It’s possible that we’re finally getting those MCU video games.
As shared on Twitter by Marvel Multiverse, there is a new rumor that Marvel Studios is making a game that will actually be set in the MCU. Their source is another Twitter user named My Time To Shine Hello, who has been sharing other MCU related leaks.
It would be fair to say that Marvel Studios has failed to properly utilize the success of their multimedia franchise in the video game business. This goes all the way back to the original releases of the first Iron Man and Captain America video games from nearly twenty years ago.
Some fans may remember that Marvel gave Sega the license for both of those movies, and we got titles made by Behavior Interactive and Next Level Games. But at the time, those studios were not yet known for making Dying Light and becoming a Nintendo first party studio, respectively.
The disappointment fans expressed for those games did direct Marvel’s next moves. While they continued to greenlight Marvel video games, they stayed away from making games that were expressly based on the MCU in specific.
For some time, Marvel seemed to keep fans happy with games that had their own contained universes, and also dropped references or allusions to the MCU, as well as other parts of the Marvel Multiverse. The most noteworthy of these was Disney Infinity 2.0.
With Disney Infinity being Disney’s big bet on toys-to-life, Disney Infinity 2.0, also known as Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes produced toys of their most high profile Marvel characters, and an original storyline that capitalized on the popularity of the characters as they appeared on the MCU. So, for example, Loki’s appearance and story was based more on his MCU version.
Most recently, Marvel signed an ill-fated deal with Square Enix for games to be made by Crystal Dynamics. Marvel’s Avengers had a strong launch from anticipation, but would ultimately underwhelm fans, and post disappointing sales numbers. Much of that criticism came from its half baked online multiplayer component, but fans were also dissatisfied with how the characters did not look like their MCU counterparts.
Eidos-Montréal would make a more positively received Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but the proverbial well had already been poisoned. Due to these games’ sales performance and other factors, Square Enix would let go of Crystal Dynamics. The studio is now owned by Embracer and has deals on place with Amazon for Tomb Raider.
But getting back to Marvel Studios, if they are earnest about making a real MCU video game, they need to secure the likenesses of the actors who made those heroes popular. We realize that means it’s highly unlikely that Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow is appearing in that game. But if they can get the clearance from the likes of Robert Downey Junior, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth, they could still have a guaranteed success.
But this may also be a way to pitch the new batch of MCU actors and heroes to their fans. We can also see new games featuring the likes of Letitia Wright, Brie Larson, Simu Liu, Charlie Cox, etc. get the extra push in video games to lift all of MCU’s boats.
So Marvel Studios still has every opportunity to make such a project a winner, but it depends on how well they execute those plans.
