#FreeMVC2 or how the FGC wants to preserve Marvel vs Capcom 2's legacy

When Maximilian "Maximilian Dood" Christensen tweeted out on 2nd August a petition to rally the fighting game community for a single purpose, bring Marvel vs Capcom 2 back from "digital jail," he didn't expect the outpour of support received. 

With almost 20k retweets and 500k views on his Twitter clip, which was accompanied by the hashtag #FreeMvC2, the Dood started a movement that saw FGC figureheads and fans alike come together to start petitioning Capcom for a potential Marvel vs Capcom 2 re-release, eight years since it got delisted from Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network due to licensing issues. 

#FREEMVC2 12 years since Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 was re-released & 7 years since it was pulled from stores & sent to digital jail. One of the most celebrated games of all time. Plz RT if you'd like MVC2 out of jail. @CapcomUSA_@MarvelGames & @DigitalEclipsehttps://t.co/OPWf6YS5RDpic.twitter.com/Gdwkbdqtqq

— Maximilian Dood (@maximilian_) August 2, 2021

This version, which was developed by Backbone Entertainment, now known as Digital Eclipse, had major graphical and performance improvements across the board. Perhaps most notably, it's the only version of MvC2 that features rollback netcode, specifically the version used in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix.

What is #FREEMVC2?

"Why now?" You may ask, why ignite the spark of what was seemingly a lost cause amid licensing issues and a tarnished franchise following the release of Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite? Because, in the eyes of many, Marvel vs Capcom 2 is still the greatest fighting game ever. 

A year after the COVID-19 pandemic (and sexual assault allegations against Joey "MrWiz" Cuellar) robbed MvC2 fans of a special, one-of-a-kind tournament at Evo 2020 to celebrate the game's 20th anniversary, it seemed nothing could ever go right for Marvel fans. 

It was its big return to the grandest stage of them all, an opportunity to shed a light on the strong and loyal community the game still boasts decades after its initial release, one that continuously comes up with inventive new ways to play the game, such as ratio tournaments, in which player's get a determined amount of points to build a team -- the better the character, the higher cost, meaning veterans are forced to go out of their comfort zone by investing in low-tiers to assemble a squad. 

There are two main factors that make this dream a real possibility now more than ever. First up, it's Disney's willingness to let developers utilize the vast portfolio of Marvel characters they currently own (something the Head of Marvel Games Jay Ong mentioned in an interview in 2017) without being directly tied to the MCU. Proof of this is the Spider-Man universe Insomniac has built or Square Enix's Avengers and the upcoming stand-alone Guardians of the Galaxy game. 

With the acquisition of Fox in 2019, it took no time for the X-Men and Fantastic Four to start popping up in video games once again, with the release of Switch exclusive Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order in that same year prominently featuring Wolverine on the cover art. 

Even when it comes to re-releasing titles, we've seen companies like Arcade1Up release arcade machines featuring the X-Men and other Marvel heroes, bringing back titles such as X-Men: Children of the Atom, X-Men vs Street Fighter,  Marvel vs Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, and many others in 2020, with a new cabinet in 2021 highlighting X-Men The Arcade Game, set to launch this October. 

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Secondly, Digital Eclipse, the developer that specializes in preserving classic videogames and that's worked on Capcom re-releases such as Megaman Legacy Collection and Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, recently found itself successfully crowdfunded, with Studio Head Mike Mika open to the idea of tackling MvC2 once more.

We made what I think was the last MVC2 release on console when we were known as Backbone. (16x9, etc) I love the outpouring- We’d swap in GGPO and do documentary and museum work, etc. Will need to talk to Disney and Capcom to make it real. We’re game if they are. #FREEMVC2

— Mike Mika (@MikeJMika) August 3, 2021

With Dreamcast copies of MvC2 still selling for upwards of $250, it's safe to say there's a market for a re-release, especially with the vocal support the vast majority of FGC veterans and casuals have shown on social media. 

Only time will tell if Disney and Marvel Games are open to the idea, but at least now they're fully aware that a Marvel vs Capcom 2 port should be high on their priority list.

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