Marvel vs. Capcom Collection To Be Digital Only On Switch?

After months of anticipation, the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics has finally been released (digitally) on PlayStation 4, Steam/PC, and Nintendo Switch. The game will also be releasing on Xbox One sometime next year following fan demand. The collection features seven arcade games from 1993 – 2000 featuring both Marvel and Capcom characters duking it out in the ultimate crossover battle.

Fasten your seatbelts for a ride with #MvCFightingCollection! 🎉

7 legendary games in one Super Heroic collection with online play, training mode, the museum, and more.

Available now for digital on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Steam – physical on Nov. 22 and Xbox One in 2025! pic.twitter.com/rOe4laGAHO

— Marvel vs. Capcom (@marvelvscapcom) September 12, 2024

While initially releasing digitally, a physical edition of the collection will be released on each console port later, on November 22nd. The physical edition will come with extras such as a mini comic book. The physical edition for Xbox One will also release alongside its digital release next year.

However, the collection has faced some recent backlash regarding the physical release of the Nintendo Switch version. According to the @CapcomEurope X/Twitter account, the physical edition will only contain a download code and not a game card.

Fasten your seatbelts for a ride with #MvCFightingCollection!

7 legendary games in one Super Heroic collection with online play, training mode, the museum & more.

[EMEA] Out now for digital on Nintendo Switch, PS4 & Steam.

Switch (code in box) & PS4 (disc in box) physical on… pic.twitter.com/7N9b5aM9jW

— Capcom Europe (@CapcomEurope) September 12, 2024

This Marvel vs. Capcom announcement has been met with mixed reactions, calling out the fact that the “physical edition” will lack a physical copy of the actual game. 

Here is what physical looks like ! pic.twitter.com/Znve8Vgck8

— dr_raichi (@dr_raichi) September 12, 2024

Code in box for Switch boxed version is soooooooo useless. Waste of planetary ressources and also a huge disappointment for gamers.

— Chaton (@chaton888) September 12, 2024

Physical IS this, not a code pic.twitter.com/gLp4CdnVdU

— Shariban (@U_K_Shariban) September 13, 2024

Capcom sorry but the physical copy consists of having the cartridge inside the case otherwise with the code inside the game is digital but what a shame, already not releasing it in Europe and now this too? I give up on the purchase!

— brunokong (@brunokong86) September 13, 2024

It is UNACCEPTABLE that you've advertised a physical version for November and then it's just a freaking download code on the Switch.

The game's only 3.1GB so you can use one of the cheapest cartridge sizes there are with 4GB.

You've GOT to fix this ASAP.

— Jace Cear (@JaceCear) September 13, 2024

https://t.co/PYaUpNZMHs pic.twitter.com/1tLoeKYvOo

— Maximilian Dood (@maximilian_) September 13, 2024

It should be noted that this is for the European release, meaning that the North American release could still have a physical game card. But it does beg the question why not have a physical game when Switch cartridges are able to hold massive games like The Legend of Zelda on it but not this collection.

Unfortunately this trend of selling codes in a box has been going on for a while now. Fallout 76 infamously only had cardboard discs in their PC release. Companies like GameMill have been also been releasing games like Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 and Nickelodeon Kart Racers Collection on the Nintendo Switch as codes in a box while their PlayStation and Xbox releases have discs.

While this decision was possibly done to keep down manufacturing costs it is definitely causing some backlash within the community at launch. Hopefully Capcom will remedy this mistake before these “physical copes” end up discounted at retailers.