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00:00I'm the ghost of Christmas, kick your ass!
00:03Again, that wasn't me going through your garbage can last night.
00:08Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're taking a look at 20 things you may not have known about the Marvel
00:14vs. Capcom games.
00:24Before we begin, we publish new videos all week long, so be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays and ring the
00:30bell to be notified about our latest videos.
00:34Following in your footsteps.
00:36When Street Fighter V launched in 2016, it was widely criticized for its barebones content, missing features, and unpolished online
00:44infrastructure.
00:53Capcom had promised a robust live service model, but the game felt rushed and incomplete at release.
00:59Rather than learning from that disaster, Capcom appeared to carry many of the same development habits directly into Marvel vs.
01:06Capcom Infinite.
01:07Street Fighter V would cause Capcom to implement a story mode into MVCI, but the end result made the campaign
01:14appear exactly what it truly was.
01:16A careless afterthought.
01:22Street Fighter V's failure essentially set a blueprint for what not to do with a fighting game.
01:27And tragically, Capcom followed that same blueprint all over again with Infinite, though unintentionally.
01:36During MVCI's development, Capcom drew inspiration from some unexpected sources.
01:42Though it had only been shown to the public a few times during MVCI's development, Marvel's Spider-Man reportedly influenced
01:49how Peter Parker was characterized and portrayed within Infinite's story mode.
01:57Meanwhile, Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy helped shape the tone and personality of the cosmic Marvel characters featured in the
02:04game.
02:05These influences reflect how deeply Capcom wanted Infinite's narrative to feel connected to broader Marvel storytelling at the time.
02:12If only the dialogue didn't make it feel so disjointed and corny.
02:16Every prison's the same.
02:18Eh, done a lot of hard time, huh?
02:20No, but I've put a lot of punks like you away.
02:24Fun with entertainment politics.
02:27One of the most controversial aspects of MVCI was its roster selection, which was heavily dictated by Disney's marketing agenda.
02:35Between us, no sinner can escape.
02:40Even a simple parlor magician could win this fight.
02:43Rather than pulling from Marvel's rich comic history, characters were chosen based on who Disney and Marvel were actively promoting.
02:50Primarily MCU figures.
02:52This meant fan favorites like the X-Men and the Fantastic Four were sidelined in favor of characters like Captain
02:59Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy, and of course, the Avengers.
03:02Take this!
03:05Unyielding justice!
03:07See ya!
03:09Many longtime fans felt the roster lacked soul, and it clearly reflected a corporate directive rather than a creative one.
03:16The result was a game that felt like a promotional tool more than a love letter to Marvel history.
03:21The Problem with Noramaro
03:23Noramaro is easily one of the strangest characters ever to appear in a Marvel vs. Capcom game,
03:30and that's saying a lot considering there's a sentient cactus and a pirate queen.
03:34But his origin story is equally unusual.
03:44He was created as a self-insert character for Noritake Kinashi, a massively popular Japanese comedian and celebrity.
03:53Kinashi was put into the game because many of the developers on MVC were huge fans of his, and so
04:00they put him into Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter.
04:04Marvel Super Heroes vs. Spider-Man
04:09While Noramaro was a beloved novelty in Japan, Marvel executives were furious over his inclusion.
04:17To them, there could not possibly be a world where the likes of Noramaro can take on superpowered heroes like
04:24Spider-Man, Hulk, and the X-Men.
04:26After much arguing, Marvel and Capcom agreed to only include him in the game's Japanese release.
04:33Cutting Corners
04:36I have care, Commander Redfield.
04:40These were once my people. Even now they fight well.
04:44Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite was reportedly developed on a significantly smaller budget compared to its predecessors,
04:50and the evidence was painfully visible in the final product.
04:54Character models looked noticeably rough, with faces like Chun-Li's becoming internet memes almost immediately after the game's reveal trailer.
05:02There must be some other way.
05:04We're out of options and out of time. Take off the mask.
05:08Story mode cutscenes lacked the cinematic polish fans had come to expect, feeling closer to animatics than true cinematics.
05:15The roster was also smaller, with just about every Capcom representative being reused assets from UMVC3.
05:23Ultimately, asking fans to pay full price for a product that so clearly had its corners cut
05:28was a decision that severely damaged the game's reputation and the franchise's legacy.
05:33If that's the future that awaits us, I'm gonna do things my way.
05:38Borrowing from another crossover
05:40When designing MVCI's gameplay systems, Capcom's developers looked back at their own catalog for inspiration.
05:48Specifically, Capcom vs. SNK2.
05:55The 2001 classic introduced something called the groove system, which allowed players to customize their fighting style in meaningful ways.
06:03Elements of that philosophy reportedly influenced how the Infinity Stones were implemented into MVCI,
06:10giving each player a layer of strategic customization before a match even began.
06:15Let's play again sometime.
06:18It's a clever piece of internal design heritage that most players may never have initially traced back to a nearly
06:2320-year-old predecessor.
06:26Sent to a digital prison
06:28In 2013, the Marvel vs. Capcom games were quietly removed from digital storefronts, leaving fans shocked and frustrated.
06:37I'm down here busting my ass while you sit on yours watching me jump around? How is that thing?
06:43The culprit was Disney themselves, as they were tightening control over Marvel's licensing agreements following their acquisition of the brand
06:50in 2009.
06:52As existing licensing deals between Capcom and Marvel expired, Disney chose not to renew them, effectively pulling Marvel vs. Capcom
07:012,
07:01Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 from PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.
07:15Physical copies skyrocketed in price almost overnight, making the games difficult and expensive to access.
07:21It remains one of gaming's most glaring examples of how corporate licensing decisions can harm game preservation.
07:32Redesigning the Sentinel
07:34Sentinel is one of the most iconic and powerful characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, but getting him into the
07:40game wasn't without drama.
07:48Marvel's executives reportedly took issue with how Capcom had designed the robotic mutant hunter, feeling the interpretation strayed too far
07:56from established visual conventions.
07:58You know, when the Sentinels looked like another brigade of dudes in tights.
08:02Specifically, concerns were raised about color choices and proportional liberties Capcom had taken in redesigning the character for the game's
08:10unique art style.
08:11Capcom had to navigate Marvel's feedback carefully to reach a version that both parties could agree on.
08:17Funny enough, the more robotic version has long resonated with Marvel fans way more than the Sentinel's original tighty-whitey
08:24designs.
08:25Fire one win!
08:27Target terminated!
08:30More heroic gags
08:32Long before Spider-Ham charmed audiences in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, he was nearly a playable fighter in
08:38a Marvel vs. Capcom game.
08:40I just washed my hands, that's why they're wet.
08:42Both Spider-Ham and Howard the Duck were reportedly planned for inclusion at various points in the franchise's development history.
08:51Their quirky comedic nature would have fit perfectly alongside characters like Amingo and Dan Hibiki, who already leaned into absurdist
08:59humor.
08:59Unfortunately, both characters were ultimately cut, likely due to time constraints or roster prioritization.
09:06This is not what you think. We're just very good friends.
09:11He's covered crossovers, you know.
09:13I'm not some cub reporter. I've covered wars, you know.
09:17Frank West from Dead Rising is one of the most unlikely yet beloved characters in Marvel vs. Capcom history.
09:31Getting him into the game was no accident.
09:33Capcom's development team reportedly championed his inclusion,
09:36specifically because of his outrageous and versatile potential as a fighter.
09:41To convince the higher-ups, the developers threw him into the 2008 video game Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars.
09:53Unsurprisingly, Frank became a popular pick in the game, thus landing him his own slot in MVC3.
10:05The ultimate Street Fighter rep.
10:08As Capcom's most recognizable mascot, it almost goes without saying that Ryu would appear in every MVC title.
10:15And indeed, he has.
10:21From the original Marvel vs. Capcom all the way through Infinite,
10:25Ryu has been a permanent fixture on the Capcom side of the roster.
10:30His moveset has evolved a little bit across entries, incorporating EX moves, team-based mechanics, and new visual flourishes,
10:37while retaining his signature Haruken and Shoryuken.
10:46Ryu's unbroken streak across the franchise makes him the de facto face of Capcom in the MVC universe.
10:54But maybe Chun-Li will break that streak.
10:57Someday.
10:57No.
11:01Find them justice.
11:03The X-Men's removal.
11:05The absence of the X-Men in MVCi shocked and disappointed fans who had grown up with Wolverine, Storm, and
11:12Magneto as franchise staples.
11:19The reason came down to corporate politics.
11:21At the time, the X-Men film rights were held by 20th Century Fox, putting them in direct conflict with
11:28Disney's Marvel Studios.
11:30Reports suggest Disney actively discouraged the promotion of Fox-owned Marvel properties across all media to avoid boosting a competitor's
11:39brand.
11:39For a franchise where Wolverine had been practically a mascot here, his removal felt like a betrayal of MVC's identity,
11:46and it resulted in significantly fewer fans being interested in MVCi.
11:51Last thing we need right now is another fight with those guys.
11:55Amen to that.
11:57Be careful.
11:59MVC2 was more polarizing than we remember.
12:03Marvel vs. Capcom 2's soundtrack is one of gaming's most polarizing musical decisions,
12:08and critics at the time were not kind about it.
12:20The game swapped the franchise's previously energetic rock-driven soundtrack for a collection of smooth jazz, bossa nova,
12:28and lounge music tracks that seemed completely at odds with its chaotic, high-octane gameplay.
12:43Many reviewers found the tonal disconnect jarring and bizarre.
12:48However, over the years, the soundtrack has developed a passionate cult following.
12:52Fans now celebrate tracks like I Wanna Take You For A Ride with genuine affection.
13:03Hell, even YouTubers and podcasts like The Snark Tank use its music to close out videos just because it's that
13:11good.
13:11It's a rare case where a universally criticized creative choice eventually became an endearing part of the game's charm.
13:18Evolution? Nah, just add more.
13:21The Marvel vs. Capcom franchise didn't begin as the frantic three-character tag team experience fans know today.
13:27The original X-Men vs. Street Fighter introduced tag mechanics,
13:32but it was Marvel vs. Capcom that began expanding the roster into a more complex team-based format.
