The fighting game genre is known for unique subsets, from traditional 2D fighters like Mortal Kombat to 3D offerings like Soulcalibur. While their formats may be different, they all speak to the same charms of taking on a friend or AI opponents with a cast of colorful characters. Among all the fighting subgenres however, platform fighters tend to get a lot of attention whenever a new one is announced. Many of gaming's biggest companies have gotten in on the genre with platform fighters of their own, most notably Nintendo's Super Smash Bros., but curiously enough Xbox is one name that's still absent.
Platform fighters tend to excel because of one primary aspect: crossover potential. Nintendo popularized the idea by blending all of its properties together with Super Smash Bros., and during the PS3 days PlayStation got in on the action with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. While the former still excels and the latter faded away, Xbox has never come out with a major crossover platform fighter of its own. With Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl and the recently announced MultiVersus seeking to carve a path through the genre, now seems like the perfect time for Xbox to spend its resources and get a platform fighter of its own.
The Roster Potential Of An Xbox Platform Fighting Game
Nintendo was able to build a mammoth roster of characters out of its exclusive properties and collaborative IP for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and while it may be hard to reach the same heights, Xbox has enough exclusive properties to build a comparable roster. Some obvious choices would be Halo's Master Chief and Gears of Wars' Marcus Fenix, but the game's roster could even include properties that haven't seen a new game in some years. Characters like Conker could find new life in a platform fighter like Banjo and Kazooie did in Smash Ultimate, and classic faces like the Battletoads could also get a spot.
On top of Xbox's longtime properties, a platform fighter could leverage all of the recent acquisitions Xbox has made. The Dragonborn from Skyrim and B.J. Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein are just a couple of names that could represent Bethesda, and there are more studios to draw on from there. It could be an excellent opportunity to fulfill the dreams of gamers who wanted characters like Doom Guy in Smash Ultimate. While some might see this as shameless fanservice, it could make a difference to those that were disappointed to see some characters in Smash Ultimate as only a Mii fighter.
Giving Xbox An Edge Over PlayStation
It's no secret that Xbox has been fighting an uphill battle with PlayStation over the past few years. After the reveal and subsequent launch of the Xbox One, the console struggled to reach the same heights as the consumer-friendly PS4 and its exclusive titles. The playing field has been leveled somewhat with the most recent generation of consoles, but there is still a sense that Xbox is playing catch up.
There is one void that PlayStation has left wide open; a dedicated platform fighter. The company created its own take on the genre with 2012's PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, but it hasn't followed up with a sequel. If Xbox were to capitalize on this well, it could be the one exclusive that decides whether some get a PS5 or an Xbox Series X. A big motivator for console purchases is their exclusives, and both Nintendo and PlayStation have shown that combining quality with quantity can reap massive rewards.
With Xbox's ongoing 20th anniversary celebrations, a crossover fighting game would be an appropriate addition to the festivities. While there has been no news of any such game, it's hard to deny how much potential it would have. Perhaps as games like Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl and MultiVersus solidify their place in the genre, Xbox will want to get in on the action with a platform fighter of its own.