The Most Exciting Fighting Game For Spider-Verse Fans May Not Actually Be Marvel Tokon

Summary

Invincible VS game set to release in 2026 on multiple platforms, including Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Invincible VS features stylized cel-shading reminiscent of Spider-Verse, setting it apart in the fighting game genre.
Game’s deliberate choppy animation and mature elements reflect the popular Invincible comic and TV series.

June’s Xbox Games Showcase unveiled an impressive lineup of titles set to launch throughout the rest of 2025, along with early reveals for 2026, including Invincible VS. Arriving in 2026 on Xbox Series X and S with Xbox Play Anywhere, PlayStation 5, and PC, the upcoming Invincible game is a 3v3 tag fighter based on the popular comic and TV series of the same name. As one of many new fighting games in development, Invincible VS stands out for a multitude of reasons.

On June 4, Sony’s State of Play revealed that its 4v4 tag fighting game, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, will debut in 2026. With projects like Riot Games’ highly anticipated 2v2 team-based fighting game, 2XKO, expected to release this year, it’s possible several of these titles could end up competing for the same audience, considering how close their release schedules are. Interestingly, while Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls shares some common ground with the animated Spider-Verse saga as a Marvel IP, Invincible VS may actually resonate more with Spider-Verse fans.

Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls is Beating Marvel Rivals to the Punch

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls was only just announced during the State of Play, but it’s already beating Marvel Rivals to the punch with Doctor Doom.

Invincible VS’ Deliberately Choppy Visuals Are Reminiscent of Spider-Verse

Invincible VS Features Stylized Cel-Shading to Mirror Comic Book Aesthetic

Skybound Entertainment didn’t pull any punches with the reveal trailer for Invincible VS at the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase. With iconic characters from the source material like Atom Eve, Omni-Man, Rex Splode, and Thula set to be playable, it’s no surprise fans are excited to see more from the action-packed fighting game. Beyond the enthusiasm for several of the voice actors from the Amazon Prime show reprising their roles in-game, viewers have also noticed that the game’s heavily stylized and deliberately choppy animation is reminiscent of the technique that the Spider-Verse trilogy thrives upon.

It’s difficult to put a label on what defines the graphic-novel-style visuals that have helped Spider-Verse stand out in the superhero and animation categories. However, it’s clear that Invincible VS is taking a page from Marvel’s book by utilizing 3D imagery rendered at a limited frame rate to evoke a more hand-drawn feel. Films like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and KPop Demon Hunters also blend computer animation with more traditional methods, but Invincible VS may be the first superhero fighting game to take this approach further, particularly with its use of non-photorealistic rendering (NPR). As such, despite Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls‘ smoothly rendered anime-style visuals, Invincible VS could draw more attention from fans of cel-shaded superheroes.

Although the Spider-Verse trilogy wasn’t the first to use a distinctive NPR style, it’s widely credited with helping usher in a new era of animation, particularly within Western media.

Invincible VS Charts a Bold New Course in the Fighting Genre

The recent trailer for the upcoming Invincible video game adaptation was relatively brief, sitting at just under three minutes. Still, it served well to highlight the quality of the game’s cutscenes, pre-fight dialogue, and current cast of characters. Those who enjoy the mature and gory elements of the show should be pleased to see Skybound Entertainment continuing that trend, especially with Mark, who isn’t getting a moment to breathe in-game as he’s repeatedly used as a Viltrumite punching bag.

Furthermore, although the art style differs, the cutscene depicting a fight with Omni-Man comes close to matching the show’s animation quality. This is a testament to the art team’s efforts in-game, and when paired with the high-quality voice acting for which the cast is known, Invincible VS could rise to become a major contender in the crowded tag-fighter genre.

Conversely, while some have criticized the decision to make the new Invincible spin-off game a fighter rather than an open-world game, it has potential due to its extensive roster and frenetic action. In a press release, one of the creators, Robert Kirkman, gushed over the project, stating that “Invincible VS is crazy fun, fast, ferocious and dripping with the same over-the-top brutality that [fans] see in the comic book pages and on the show.” He also described it as a fitting next step for the franchise. With Omni-Man’s addition as a DLC character in Mortal Kombat 1 in 2023, a fully-fledged Invincible fighting game does feel like a natural progression, especially with its various modes, which include a single-player campaign.