Square-Enix vs. Capcom: When Worlds Collide

Square-Enix vs. Capcom: When Worlds Collide is an upcoming crossover fighting game developed and produced by Capcom in collaboration with Square-Enix. The game features characters from both Capcom and Square-Enix's videogame franchises. Longtime Capcom fighting game producer, Yoshinori Ono, the man behind Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter V, will serve as the game's executive producer. Lead designers from each company have been assigned with deigning duties for their respective brand. Final Fantasy Dissida designer Tetsuya Nomura is in charge of designs for Square-Enix's roster while Resident Evil: Revelations 2 designer Kazunori Kadoi will be designing Capcom's character models.

In the game, players select up to three characters to engage in combat and attempt to knock out their opponents. It features similar tag-team mechanics to the Marvel vs. Capcom series of fighting games to which it emulates the MT Framework engine of.

The game is slated for an early 2017 release for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Plot
After seizing control of TRICELL (formerly Umbrella) Headquarters, dictator M. Bison (Street Fighter) has grown more powerful than ever before. Enhanced from the deadly combination of the C-Virus and the Psycho Power already in his blood, Bison once again seeks world domination. In his endeavors, he lures Gilgamesh (Final Fantasy) to Earth through The Rift, where heroes from both the Capcom and Square-Enix worlds soon follow. With the two overlords at war with each other, they challenge the two worlds to a fighting tournament in a battle for supremacy!

Gameplay
The game replicates the 3-vs-3 tag team mechanics of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 using next-gen graphics. It also features 6 game modes: Story Mode, Versus, Survival, Training, Theater (where you can watch character cut scenes/endings unlocked in Story Mode and saved online/offline matches) and Online. The game's Online mode features the cross-play feature utilized in SFV, enabling PS3 and PS4 users to play against each other as well as Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners. They've also instituted a new Companion App with the following features:
 * Access the latest news such as tidbits on new patches/updates, new DLC packs, and online challenges.
 * Party up with friends and engage in a specialized chat service, set up brackets and play against each other in 1-v-1, 2-v-2 or 3-v-3 modes, or even play against others in the new online-exclusive 6-v-6 game mode, where each player controls one individual character who can be tagged or called for assists at any time.
 * Create your own character combos and search/view other players' via archived submissions.
 * Cross-Play: The Companion App also keeps registries of all users across Xbox Live and PlayStation Network in its collective database, allowing Sony and Microsoft console owners (both last and current gen) to play against each other for the first-time ever via cross-play. It's through this app can players/parties be matched with others across platforms.
 * The success of SF5's PS4-v-PC cross-play feature is largely credited with MS head Phil Spencer agreeing to allow cross-play between Sony consoles.

Other Beat-Em-Up mission foes preceding actual character battles:
 * In the game's Story Mode, you play through a unique story set for the first character selected for your respective side and are accompanied by your selected partners. Each character has their own unique story mode with their own set of cut scenes occurring before each battle and a mix of QTE-triggered and Beat-Em-Up style side-missions in between cut scenes for certain chapters. These stories and cut scenes are secretly connected between characters and are often crossing over into the setting of the opposing side, i.e: Lara's story has her journeying through the Arklay Mountains, where you must slay zombie dogs as the game reverts to a Beat-Em-Up arcade-style engine before your next battle. You will then enter the Spencer Mansion, where you're occasionally prompted to shoot zombies via QTEs upon infiltrating reminiscent of the first Resident Evil before running into the team of Dante/Trish, Jill/Ada and Nemesis/Wesker. Also, who you end up facing in each segment is dependent on your combination of characters with many different possible scenarios.

 Square Enix: 
 * Shinryu (Final Fantasy)
 * Follow-up opponents: Lightning (or Yuna), Yuna (or) and Cloud (or Tifa)
 * Vampires (Soul Reaver)
 * Follow-up opponents: Kain, ???, and ???
 * Chasers (Parasite Eve)
 * Follow-up opponents: Aya Brea, ???, and ???
 * Trinity Assassins (Rise of the Tomb Raider)
 * Follow-up opponents: Lara Croft, ???, and ???

