The PC port of Arc System Works and Sony’s highly anticipated fighting game, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, has been plagued by performance issues since its release. While the gameplay itself is praised, a growing chorus of complaints about stuttering, low frame rates, and overall sluggishness has overshadowed the experience. Now, a disturbing trend is emerging: reports are surfacing that pirated versions of the game are running significantly better than the legitimate retail copy. Could this be a sign of deeper problems within the PC port’s optimization?
The Piracy Paradox
As user JustinSGX revealed in a post on X“>X, a cracked version of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has surfaced online. What’s truly shocking is the reported performance difference. According to JustinSGX, the pirated version only demands roughly 34% of an i7 6700K’s processing power, whereas the retail version hogs over 57%. This massive discrepancy suggests that the anti-cheat measures implemented in the legitimate release are severely impacting performance.
[MEDIA_0: Image showing CPU usage comparison between pirated and retail versions of Marvel Tōkon]
The explanation, as JustinSGX elaborated in a follow-up post, likely stems from the absence of anti-cheat software in the cracked version. The retail version, it seems, is “encrypted and decrypts the game in real time in 64kb chunks on 1 CPU core.” This constant decryption process undoubtedly puts a significant strain on the system’s resources.
[MEDIA_1: Screenshot of JustinSGX’s tweet comparing performance metrics]
Community Backlash and Developer Response
While I, as a journalist, cannot legally endorse or condone piracy, it’s impossible to ignore the growing consensus within the fighting game community. Several users on X, including prominent figures like ArcSys content creator ShaudL“>ShaudL, have corroborated these findings.
“Looked into this a little in x64debug and ngl if you see how much memory is used on purely anti cheat you’ll get mad,” posted ShaudL. This sentiment echoes the frustration felt by many players struggling to enjoy the game due to its poor optimization.
User MattWilliamson9“>MattWilliamson9 reported, “It literally runs 10x better now, even on highest settings, I am barely using 45% of my CPU.” Another user, bar_barXII“>bar_barXII, stated, “A certain unofficial version is actually running flawless 60fps on my rig. Medium settings rock solid 60fps with cpu and gpu at around 40-50% usage… meanwhile retail is stuck at perma 45fps even with GBA resolution.”
[MEDIA_2: Compilation of user testimonials regarding performance differences]
Arc System Works released a patch last week that improved the game’s performance, but for many players, it appears to be too little, too late. The presence of multiple instances of Sony’s SDK runtime application booting up upon launch raises further questions about the PC port’s underlying architecture and its impact on overall system performance.
The Future of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
While tech-savvy individuals have already datamining a number of Marvel Tōkon’s upcoming DLC characters, the fact that a pirated version emerged within two weeks highlights a critical failure in the game’s anti-piracy measures. More importantly, it underscores a fundamental issue with the PC port itself: its poor optimization is actively hindering the player experience. Whether Arc System Works can address these concerns and deliver a truly enjoyable Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls experience on PC remains to be seen.
Source: Kotaku
Comments
Be the first to comment.