Marvel Tokon Pre-Orders Go Live, but Several Steam Regions Remain Locked Out
Here we go again.
Sony reversed its region lock policy for several major PC releases on Steam last year, but it remains in place for some titles, including Arc System Works’ highly anticipated fighting game, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Despite preorders going live, the game is unavailable to purchase in multiple regions on Steam.
Even though Marvel Tokon is developed by Arc System Works, a studio not owned by Sony, Sony is still publishing it on PS5 and PC. Given its multiplayer focus, the regional restrictions are likely due to the unavailability of PlayStation Network in certain regions, which is basically confirmed by the strict PlayStation account requirement.
Marvel Tokon Still Region-locked on Steam Despite Sony Policy Shift
On the Steam and Epic Store pages, it says that you need a PlayStation account if you want to access any of its online modes or 64-player lobbies. Here’s a screenshot of that requirement on its Steam page:
This suggests that any PlayStation-published PC title with a multiplayer focus will likely carry this requirement. However, Marathon is available globally without regional restrictions. The key difference is that Marathon is listed on Steam under Bungie as the publisher rather than PlayStation Publishing, even though Bungie is owned by PlayStation.
The Legends mode for Ghost of Tsushima, also published by PlayStation, requires a PlayStation Network account, which is why it is unavailable in the same regions as Marvel Tokon. Horizon Hunters Gathering is another upcoming title that is unavailable in those same regions. The PSN requirement for Helldivers 2 was later removed, which is why it is once again available globally despite being published by PlayStation.
Based on this pattern, it is reasonable to assume that any title published by PlayStation Studios that requires a PlayStation Network account will not be available in the 132 regions where PSN is not officially supported. Unless Sony removes that requirement, these titles will likely remain region-locked indefinitely.
This can be confirmed on Steam, where most PlayStation-published titles are primarily single-player releases, and linking a PlayStation account is optional and incentivized with bonuses. It is only when Sony enforces a strict PlayStation Network requirement that regional locks come into effect, which appears to be the case with Marvel Tokon.
Despite their recent surge in popularity, fighting games remain relatively niche compared to other multiplayer and competitive genres. Limiting availability only reduces the potential player base, and it is difficult to build a strong competitive scene when entire regions are excluded.
The past decade has shown that top-tier talent emerges from all over the world, and the scene benefits from being as inclusive as possible. Sony should reconsider the strict PlayStation Network requirement for Marvel Tokon before its launch later this year.