13:44By MVC2, the formula crystallized into the iconic 3v3 system with assists, creating layers of strategy that defined competitive play
13:53for years.
13:54Each evolution was driven by a desire to increase variety, deepen strategy, and create increasingly spectacular on-screen action.
14:02At least, that's what made MVC2 and 3 insanely fun to play.
14:05MVCi tried to bring the franchise back to 2v2, but it killed whatever interest fans had left at the time.
14:18Phenomenal cosmic power.
14:21Silver Surfer and Ghost Rider are exactly the kind of visually spectacular characters who seem perfect for a Marvel vs.
14:28Capcom game,
14:29which makes their repeated near misses all the more frustrating.
14:32Master! Master, where are you?!
14:35Both characters were reportedly considered for inclusion at various points, but faced significant hurdles.
14:41Silver Surfer posed technical challenges due to his cosmic power scale, which developers struggled to translate into balanced gameplay.
14:49Ghost Rider's darker, more violent aesthetic also raised concerns about total consistency.
14:54Feel their pain!
15:01Ghost Rider eventually made it into Ultimate MVC3, but Silver Surfer remains conspicuously absent from the entire franchise,
15:10a glaring omission that fans continue to point out to this day.
15:15Breaking records between worlds.
15:17At its peak, MVC2 wasn't just a beloved fighting game, it was a record breaker.
15:30The game earned a Guinness World Record for featuring the largest playable roster in a Marvel licensed video game at
15:37the time,
15:37boasting an astounding 56 characters across both brands.
15:42That sheer volume of content was unprecedented for a crossover fighter and contributed heavily to the game's legendary status.
15:55Even decades later, MVC2's roster depth is still referenced as a gold standard that subsequent entries have struggled to match.
16:03It's a testament to the ambition Capcom brought to the project at the time, when the franchise was at its
16:09commercial and creative peak.
16:15The Other Digital Prison
16:17Marvel vs. Capcom 3 implemented some clever behind-the-scenes measures to combat both piracy and online cheating.
16:32Players using pirated copies of the game reportedly encountered specific in-game restrictions that made the experience noticeably degraded,
16:41discouraging piracy without outright blocking access.
16:44On the competitive side, Capcom built-in detection systems designed to identify players using cheating software or modified game data
16:52during online matches.
17:00Those caught were flagged and faced penalties designed to keep legitimate players protected.
17:05These measures reflected Capcom's commitment to a fair and healthy online ecosystem,
17:09a lesson that would make MVCI's comparatively troubled online experience feel even more disappointing by contrast.
17:24The Free MVC2 Movement
17:27When MVC2 was delisted and became increasingly difficult to access, a frustration brewed within the gaming community,
17:35and the frustration would explode thanks to a YouTube video made by fighting game streamer Maximillian Dude.
17:41Which is hashtag free Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
17:44The Campaign was hashtag free MVC2, and it gained significant traction across gaming forums, social media, and community events,
17:53drawing attention from both the fighting game community and mainstream press.
17:57Prominent players, content creators, and even bystanders at a televised event like WWE amplified the message with retrospectives, advertisements, and
18:08word of mouth.
18:09How absolutely sick is this?
18:11These things that I'm wearing right here, these are unofficial.
18:14The movement ultimately contributed to renewed conversations between Capcom, Marvel, and Disney about MVC's return,
18:21as well as highlighting the growing importance of game preservation.
18:25Soon enough, we got the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics,
18:29which included every game in the franchise before MVC3.
18:41Don't I know you from somewhere?
18:42The Marvel vs. Capcom franchise has featured an impressive roster of voice talent over the years,
18:48and many of those actors have appeared across multiple Capcom franchises.
18:53Ruben Langdon, the voice and motion capture performer for Dante in Devil May Cry,
18:58also voiced Ken Masters in various Street Fighter games, and has appeared in MVC promotional material.
19:05Of course I'm just gonna tell him to wait. Now's not the time. I was just about to write him
19:10back.
19:10Similarly, several voice actors who voiced Street Fighter characters carried those performances directly into MVC titles.
19:18These recurring voices create a subtle but satisfying sense of continuity across Capcom's universe.
19:24For dedicated fans, recognizing a familiar voice in a new context is one of gaming's small but genuine pleasures.
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19:59A little help from a cousin.
20:07Before Marvel vs Capcom 3 entered full development, Capcom used an unlikely testing ground to experiment with new ideas.
20:15Tatsunoko vs Capcom Ultimate All-Stars.
20:25Released in Japan in 2008 and internationally in 2010, Tatsunoko vs Capcom served as a creative laboratory where developers tested
20:34new mechanics, visual styles, and gameplay systems that would later be refined and carried into MVC3.
20:46The simplified 3-button control scheme, team-based mechanics, and approach to hypercombo systems in Tatsunoko directly informed MVC3's design
20:56philosophy.
20:57Without TVC's bold experimentation, MVC3 might have looked and played very differently.
21:03It's a remarkable example of how Capcom strategically used one crossover project to lay the groundwork for another.
21:18Did any of these facts surprise you? Which one surprised you the most?
21:22Let us know down in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe to MojoPlays!
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