'Marvel vs Capcom 4' release date and rumors: Leaked images could mean the game will be announced soon

Rumors have come out that Capcom is planning an announcement for the next installment in its fighting game franchise, "Marvel vs. Capcom" ("MvC"). "MvC 3" came out back in 2011, and rumor has it that the company is planning to release "MvC 4" sometime in 2017.

According to reports, images that seem to come from an announcement trailer for "Marvel vs. Capcom 4" have been leaked online. The announcement is speculated to come during the Playstation Experience event which is set to happen on Dec. 3 and 4.

The images themselves come with a tag that says "Celebrating almost 20 years of Marvel vs Capcom" and it features artwork from the very first game that came out way back in 1998. There isn't any image of any in-game graphics, but then again, some are still skeptical of the legitimacy of the photos.

Aside from that, rumors have also been coming out that the next "Marvel vs. Capcom" game will not feature any characters from the "X-men" franchise but will instead focus on characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Some are guessing that the reason behind the exclusion of the mutants is FOX and Marvel's dispute over the rights of "X-men" characters, but as of now, no official statement has been released.

Some fans may take offense at the absence of the X-Men in the games since the franchise is based on one of Capcom's first crossover games, "X-Men vs. Street Fighter." X-Men Wolverine has been a fan-favorite ever since, so not having him in "MvC 4" could anger some hardcore fans.

With the focus on the MCU this time around, it's possible that the upcoming game could feature more characters from "Guardians of the Galaxy" (Rocket Raccoon is already playable) or maybe even Baron Mordo or the Ancient One from the "Doctor Strange" movie.

No official release date has been announced for "Marvel vs. Capcom 4," but it might come out sometime in 2017.