2022 may be the 20th Anniversary of Marvel Legends, but they’re digging a little deeper back for their latest release. Clearly based on the original “Marvel vs. Capcom” video game from 1998, a new version of Marvel Legends War Machine figure is flying in soon! Is this figure going to be a must for gaming fans?

Although James “Rhodey” Rhodes debuted at the end of the 70s, the War Machine armor wouldn’t make its first appearance until 1992. However, it came exactly at the perfect time for a quick rise to popularity and notoriety due to the 1994 Iron Man cartoon series and the supporting Toybiz toy lines. A lot of fans at the time decided that Iron Man just wasn’t as “cool” as War Machine.

And so it was that Capcom nixed Tony Stark from the roster of the original Marvel vs. Capcom video game (he’d return in the sequel) and opted for War Machine (and a bizarre unlockable “Gold War Machine” character) instead. And now, fans will be able to immortalize the video game where War Machine was playable and not Tony Stark with an unofficial “MvC” War Machine action figure!

I assume that it’s a licensing issue that prevents Hasbro from officially calling this out as “Marvel vs Capcom War Machine”, as that’s clearly the intention based on the armor itself, its colors, the effects pieces and even the pose on the box. But regardless of what it’s called, fans all know what this really is!

As a fan of those classic Capcom Marvel fighting games, it does my heart good to see this non-comic modular armor War Machine equipped with a wacky magenta unibeam effect popped onto his chest. The red-pink repulsor blasts and other energy effect are also a lot of fun.

I can imagine this 6” arcade/video game War Machine will turn off some collectors, but this is the sort of thing that’s right up my alley. Love it! (Now, if we could just get a proper Shuma Gorath someday…)

The “MvC” War Machine figure is now available for pre-order via specialty online stores, and is scheduled for release this winter. I’m surprised and pleased to see him at the average $24.99 price-point despite the recent price-creeps many figures have seen. I don’t believe this figure will be stocked in typical brick and mortar stores like Target and Walmart, though I couldn’t find a Fan Channel Exclusive label on it in the solicitations anywhere.

Did any of you Main War Machine in the Capcom fighting games back in the day, Marvel collectors? Will you be picking up this Rhodey Legends figure in commemoration?