 Capcom: 
 * Doombots (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance)
 * Follow-up opponents: Dr. Doom, Sephiroth, and ???
 * Ultron Drones (Marvel: Ultimate Alliance)
 * Follow-up opponent(s): Ultron and Ultimecia (Sub-Boss Battle)
 * Bionic Soldiers (Bionic Commando)
 * Follow-up opponents: Nathan Spencer, ???, and ???
 * Shadaloo Guards (Street Fighter)
 * Follow-up opponents: Vega (or Akuma), Seth, and ???


 * Demons (Devil May Cry)
 * Follow-up opponents: Vergil (or Dante), ???, and ???
 * Dinosaurs (Dino Crisis [start out against a pack of velociraptors before facing the "mother" T-Rex]).
 * Follow-up opponents: Regina, ???, and ???

It also features MvC3's "X Factor" and Score/Grade features, wherein you can unlock several game modes: The game is also complete with several new fighting mechanics:
 * Lickers (Resident Evil)
 * Follow-up opponents: Jake Muller (mind-controlled) and Doll Cammy (Sub-Boss battle)
 * Bison Mode: Beat Story Mode using Square-Enix characters and finish with 30,000 player points. You will then face a series of randomly-generated Square-Enix teams in a specialized Arcade mode (similar to UMvC3's Galactus Mode), where you will unlock M. Bison's character ending after completing.
 * Gilgamesh Mode: Beat Story Mode using Capcom characters and finishing with 30,000 player points. You get a chance to unlock Gilgamesh's character ending after completing.
 * Boss Survival Mode: Beat either Bison Mode and/or Gilgamesh Mode, and you'll unlock a special Boss Survival Mode, where you play in a 3-vs-3 Survival Mode featuring the boss characters. Start out controlling only one of the 2 pairs of sub-bosses in 2-on-3 battles. These turn into 3-on-1 battles once one of the sub-bosses has been KOed. Once the other sub-boss has been KOed, you control the end boss of your choice in 3-on-1 matches the rest of the way until he's been defeated. Unlike in regular Survival Mode, the boss's health meter does not replenish after each round.
 * Assist Hyper Combos/Special Moves: Certain characters will unleash assist characters as special moves. I.E: Regina will unleash dinosaurs as her special moves, one being a stampede of velociraptors that march across the screen and a single T-Rex as her main (Level 3) Special Move. The T-Rex, after biting and flinging the opponent in his mouth, will then toss him/her to the ground, causing a Ground Bounce and leaving him/her open to further attacks/combos. Likewise, Aya will unleash Chasers as one of her Specials. Nathan Spencer can call in the Buraq Armada helicopter from the 2009 game.
 * Hyper Aerial Slam Combos: With a full Hyper Meter, you can perform a unique Aerial Hyper Combo downwards on your opponent causing a Ground Bounce. Once back in midair, an Assist Character will then automatically drive the opponent to the ground with a special slam move after a Super Jump animation. These slams range from a Superman Punch (i.e: Jill) to a Rock Bottom (i.e: Ryu) to a Missile Dropkick (i.e: Hayato) to a twirling Body Slam (i.e: Akuma) to a Backbreaker (i.e: Nathan), or even a simple throw (i.e: Sephiroth). Others will be weapon-based, i.e: Lara drives a pick-axe into the opponent's sternum all the way to the ground while Vega asphyxiates his opponent by jamming his claws into his/her throat while performing his slam move.

You can also perform Double or Triple versions of the Hyper Aerial Slam Combo if 2 or more characters have a full Hyper Meter. To accommodate these new features, Capcom/Square-Enix have developed several new gameplay mechanics designed to help players counter "spammers" in order to promote balance:
 * Grab Combos: Combine hit combos with throws, each character having their own unique set of hits used in conjunction with throws after grabbing your opponent (2 grab combos per fighter).
 * Redistribute Energy: For the first time ever, you can redistribute health from your Assist Characters and use it to boost your Point Character's Hyper Meter. You can't, however, redistribute health to any of your characters.
 * Interactive Maps: You can knock opponents through walls, off cliffs, through trap doors, etc, leading to different parts of the map similar to the Dead or Alive series.
 * Free Reign: You can now move freely around each map, basically adopting VF/DOA/Tekken 's "free reign" style of play in conjunction with the MvC/SF MT Framework engine.
 * Stun Counters: Depending on your Hyper Meter gauge, you can now counter combos while stunned (while being hit in the middle of a combo). Cross-Over variations are also available. However, doing so will drain your Hyper Meter.
 * Wall-Gliding: When cornered, you can glide off walls to break free.
 * Hyper Counter: With a full Hyper Meter, you can counter your opponent's Hyper Combo or Special Move with a Hyper Combo/Special Move of your own by pressing Counter+Special at the right time. M. Bison's Psycho Punisher and Ultimate Psycho Crusher, however, can't be countered.
 * Cross-Over Hyper Counter: One of your Assist Characters can bail your Point Character out of an Air or Hyper Combo with a Hyper Combo/Special provided he/she has a full Hyper Meter.

