The Invincible Young Hero, The Last Airbender—What Other Surprises Are in Store for 2026's Manga-Adapted Fighting Games?

This year will see the release of several new fighting games adapted from popular IPs, including the hit Prime Video series *The Invincible Young Master*, *Avatar: The Last Airbender*—which remains a pinnacle of American comics 20 years after its debut—and heroes and villains from the Marvel Universe. While staying true to the source material to satisfy fans, these games also introduce innovations to their combat systems, collectively making this a banner year for comic book adaptations.

01 The Invincible Young Hero VS

The game is based on the comic and anime series of the same name. As early as April 2024, shortly after the second season of the anime concluded, it was announced that Skybound was developing a AAA-scale game for the franchise. The company was founded by RobertKirkman, the creator of *Invincible*, is also the author of *The Walking Dead*, whose game adaptation was published by the same company, giving them extensive experience in comic-to-game adaptations. This *Invincible VS* is the first title from Quarter Up, a newly established in-house studio at Skybound.The game’s announcement initially drew little attention. While the anime boasts a nuanced plot and iconic character portrayals, its animation quality has long been criticized, leaving almost no one with high expectations for a AAA-scale adaptation. “Superhero”-style games have also historically been a challenging genre to adapt, with faithfully recreating the characters’ power and the anime’s gory scenes posing significant hurdles.On June 9 of last year, the game’s first trailer immediately sparked a massive response among fans. On one hand, the anime’s third season had recently gained widespread popularity—and attracted a large new fanbase—thanks to the exceptionally well-produced final two episodes featuring epic battles of conquest and domination. On the other hand, the trailer itself delivered a genuine surprise: it faithfully recreated the original’s gory combat scenes featuring decapitations and dismemberments, featured a lineup of highly popular characters from the start,the return of the entire original anime voice cast, and interactive dialogue that greatly enhances immersion during combat—all served as standout highlights. Although fighting games do not typically feature so-called "AAA" production values, this was the wisest decision. A "Superman" game is inherently difficult to develop as an open-world title, and Skybound lacks relevant production experience. This approach strikes a balance between playing it safe and meeting fans’ expectations for a game featuring an invincible hero.

The trailer released at the TGA announced a release date of May 1, 2026, and introduced the game’s original character, Ella Mental, an Earth hero who fights using the four elements. It also confirmed that the launch roster will include 18 playable characters. Currently announced characters include Mark, Eve,Lex, Monster Girl, Robot, Bullet Man, Tula, Omnipotent, Berserker, Cissel, and Ella. The remaining seven unannounced characters will be revealed one by one leading up to launch.Given that the game’s release date aligns with the plot of the anime’s fourth season, which has reached the War of Vitruum, I speculate that Conqueror, Regent Trig, Allen, Oliver, Lucken, General Craig, and the Interstellar Racer may also appear. Additionally, four hidden characters from the Year One DLC will be announced at that time, and there is a chance that crossover characters like Mechanical Jacket and Shock Wolfman will make an appearance.

The game features a variety of modes, including a Story Mode with an original narrative, an Arcade Mode where you can fight alongside your team, a Training Mode to hone your skills, and Competitive and Casual Modes that utilize a 3v3 team-based combat system. Like the *Mortal Kombat* and *Injustice* series, the game also includes environmental interaction and destruction mechanics, delivering an intensely violent combat experience and gory visuals. The game is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

The game is now available for pre-order on all platforms. Purchasing the Digital Standard Edition ($49.99) grants you Mark’s starting outfit and four hidden outfits, while purchasing the Digital Deluxe Edition ($69.99) grants you the first year’s DLC characters and deluxe cosmetic items.Purchasing the physical Standard Edition ($49.99) grants a controller skin and a commemorative card, while the physical Deluxe Edition ($69.99) includes the controller skin, commemorative card, plus the first year’s DLC characters and deluxe cosmetic items.For the PS5, a $99.99 physical Collector’s Edition is also available, which includes the controller skins, premium cosmetic items, and first-year DLC characters from the editions mentioned above, as well as a steelbook case, art cards, a letter from the team, and a reprint of the first issue of the *Invincible* comic.

Given that the *Invincible Young Hero* anime is set to run for at least eight seasons and its fan base continues to grow, the game is expected to enjoy a significant long-tail effect and a longer lifespan than similar titles. Whether you’re a fan of anime, manga, or fighting games, we highly recommend picking up this title to stop the Vitruum Empire from invading Earth.

