Sony Interactive Entertainment and Arc System Works have laid out the full details for the Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Open Beta, giving fans their biggest look yet at the upcoming 4v4 tag fighter just weeks before launch. Fifteen of the game's twenty launch characters will be playable during the test, including Blade, who becomes playable for the first time in any beta build.
The Open Beta runs for 72 hours on PlayStation 5, Steam, and the Epic Games Store, giving players a wide window to try out nearly every part of the game ahead of its full release on August 6, 2026.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Open Beta Schedule
The test starts July 24 at 12:00am PT (8:00am BST / 4:00pm JST) and runs until July 26 at 11:59pm PT, which lands on July 27 at 7:59am BST and 3:59pm JST.
No registration is required. Players just need to download the Open Beta from their platform's store once it goes live, and pre-downloads open two hours before launch so everyone can dive in the moment servers come online.
A PlayStation Plus subscription isn't needed to take part, though every player will need an internet connection and an Account for PlayStation to access the beta on both PS5 and PC.
15 Playable Heroes and Villains
The roster is split across five in-game teams, and the beta gives access to at least two or more fighters from each:
| Team | Playable Characters |
|---|---|
| Fighting Avengers | Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther |
| Unbreakable X-Men | Storm, Magik, Wolverine, Danger |
| Amazing Guardians | Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, Peni Parker |
| Samurai Outriders | Ghost Rider, Blade |
| Knights of Doom | Doctor Doom, Magneto |
That's 15 of the 20 characters confirmed for launch, and it's enough range to cover rushdown, zoning, and aerial playstyles, giving players a real chance to start working out a four-character team ahead of release.
Six Stages to Battle Across
Players will also be able to fight across six stages, each inspired by a recognizable Marvel location: Marvel's New York (Day), Savage Land, X-Mansion, Knowhere, Wakanda, and Marvel's New York (Night). Every stage supports the game's signature wall-break transitions and cinematic tag mechanics.
More Than Online Battles
Most players got a taste of online matches during last year's closed betas. This time around, the beta also opens up several of the modes and features planned for the full game.
Online Casual and Ranked Matches let players jump into a Casual Match to face opponents of a similar skill level, or head into Ranked Match to start climbing the competitive ladder. For local play, Versus Mode allows players to challenge a friend on the same system or practice against the CPU whenever they like.
The Open Lobby acts as a hub between matches, built around miniature versions of the game's stages. Players can choose from 16 avatars, each with four color variations, then explore the space, meet other players, and chat through free text, preset messages, stamps, and emotes. Arcade cabinets scattered through the lobby let players challenge each other directly without heading into a formal match.
For newcomers, Start Up Battle is an interactive tutorial covering the fundamentals of 4v4 combat and the game's team-based systems, capped off with a trial match. Training Mode goes further, letting players experiment with any character, drill combos, learn mechanics, and set up custom training scenarios and dummy behavior to sharpen specific skills.
Episode Mode gives an early look at the game's single-player side. Players can work through the first three chapters of the Amazing Guardians storyline as Spider-Man starts pulling together a team to face a threat closing in on Earth, told through motion-comic sequences woven directly into the fights.
Full Launch Localization Included
The Open Beta ships with the same localization players can expect at launch. Voice-over and text will be available in US English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese with Mandarin voice-over. Text-only support covers UK English, Arabic, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, and Traditional Chinese.
What's Changed Since the Closed Betas
Players who took part in last year's closed tests should notice the game has moved on since then. Arc System Works says it used community feedback from those sessions to refine gameplay, improve mechanics, and make a range of adjustments aimed at making the tag fighter more accessible without losing its depth.
Looking to Master Your Favorite Hero?
If you're already planning your dream team, our Marvel Tōkon Guide Hub covers Iron Man, Captain America, Storm, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Ms. Marvel, and Doctor Doom, with combo tips, mechanics, strengths, weaknesses, and gameplay breakdowns for each. More character guides are on the way as we keep expanding coverage ahead of launch.
You can check out the complete guide hub here: Marvel Tōkon Guide Hub
What's Next
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls launches August 6, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. With Arc System Works aiming to pair accessible controls with deep competitive systems, the Open Beta is the clearest look yet at what the game will actually play like once it's out.