Characters
Square-Enix vs. Capcom: When Worlds Collide features a base roster of 46 characters (23 per side) with 6 unlockable characters (3 per team, those being the bosses/sub bosses of each roster) and 6 DLC characters per side. Of the 12 DLC characters, 4 are Sega characters licensed as Square-Enix and Capcom characters in-roster and will compromise the first batch of DLC; Shenmue 's Ryo Hazuki and Alien from the Alien(s) films and games published by Sega and Virtua Fighter 's Akira Yuki and Predator from the Fox-owned film franchise (and Sega-published Aliens vs. Predator game), respectively. In a marketing-oriented deal originally designed to regain usage rights to the 2 iconic monsters in Capcom's 1994 Alien vs. Predator arcade game, Sega also agreed to lease their 2 star fighters to Square-Enix and Capcom as a promotion for Shenmue III. In return, Sega will get a share of the DLC revenue which will go towards its development.

In addition, Marvel's Ultron, who has never been in a MvC game previously, appears as an unlockable Square-Enix sub-boss fresh off the success of Avengers: Age of Ultron and SFV. Dr. Doom is also appearing as an accommodation to the magical moves of its Final Fantasy characters. Both will be appearing as a tribute to the now-defunct MvC series in an agreement with Disney, who own the rights to all Marvel comic book properties. Disney has also agreed to let them use their SQ-owned properties (Kingdom Hearts characters) in exchange for distributing the game.

Also, sub-bosses from Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds return, albeit separate from the respective end bosses with a cut scene (written by Square-Enix's crew) preceding each of them (as distinct from [U]MvC3), meaning all 3 of your characters return to full health before facing the end boss. In contrast, however, there is no more "disorienting" the bosses as seen in the last Capcom crossover fighting game (MvC3/UMvC3 vs. Galactus). Notes:

The bosses in question are determined by who you select in Arcade Mode. If you select 2 of more Square-Enix characters, you face Capcom's set of bosses: a P30 mind-controlled Jake Muller and Doll Cammy who, thanks to the T-Veronica Virus experimentation done to her at the hands of M. Bison, is able to wield unlimited Psycho Power through the P30 device on her chest after linking it to the Psycho Drive (both are donning the red P30 mind-control device seen in Resident Evil 5). This is immediately followed by a now-mutant M. Bison wielding both the C-Virus and Psycho Energy's power simultaneously.

Conversely, if you select 2 or more Capcom characters, you fight SE's bosses: Marvel's Ultron and Final Fantasy 's Ultimecia as a prelude to Gilgamesh (Final Fantasy XII).

To compensate for the "3-on-1 full health advantage", each boss will also be much more "aggressive" than in any previous Capcom fighting game, MvC or otherwise, i.e: M. Bison frequently uses his Knee Press Nightmare combo, Psycho Inferno, Psycho Blast and Ultimate Psycho Crusher in rapid succession, each of those being "super-powered" versions of the moves that are so powerful, they leave a giant trial of flaming Psycho Energy, distorting the air around him. He's also equipped with a telekinetic grab move via his new C-Virus powers, wrapping the opponent in vines and violently tossing him/her back and forth with harnessed Psycho Energy, causing a Ground Bounce and leaving him/her further exposed to damage. Gilgamesh, meanwhile, has various grab and special moves where he stabs/slashes his opponents with many or all of his blade hands, also causing a huge background flash effect in doing so.

