Robert Kirkman Explains Why Invincible Vs Fits 18-Character Fight Game
Robert Kirkman said invincible vs works because long-running comics already build in the structure fighting games need, and the result is an 18-character three-on-three fighter. The game is available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC, giving the Invincible universe a wider competitive frame than a single-character adaptation.
Kirkman’s 144-Issue Logic
“I think the only thing that, in my experience, really helps is a long-running comic,” Kirkman said in a Q&A about what makes a comic work as a TV and video game adaptation. He pointed to the monthly rhythm: “And I think that the monthly format of comics necessitates action, progress, intrigue, cliffhangers, because there’s these month gaps between each issue.”
That structure, he said, carries into games because it produces “a very high-octane, action-based story that translates very well to any number of kind of genres, especially fighting games.” For Invincible, he had the full 144-issue run to pull from when the adaptation was being made. For The Walking Dead, the television version launched when the comic had 80 issues.
Quarter Up’s Three-on-Three Plan
Invincible VS comes from Kirkman and his game-development studio Quarter Up, a subsidiary of Skybound Entertainment. The roster includes 18 characters from the Invincible universe, plus an all-new original fighter, and the format is three-on-three.
Mike Willette, the game’s executive producer, said the goal was to build “a badass, brutal tag-battle fighting game.” He added that it is “not just one character and you’re learning a kit — your kit is actually three characters, and the combination of those characters together is an expression of personality and self.”
Why the Roster Size Matters
Kirkman’s own rule for the genre was direct: “I think in particular, the thing that you need [most for a fighting game] is an expansive cast.” That makes the 18-character lineup the central design choice, not a side feature. A smaller cast would leave less room for the tag-battle system Willette described, where the player’s kit is built from three characters rather than one.
For players, the practical takeaway is simple: this is not a one-on-one adaptation built around a single lead. It is a team fighter designed around the Invincible universe’s breadth, with Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC as the launch platforms. That makes the game less about replaying one storyline and more about testing how much of the comic’s cast can survive in a competitive format.
