Raw Thrills’ Marvel: Contest of Champions is moving beyond its long-running exclusive arrangement and into a broader arcade release. The game’s largest production run was scheduled to begin in the week following 17 June 2024, with shipments expected during that week or the next.
From mobile game to arcade cabinet
Announced in 2019, Marvel: Contest of Champions was not the first Marvel title made for arcades, but its arrival was still unexpected. Like Injustice Arcade, it centres on battles between superheroes and villains while using collectible cards to represent the characters.
The key control difference is the inclusion of joysticks. The game was developed by Raw Thrills with Kabam as an arcade adaptation of the mobile title, bringing its Marvel roster and card-collecting system into a location-based format.
For several years, the cabinet was exclusive to Dave & Buster’s. What initially looked like a short arrangement became a five-year contract. That agreement ended in 2024, allowing the title to reach the wider arcade industry.
How the gameplay works
Players scan collectible Champion Cards to choose from more than 100 Marvel heroes and villains. Each character has individual abilities and fighting styles, and matches use three-on-three teams across changing stages.
A Champion Card is awarded after every play. Players can also upgrade their collection, including by obtaining rare foil cards. The control system is designed to be approachable, making the game accessible to casual visitors as well as Marvel fans.
Arcade format: Marvel: Contest of Champions combines multiplayer three-on-three battles, joystick controls and collectible character cards in a cabinet covered with Marvel artwork.
Traditional fighting-game players should set their expectations accordingly. This is not aimed at the precise, competitive audience associated with Street Fighter or Tekken. Its mobile origins are clear in the relatively casual, button-mashing style. The joysticks nevertheless give it a more recognisably arcade-like feel than Injustice Arcade, which relies on buttons.
A smaller cabinet with collectible appeal
The cabinet was one of the more unexpected attractions at Amusement Expo 2024. Compared with many recent releases, it uses a more compact format and was expected to sit below the $10,000-plus price range common to some larger machines. A confirmed price was not available in the June 2024 update.
Operators assessing an arcade machine buying guide should consider the cabinet’s footprint alongside its card-driven repeat-play model. The format may also appeal to venues comparing different arcade machines for their available floor space.
Only two card series were available at that stage, although the sales flyer stated that additional series were planned. No timing was given for a third series, and its production was expected to depend on how many cabinets shipped and how players responded.
Wider release and operator questions
A limited first shipment had already reached major chains such as Round1US during the week before the main production run. The larger run was intended to represent the full industry release, with Raw Thrills distributors positioned to supply operators.
Raw Thrills has also published there’s also a new game page for it that has gone live on RT’s site.
For venues planning an upright arcade layout, the cabinet’s smaller footprint could be relevant when placing it alongside other attractions. Operators should also account for routine controls and display servicing through suitable arcade parts and maintenance support.
The title’s prospects depend on how locations value its accessible fighting, Marvel licence and collectible-card loop. Operators may also weigh its performance against Injustice Arcade, particularly in venues that already have that cabinet. For more arcade news and gaming coverage, follow the latest RETROCADE updates.
Its next chapter will be shaped by real-world demand: whether players return for new cards, whether further series arrive, and how the compact cabinet performs alongside established fighting games.
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