Summary
- Many long-dormant fighting game series like Persona Arena and Killer Instinct need to make a comeback.
- BlazBlue, Darkstalkers, and Arcana Heart face lengthy hiatuses, despite their modern ports.
- Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive, and Marvel vs. Capcom also have fans eagerly awaiting new entries that may never come.
With Fatal Fury coming back from a 26-year-long hiatus with City of the Wolves, it got us thinking of what other series need to return after a prolonged break, since the genre has seen a massive turnaround in recent years, pulling in many newcomers than ever before.
RelatedEvery Game In Capcom Fighting Collection 2, Ranked
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is the best fighting game collection so far, with its highly varied games that are hard to find elsewhere.
PostsWhile not every game has been dormant for as long as Fatal Fury, they have been absent for a considerable amount of time, making the hope of seeing a new one seem dire at best. With the genre firing on all cylinders, there is no better time for them to return to the spotlight than now!
8 Persona Arena
Your Rating
close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10Your comment has not been saved
Like Follow FollowedPersona 4 Arena Ultimax
Fighting Visual Novel Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 79/100 Critics Rec: 80% Released September 30, 2014 ESRB t Developer(s) Arc System Works, Atlus Publisher(s) Atlus Engine RenderWare Multiplayer Online MultiplayerWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALDespite technically receiving a Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam port in 2022, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax was actually released all the way back in 2013, meaning we haven't had a brand-new Persona fighting game in roughly 12 years.
RelatedThe 28 Best Anime Fighting Games, Ranked
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? Dragon Ball Z? Naruto? All of these titles have great anime fighting games. Here are the best ones, ranked.
PostsPersona 4 Arena Ultimax is one of the best anime fighters out there, and it is a bit puzzling seeing how Persona 5 didn't receive the same treatment, as they seemingly take every opportunity possible to release some spinoff for it. Maybe Persona 6 will be the one that gets it, giving us one extensive roster containing characters from Persona 3 through 6? We can only dream!
7 Killer Instinct
Your Rating
close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10Your comment has not been saved
LikeKiller Instinct (2013)
Fighting Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 77/100 Critics Rec: 51% Released November 22, 2013 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Double Helix Games, Iron Galaxy Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios Engine Hex Engine Multiplayer Online MultiplayerWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONIn a similar boat as Persona 4 Arena, Killer Instinct technically received a hefty update a couple of years ago, bringing in new balance changes, better matchmaking, and 4K textures. However, while these changes are appreciated, this title was released in 2013.
Just like Persona Arena, the last installment for Killer Instinct was about 12 years ago, and we are champing at the bit for a new entry. While there have been murmurings of a new entry being worked on here and there, we won't be satisfied until it is officially announced!
6 Darkstalkers
Your Rating
close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10Your comment has not been saved
Like Follow FollowedCapcom Fighting Collection
Fighting OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 80/100 Critics Rec: 79% Released June 24, 2022 ESRB T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine MT Framework Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Local MultiplayerWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALDarkstalkers is one of the many long-forgotten Capcom fighters from the 90s, which recently received a little resurgence thanks to the Capcom Fighting Collection in 2022. However, while having a modern port of it is nice, we haven't had anything new in the series since Darkstalkers 3 (Vampire Savior) in 1997.
Related10 Fighting Game Characters That Deserve Their Own Spin-Offs
There are so many fantastic fighter characters out there who deserve the spotlight. Here are our top picks.
PostsIts 28-year hiatus makes it a much longer wait than Fatal Fury's return to the spotlight, which is wild to think about. Given Capcom's current hot streak, we believe that if they ever revisit this series, they'd crush it. No questions asked. But the likelihood of them doing so isn't looking too great!
5 Arcana Heart
Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!!
Action Systems Released May 8, 2013 ESRB T // Alcohol Reference, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) EXAMU Publisher(s) Arc System WorksWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALA bit of a controversial pick for the next one, as Arcana Heart isn't too well known and often ignored thanks to its heavy leanings into fan-service and cutesy characters. However, in terms of its gameplay, nothing is quite like it, as it can be challenging to learn.
Like Killer Instinct, it also received a pretty substantial patch that rebalanced characters and added new content with Arcana Heart 3: Love Max. However, the game still initially launched in 2011, 14 years ago, and we'd love to see a new entry that dials some of its disliked aspects back to make it more approachable!
4 Soul Calibur
Soul Calibur is an interesting series, as it's one of those titles that can come back in the next few years or disappear for another decade, and it would still oddly make sense. While its seven-year hiatus isn't remotely close to the others on this list, it still seems pretty long, making us crave a new one, especially with Virtua Fighter receiving a new entry.
But, all things considered, Soul Calibur 6 had decent launch sales and was considered a success by Bandai Namco, which is generally a good sign. Its last story expansion also ended with a fascinating cliffhanger, so we hope we see Soul Calibur 7 sooner rather than later!
3 BlazBlue
LikeBlazBlue: Central Fiction
Fighting Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 85/100 Critics Rec: 97% Developer(s) Arc System Works Publisher(s) Arc System Works, Aksys GamesWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALBlazBlue is one of the best anime fighters out there, and has some of the most interesting and fun-to-play characters in its massive roster, making it a shame we haven't received a new entry in nearly a decade. Though thankfully, Central Fiction on Steam received a rollback netcode update recently, making its online gameplay more manageable at the very least.
Related10 Best Ninjas in Fighting Games
These are the most iconic ninjas in fighting games.
PostsArc System Works Blue Team handles this series, which means their latest release was Grandblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. So, who knows what their next title is? It can be a new BlazBlue, Persona Arena, or something entirely new!
2 Dead Or Alive
Your Rating
close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10Your comment has not been saved
Like Follow FollowedDead or Alive 6
Fighting Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 74/100 Critics Rec: 55% Released March 1, 2019 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Team Ninja Publisher(s) Koei Tecmo Engine Proprietary Engine Multiplayer Online MultiplayerWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALThis one may hurt the most, as Dead or Alive 6 was a pretty remarkable 3D fighter with deep systems and mechanics, excellent characters, and steady post-launch support in terms of characters and outfits. Unfortunately, even with its free-to-play version, it was more or less a flop.
Though this doesn't necessarily mean the series is dead, it makes it far less likely to make a return anytime soon, and its six-year absence proves that point. While there were some vague hints that it may return sooner than we think, we're not holding our breaths until it sees the light of day!
1 Marvel vs. Capcom
Your Rating
close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10Your comment has not been saved
Like Follow FollowedMarvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
Action Fighting Systems 4.0/5 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 86/100 Critics Rec: 95% Released September 12, 2024 ESRB T For Teen // Blood, Drug Reference, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine MT FrameworkWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALLastly, of course, is Marvel vs. Capcom, one of the most beloved fighting game series of all time, which saw its last release in 2017 with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. While eight years may not seem all that long compared to the other entries on this list, the copyright hurdles and nightmares make this nearly impossible to happen again.
However, the optimist in us wants to believe that the newly released Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a way to gauge public interest, and we may actually see a new entry in this phenomenal series again in the near future. It's essentially in Disney's hands at this point!
Next20 Fighting Games With The Largest Rosters
Fans' expectations for the genre keep getting higher, especially whenever a fighting game has at least 50 characters even before any DLC.
Posts
