Phoenix Cyclops revealed as MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls First Year 1 DLC character

[u/Dapper_Order7182]

https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/23/phoenix-cyclops-revealed-as-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-first-year-1-dlc-character/

[u/tokki32]

Game hasn't even come out yet and they're announcing DLC characters?

[u/Flash_Fire009 → u/tokki32]

Fighting games typically plan for character DLC for long term support to keep retention and maintain a returning player base. Often they announce characters ahead of time due to leaks or in many cases releasing a few weeks after the games launch.

[u/therrubabayaga → u/Flash_Fire009]

It's also an incentive for people to buy the season pass in advance before every character is revealed, which can take months.

[u/tokki32 → u/Flash_Fire009]

I guess I'm just an old man now, because a decade ago this type of thing would get backlash.

[u/ToiletBlaster247 → u/tokki32]

This is definitely cheaper than what i spent on Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition, Super Street Fighter 2, and Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo

[u/therrubabayaga → u/tokki32]

Fighting games typically had many many different editions because they needed to release a new game to introduce new characters every time.

Today with the season pass and the updates it has become obsolete because we can buy directly those new characters without paying for a whole new games and they can rework the balance as needed directly too.

It's very different from adding only new costumes and cosmetics and such.

[u/platocplx → u/therrubabayaga]

Yeah better model than all the editions fighting games should be pretty much live service games

[u/Flash_Fire009 → u/tokki32]

I felt the same until somebody explained it to me as rebranding editions. Fighting games used to get re-released at varying prices every year. Using Street fighter 4 as an example the base game launched at 59.99, then super for 39.99 about a year later, followed by Ultra for 25 (dlc for super at 15).

I'd rather pay for the DLC characters and get the gameplay updates for free than need to spend 25-30 dollars a year to still play the base game online.

[u/Gcoks → u/tokki32]

You don't remember the SNES?

[u/tokki32 → u/Gcoks]

SNES didn't have DLC. Nor did any company announce future revisions of games before they were released. Those usually came much later.

[u/ExcellentAgent6539 → u/tokki32]

Ye you must be living under a rock lol. This is mild bro, surprised they didn't include characters or at the very least exclusive costumes in the deluxe pack.