02 The Legend of Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Fighting Game

Based on the animated series of the same name, the *Avatar* franchise celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.The game’s setting and cast will span both *Avatar: The Last Airbender* and *Avatar: The Legend of Korra*. It is being independently developed and published by Gameplay Group International, a studio founded in 2025. The studio specializes in competitive fighting games and has previously worked on 2D fighting projects such as *Diesel Legacy*. *Avatar* marks their first major title developed entirely from scratch,The team includes several veterans of the fighting game genre, and we are confident they will deliver a satisfying result in their area of expertise.

The game is scheduled for release this summer. A closed alpha test was conducted last month and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The developers are currently gathering feedback and have promised to return soon with a larger-scale, higher-quality global closed alpha test.The game features a 2:1 retro hand-drawn art style, with an attack system centered on the "bending" from the original series. Characters are divided into four elemental schools—Airbending, Firebending, Earthbending, and Waterbending—as well as the Avatar, who can master all four elements. Attack moves are largely based on techniques seen in the animated series, and character finishing moves recreate the silhouette characters from the opening credits: Airbending (Air), Earthbending (Earth), Waterbending (Water), and Firebending (Fire).Additionally, the game’s support system offers fresh twists, with each character having unexpected exclusive support characters. For example, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation has his girlfriend Mei, the bounty hunter Qiong, and the two dragons RAN and SHAW—who taught him and Aang the art of firebending—as his support characters.

The game will launch with 12 playable characters. Those already announced include Aang, Korra, Zuko, Toph, Katara, Sokka, and Azula. The remaining characters will be revealed gradually leading up to the release. We predict that Jett, Mai, Lavah, the original Avatar, and Avatar Aang—all of whom, like Sokka, are non-benders—will join the fray.The game features a single-player campaign, player-versus-player (PvP) modes, combo challenges, and a gallery mode, ensuring that both series fans and fighting game enthusiasts will find modes to enjoy.

This year, *Avatar: The Last Airbender* will also welcome the second season of the Netflix live-action series, the animated film *Avatar: The Legend of Aang*, which focuses on the story of Team Aang after the conclusion of *The Last Airbender*, and the new animated series *Avatar: The Seven Havens*.If you’re a *Avatar* fan captivated by the series’ diverse bending styles, eager to witness the magic of Aang and Korra sharing the screen, or eager to experience Azula’s lightning and fire bending and Korra’s waterbending firsthand—or even if you’re simply looking to dive into a fresh narrative—this game is the perfect way to celebrate the franchise’s 20th anniversary.

03 Marvel Fighting Spirit

Following *Marvel vs. Capcom* and *Marvel vs. Capcom: Invasion*, Marvel fans are set to welcome a new entry in the fighting game genre. The game is being developed by Arc System Works, one of Japan’s top fighting game studios, with Marvel providing the IP license and Sony Interactive Entertainment serving as a key partner and publisher. This marks the studio’s latest major fighting game release following *Dragon Ball FighterZ*,the *Guilty Gear* and *BlazBlue* series. The announcement of this three-way collaboration has sparked intense discussion, as the last Marvel fighting game dates back to *Marvel vs. Capcom*. Fans have long awaited a truly high-quality Marvel fighting game, and Arc System Works’ signature 3D-to-2D rendering combined with a comic book art style captured fans’ hearts as soon as the trailer was released.

The game’s most distinctive feature is its ambitious 4v4 format, where one main character and three support characters take the stage simultaneously. This requires players to have a deeper understanding of how different heroes play. Following a closed beta last month, the game has received mostly positive reviews, with the most discussion centered on the simplified combo system. Unlike *Street Fighter VI*, which features Classic and Modern modes,*Marvel Brawl* features built-in one-button auto-combos, though manual inputs yield higher damage. Similar to *Super Smash Bros.*, many characters can be easily mastered without extensive practice—simply going through the move list in the training mode is sufficient. Even in 4v4 matches, players aren’t required to invest significant time in training early on. This approach is undoubtedly appealing to newcomers interested in the Marvel IP,while veteran players can spend more time perfecting combos to achieve greater mastery.

The game is scheduled for release in the second half of 2026. While the full launch roster has not yet been revealed, the developers have confirmed that it will feature over 20 playable characters. As a fighting game that simplifies the controls while offering strategic depth alongside satisfying combat, and given Sony’s increased focus on online services in recent years, all Marvel fans—as well as players interested in fighting games but deterred by their steep learning curves—have every reason to look forward to it.

Conclusion

In addition to the three manga-adapted fighting games mentioned above, Riot Games’ *2XKO* will also launch on PS5 and Xbox on January 20. With Sony, Riot Games, and Tencent all entering the fighting game market, along with increasingly simplified control schemes and a growing number of new players joining the scene, it will be interesting to see if the label of “fighting games being a niche genre” can be shed by 2026.