage debuted on the same day following the conclusion of Capcom Cup 2016. Norio Hirose, a programmer who had previously worked on X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, and Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, as well as other Capcom fighting games, such as Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000, serves as Infinite's director.

According to Mike Jones, Executive Producer at Marvel Games, Infinite was designed to be a "more elegant and simplified" game which remained as "complex and hardcore" as past Marvel vs. Capcom installments. The decision to change the three-on-three battle system used in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and 3 was considered for a long time before ultimately settling on two-on-two fights for the sake of accessibility. Capcom's Director of Production, Michael Evans, wished to give casual Marvel vs. Capcom fans the ability to get into the game without being overwhelmed by introducing a more manageable two-character system. To offset the streamlined character select system as well as a removal of call-in assist attacks, the six Infinity Stones were implemented to provide teams with additional customization options and increase gameplay depth. The Infinity Stones also replace the "X-Factor" game mechanic from Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, in order to allow for a greater number of options and a greater degree of customization. Marvel and Capcom compared the Infinity Stones to the "Groove System" used in Capcom vs. SNK 2. The primary goal with the Infinity Stones was to create a level playing field by acting as a comeback enabler, and allowing players to compensate for their characters' deficiencies and enhance their strong points. According to the game developers, the inclusion of the Infinity Stones and the theme of "infinite [gameplay] possibilities" influenced their decision to use Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite as the game's title, rather than Marvel vs. Capcom 4. To further differentiate Infinite, the developers opted to use the Unreal Engine 4 to develop more cinematic and modern visuals, as opposed to the stylized art direction used in Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Beyond appealing to genre and series fans, Capcom sought to target a diverse audience with Infinite and bring in casual players who were fans of Marvel's movies, comic books, and television shows. To this end, the developers wanted to introduce a more robust, cinematic story compared to previous Marvel vs. Capcom titles. Bill Rosemann, Creative Director at Marvel Games, stated that Infinite's emphasis on storytelling was largely influenced by Marvel's story and character-centric approach to their recent projects in games, film, and television; Rosemann and Jones cited Insomniac Games' upcoming Spider-Man video game, Telltale Games' future Guardians of the Galaxy title, and Marvel's successful Netflix series as examples. Capcom also promised a larger variety of offline single-player and multiplayer content at launch. The promise for a "feature-rich" product appears to have resulted from experiences with Street Fighter V, which was criticized for its lack of content upon release. Frank Tieri, the lead writer for Marvel vs. Capcom 3, has also confirmed his involvement with Infinite.

Release
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite was released on September 19, 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. The game is available in three editions: a standard edition, which features two pre-order costumes for Ryu and Thor; a Deluxe Edition, which features four pre-order costumes for Ryu, Thor, Hulk, and Mega Man X, as well as a season pass granting access to six DLC fighters; and a Collector's Edition, which includes the Deluxe Edition of the game, in addition to four character dioramas of Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Mega Man X, and Chun-Li by TriForce, and a case filled with six LED-powered Infinity Stone replicas. An alternate DLC costume for Captain Marvel will also be packaged exclusively with the PlayStation 4 version.

Downloadable content
The "2017 Character Pass" includes six DLC fighters: Black Panther, Black Widow, Monster Hunter, Sigma, Venom, and Winter Soldier. All six characters will be released before the end of 2017. Players can also obtain an alternate costume for Spider-Man by pre-ordering Spider-Man: Homecoming through the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One online stores before it became sale on October 24, 2017. On October 17, 2017, Capcom released three themed costume packs, each containing six outfits: the Avenging Army Pack (Iron Man, Hawkeye, Thor, Dante, Spencer, Arthur), the World Warriors Pack (Captain America, Captain Marvel, Hulk, Chris, Ryu, Chun-Li), and the Mystic Masters Pack (Doctor Strange, Dormammu, Ghost Rider, Morrigan, Firebrand, Nemesis). The premium costumes can also be purchased individually or altogether with the "Premium Costume Pass". In addition, the Premium Costume Pass will give players access to alternate costumes for the remainder of the cast, which will be released before the end of 2017.

Related media and merchandise
In February 2017, Hasbro announced a Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite toy line during their presentation at the American International Toy Fair. In May 2017, Marvel Comics announced a series of Marvel vs. Capcom-themed comic book variant covers, which will be available in comic stores throughout August. In September 2017, Marvel revealed a new wave of Funko Pop collectibles, featuring the playable cast from Infinite in their premium alternate costumes. The collectibles will be released in November 2017.

Trivia

 * This is the first Marvel vs. Capcom game in the series to not feature X-Men or Fantastic Four characters, due to licensing issues between Marvel's parent company, The Walt Disney Company, and the formerly-separate company 21st Century Fox, which owned the rights to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, prior to Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Because of this, this game focuses mostly on the movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in terms of characters, thematics, design, and gameplay. Venom, who last appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, is a DLC character in this game on the basis that Disney does not own the movie rights for him, nor the other supporting characters for Spider-Man, which are still owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. Storm from the X-Men, who previously appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and earlier games in the series as a playable character, is the only now-formerly Fox movie rights-owned character to be referenced to by the DLC character Black Panther during his intro quote against female characters.