Both bosses are also prone to countering Flight Screens and Aerial Exchanges while having a Health Meter that stretches all the way across the screen, i.e: M. Bison will often counter Aerial Combos with a throw into a telekinetic field of Psycho Energy and hit an Ultimate Psycho Crusher into it on the Ground Bounce, forming a raging cyclone of Psycho Power on impact and causing much additional damage in the process.

Development
In recent years, Capcom has been aiming at maximizing profits and cutting costs due to their dire financial situation. With Capcom's highly-popular Marvel vs. Capcom license having expired due to Disney's acquisition of Marvel, the success of the rebooted Tomb Raider franchise-including the awaited sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider-and Street Fighter 5 with it's innovative crossplay feature, and Capcom's relationship with the company, Capcom reached out to Square-Enix, and signed a deal for a new series of crossover fighting games featuring Capcom and Square-Enix-licensed characters. Much like Sony with Street Fighter 5, Square-Enix has agreed to co-fund any Square Enix vs. Capcom fighting games. In addition, they've also decided to bring over the hugely-popular cross-play feature between platforms.

Interestingly enough, this game had been hinted at for several years as a Street Fighter V ad was seen donning the Square-Enix copyright at the Tapei Gameshow in 2015. What started out as an accidental leak turned into a money-making machine for many parties involved. The very first teaser trailer featured Dino Crisis ' Regina in an open field with dinosaurs after opening with the Capcom logo, capitalizing on the success of Jurassic World when "something" sets off the nearby alarms. They then cut to the inside of the now-compromised control center, where they show the back of a silhouetted gun-toting blonde woman before fading out with the Square-Enix logo and copyright. This led to rampant speculation for months on end.

This hype train was capsized at E3 2016, where a new promo hyping Lara Croft vs. Jill Valentine was teased. The two are eventually seen wielding guns at each other on top of BSAA Headquarters. They begin fighting, but are soon cut off by Wesker. It then cuts to Nate Spencer shooting at a running Rico Rodriguez on top of a skyscraper and thereafter leaping at him when "something" destroys his chopper. An energy-covered silhouette then flies around the panned shots of a dueling Dante and Cloud Strife, Sephiroth and Vergil and a twirling Zero fighting a flying Morrigan before crash-landing where Lara and Jill are both getting manhandled by Wesker on top of the BSAA HQ. Wesker turns around to a surfacing Ultron right before it cuts to the Square-Enix vs. Capcom logo. Following the insane applause from the crowd, they are treated to one final clip of Jill regrouping when "something" runs past her off-screen, further fueling the hype train.

After getting the OK from Disney, who owns Square-Enix, to use Ultron, Capcom's licensing relationship with Sony on SFV inspired them to reach out to snag a couple more of their old IPs who've butted heads multiple times across various mediums: Alien and Predator, owned by Sega, who are likewise looking to build on their Shenmue brand after selling the rights to Yu Suzuki for Shenmue III. In a deal benefiting both parties, they revealed a second promo teasing not only the return of Regina and Aya Brea and Alien and Predator, but Shenmue 's Ryo and Virtua Fighter 's Akira as well, making it the most hyped fighter ever. Picking up where the second "full" teaser picked off, Jill runs into Alien, who's then seen fighting it through first person infrared vision. It then cuts to Regina riding a T-Rex to attack Aya, Ryo and Akira fighting and Jill being pinned down by Alien, only to be stalked by none other than archrival Predator before announcing the DLC release date on all 4.

Game Box Art
The game's official game cover/box art features a close up of BSAA Jill Valentine wielding a gun while Lara cocks her bow pointing at her on the left-hand side. These 2 are standing front and center just above the "Square-Enix vs. Capcom" logo with the trio of Cloud, Lightning and Sephiroth facing the trio of Dante, Trish and Vergil somewhere on the bottom. Above Lara and Jill, Tifa (left) cocks her fist while Chun-Li (right) is shown charging at her with a leaping kick, Chrono is facing Ryu as he poses for a Hadouken, and Agent 47 is facing off against Leon S. Kennedy with both men aiming their pistols at each other. In the background, a face silhouette of Gilgamesh and a now mutant M. Bison (now donning a facial look similar to mutant Piers Nivans {Resident Evil 6}), the game's end bosses, is imprinted on the top left and right hand corners. The Square-Enix side (left) is enclosed in a red gradient while Capcom (right) is encased in blue.