Popular Twitch Streamer Plans to Revitalize Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite With New Cel-Shaded Art Style [IGN]

Prior to Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s release in the fall of 2017, the crossover fighting game faced an uphill battle with newbies and longtime fans alike because of its abrasively shiny and underlit art style. Now, seven years later, a popular fighting game Twitch streamer announced he is working on a fan project that will give the game a facelift and, hopefully, encourage players who passed on it to give it a second chance.

Yesterday, Maximilian Dood announced on his official X/Twitter account that he is in the midst of a fan project that will give Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite a cel-shaded art style akin to the aesthetic Capcom gave the game in previous titles. In his announcement post, Maximilian revealed he commissioned a fighting game modder named Ryn (@WistfulHopes) to develop the mod’s new art style.

“We’re getting close to something that makes me really happy, and hopefully many others who adverted their eyes from MVCI originally,” Maximilian Dood wrote on X/Twitter.

Again, I can’t compliment @WistfulHopes more on the hardwork and talent on display. We’re getting close to something that makes me really happy, and hopefully many others who adverted their eyes from MVCI originally. https://t.co/GSfKdEk31m pic.twitter.com/VGkNOsvAaW

— Maximilian Dood (@maximilian_) May 2, 2024

Speaking with IGN, Ryn revealed the fan project came together on Monday, saying she was already at work tinkering with MvC: I mods. It wasn’t until Maximilian took note of Ryn’s MvC: I shader mod post that the pair decided to combine forces and jointly make the fan project.

Ryn’s X/Twitter account is filled with posts showcasing in-progress snippets of MvC: I’s new shader in action. Chief among them is a clip of Ryu performing a level 3 shin shoryuken, a revamped menu and win screen, and a glimpse at a cel-shaded Spider-Man.

“The most challenging part was figuring out the changes Capcom made to the rendering engine, as there were some customizations,” Ryn told IGN, adding that the most fulfilling part of the project is seeing it in action. “It feels incredible seeing the hard work pay off.”

video pic.twitter.com/Kxv9bzmso5

— Ryn 🏳️‍⚧️ (@WistfulHopes) April 29, 2024

Maximilian and Ryn’s MvC: I project goes beyond giving the fighter a new coat of cel shader paint. Aside from introducing various texture and model edits, Ryn tells IGN the duo is planning more visual edits as the project progress. Ryn also said the pair is planning on a seperate gameplay mod for a later date.

“I just hope to get people interested in modding Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite,” Ryn said. “There’s a lot of potential here.”

took a screencap of vanilla mahvel infinite just to see the side by side difference of @WistfulHopes‘ glorious new shaders pic.twitter.com/keXmDuiAo4

— Alice I MarrowOchi 🕷️ (@MarrowOchi) May 2, 2024

Fans are already praising Maximilian and Ryn’s MvC:I fan project in Maximilian’s replies and on Reddit. Players on the r/Fighters subreddit are virtually toasting the in-progress mod, saying it will finally make MvC:I look as good as it feels to play. Likewise, folks on the r/TwoBestFriendsPlay subreddit are big-upping the project’s exisence as a great first step in saving the troubled fighting game, adding that the deed will finally be done once modders use it to add custom characters into the game like Vergil from the Devil May Cry series.

In our review, we rated Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite 7.7 out of 10, saying its “poor art style and story give the excellent fighting game underneath a bad name.”

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh.