Newest Marvel Game Is Off to a Rough Start on Steam: “The Issues Are So Steep”
Just yesterday, the newest fighting game from Arc System Works and Sony claimed the top best-seller spot on Steam. But despite strong early sales, PC gamers aren’t too happy with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Despite coming from one of the best fighting game developers out there and using the wildly popular Marvel IP, the game is off to a tough start on Steam. Its reviews remain in the Mixed range even after a day-one patch aimed at fixing some of the game’s biggest issues. And based on the negative reviews, a few familiar complaints are to blame for Marvel Tokon‘s middling debut on PC.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls launched for PC and PS5 on August 6th. The fighting game quickly snagged a top spot among Steam’s bestsellers. That’s no surprise, as the hype for a new Arc System Works title and a Marvel fighting game was high. But unfortunately, many of those who jumped in on release day are less than thrilled with the game’s performance. Its review average quickly hit the Mixed range due to an influx of negative reviews. Many of them cite a few familiar issues that often plague big games released on Steam: anti-cheat software and mandatory third-party logins.
PC Gamers Can’t Recommend Marvel Tokon In Its Current State
Reading through the recent negative reviews for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls on Steam, one phrase comes up time and time again. “I can’t recommend it,” many reviewers say. Despite initial hype, several PC gamers found that the issues plaguing the fighting game on Steam just aren’t surmountable in its current state. Specifically, the game’s poor performance and frame rate issues are holding players back from enjoying Marvel Tokon on PC. For many, the game is “actually unplayable” due to the performance issues. And of course, many are pointing to a familiar culprit for the concerns: anti-cheat software.
Like many PC games, Marvel Tokon launched with anti-cheat software installed. Though it doesn’t use the highly controversial Denuvo, Marvel Tokon does come with Kernel Level Anti-Cheat. Many gamers feel that these anti-cheat programs significantly impact the performance of games on PC due ot the extra resources they consume in the background. Several negative reviews specifically point to anti-cheat as the leading issue with the game’s PC port thus far. However, it’s not the only complaint.
Launching Marvel Tokon on PC also requires players to log into a PlayStation Network account. Third-party logins like this are also pretty unpopular with Steam users, as they require gamers to create yet another login account. And given many people’s current feelings towards Sony in particular follow their disc-free pivot, the PSN requirement is hitting many people the wrong way. As one Steam reviewer puts it, “The idea that I need a Sony account to play a game off-platform is ridiculous. I don’t even HAVE a PSN account.”
Along with these complaints, many users are frustrated at the lack of support for Linux systems and the Steam Deck. To be fair, the game’s “Unsupported” Steam Deck status is right on the tin, so it’s not surprising that Marvel Tokon doesn’t run on the Steam handheld. But clearly, some gamers really wish that the game was better integrated with the overall Steam ecosystem. Between poor performance, stuttering frame rates, and the required PSN login, “the issues are so steep” for the game that many are logging off for PC entirely.
Arc System Works and Sony have already put out one patch for Marvel Tokon to address some of its issues. Hopefully, more fixes and better PC optimization will be implemented eventually. But for now, the game’s PC launch has been rocky at best.