Invincible Vs, the fighting game based on Robert Kirkman’s acclaimed comic book series, will launch on April 30, 2026. It will launch with 18 fighters, including an original character made for the game named Ella Mental, voiced by rapper Tierra Whack.
The fighting game’s release date was revealed in a new trailer at The Game Awards on Dec. 11, which highlighted Ella Mental’s elemental (get it?) moveset. Ahead of the announcement, Polygon learned more about the character in a Zoom interview with three key developers from Invincible Vs studio Quarter Up.
During development, the team floated the idea of creating an original character for the game that could exist in the comic book universe. Narrative director Mike Rogers says that Quarter Up pitched the idea to Invincible creators Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, who didn’t just okay the idea, but contributed to it as well. The duo had a running list of character names they’d yet to use for the series, and Ella Mental was on that list. From there, Walker created a concept for the character and Kirkman provided some backstory.
“I don’t take for granted how rare the opportunity is in the comics space to have access to living creators who can actually add to the mythos and give you tidbits about the world that maybe no one ever knew except for them,” Rogers tells Polygon. “The idea that Ella Mental was this name that Robert and Cory had kicked around, but never actually brought to life, and now here she is fully alive in the game, is very cool to me.”
Image: Quarter Up/Skybound Games
The team describes Ella Mental as a sardonic, but positive and energetic character. So they wanted to find a voice actress with the “right combination of talent and presence.” Rogers says that Tierra Whack’s name was floated early on. A rapper who has collaborated with artists like Alicia Keys and Beyoncé, Whack was already a fan of Invincible, so the team hoped she’d be game for the role despite historically being very selective about her projects. Rogers says that Whack instantly connected with the character, which helped the team deepen Ella’s relationships with other characters in the Invincible universe.As for how she plays, you can glean her whole deal from her name alone. She fights using four elemental powers, a concept that was initially daunting for Quarter Up since no other character in the game plays like her. Art director Dan Eder gave me a full rundown of her kit, noting that Ella is all about mid-range manipulation and charge attacks. She combines both straightforward moves and arcing attacks to control the battlefield. What really sets her apart, though, is how elements play into those strengths.
“One of her most unique utilities is that she has this Earth summon, where she can bring up a block of Earth that will damage an opponent if they run into it, but it offers a shield for projectiles,” executive producer Mike Willett tells Polygon. “She can summon it, she can also break it mid-combo so she can use it in combo strings. She has a water spire that she can shoot out and charge it to cause a crumple state from full screen. So while she has the Earth shield up, she can start pelting you with other projectiles.”
Image: Quarter Up/Skybound Games
Ella will be one of the 18 characters that launches with the game on April 30. Four additional characters will be added later, with two dropping shortly after launch. Players will be able to buy a season pass to get them all.The team didn’t confirm if guest characters from outside of Invincible will be part of those additions, but Quarter Up says its focus is on creating an authentic expansion of the Invincible universe first and foremost. Willett believes that Ella is a step towards accomplishing that goal.
“The show is an evolution of the comics, and we’re an evolution from the show artistically,” Willett says. “Anything we do has to feel authentic. It has to feel like it’s a part of Invincible, this whole universe. Why people are drawn to these characters in the first place, it has to hold that same weight. The stakes of battle, the drama, the relationships — it all has to be present. The writing and the art and the gameplay all has to come together to say this character belongs and fits. And this was the perfect opportunity to really do that. My belief is that this character is fucking awesome, and I want everyone to share in that and experience it.”
Invincible Vs launches on April 30, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.
