Thanos’ snap looks to be permanent, this time.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Related: Marvel Staff Reveals Truth Behind “Messed Up” MCU
For many years now, Kevin Feige has served as the President of Marvel Studios, where he has overseen the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), now under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company. The MCU has left an indelible mark on the superhero movie genre and the entire film industry, leaving a lasting impact despite varying opinions on the matter. The expansive narrative, known as the Infinity Saga, reached its height with the highly anticipated releases of Avengers: Infinity War in 2018 and Avengers: Endgame in 2019, marking the conclusion of Phase Three.
Credit: Marvel Studios
After the departure of the much-adored character Tony Stark, also recognized as Iron Man, who made a courageous sacrifice to conquer Infinity Stone-wielding Thanos (portrayed by Josh Brolin), and Chris Evans saying goodbye to his portrayal of Steve Rogers/Captain America by passing on the Captain America mantle — it is clear that there is now an opening for prominent superhero groups such as the Fantastic Four and X-Men to seize the spotlight.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Related: Marvel Studios Accused of “Money Laundering” After Shocking Budget Reveal
Are People Done With Superheroes and Marvel?
This move could absolutely be indicative of shifting trends away from superheroes and the oft-discussed “superhero fatigue” — a marked weariness among audiences from the constant influx of superhero-themed movies and TV shows in recent years.
Or perhaps it’s indicative of a badly curated experience that’s made with anti-consumer practices in mind.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Coming off of the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its popular Avengers franchise, The Walt Disney Company-owned Marvel Studios decided to outsource other formats of media to other companies. The success of the comic book franchise inspired by the Marvel Comics in the realm of film has naturally meant that Marvel sees potential in other storytelling forms like television in the recent Disney+ (Disney Plus) Originals like WandaVision (2021), Loki (2021), Ms. Marvel (2022), She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022), and even Secret Invasion (2023). One last untapped market and a potentially major source of revenue, however — is the realm of gaming.
And this latest attempt may have just proven to be the nail in the coffin for the Marvel franchise — and indicative of the fall of the Avengers in public perception.
Credit: Square Enix
The initial Marvel’s Avengers game was developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix, as an action-adventure title. Released in September 2020, the game was created to offer a unique blend of single-player and multiplayer gameplay. The story begins on “A-Day” as the Avengers’ new headquarters in San Francisco faces destruction, leading to the apparent death of Captain America and the team’s disbandment.
Players are given control of various iconic Marvel superheroes, such as Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, each with distinct abilities. The game features a single-player campaign focused on Ms. Marvel’s journey to reunite the Avengers, alongside multiplayer modes for cooperative play. Unfortunately, this game was not received particularly well by both critics and fans alike — and that might have played into recent decisions.
Credit: Square Enix
Marvel’s Avengers faced criticism for technical issues, repetitive gameplay, as well as predatory live service aspects and monetization, featuring in-game microtransactions rather heavily. No doubt the dwindling player base and not-so-positive public perception ultimately spelled doom for the Avengers game, as the publisher is now opening up about.
A Last Ditch Attempt, and Imminent Delisting
Recently, developers Crystal Dynamics released a statement (via IGN) that Marvel’s Avengers would be officially delisted from digital platforms like Steam as of September 30,2023. This move will end all official updates of the game, and render it unavailable for purchase. Additionally, from now until 30 September, the game will be a whopping 90% off — making the $39.99 at-launch game merely $3.99.
The statement from Crystal Dynamics reads as follows:
Thank you to all our players for joining us on these adventures and letting us tell our stories with Kamala, Bruce, Tony, Steve, Nat, Thor, Clint, Kate, T’Challa, Pete, Jane, and Bucky.
For anyone who hasn’t joined us yet, we hope you jump on this final chance to join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes alongside your friends.
Remember: good isn’t a thing you are; it’s a thing you do.
Seeing as this is the last chance to purchase and own the game (which will stay in your Steam library for reinstall and future play) before it’s removed forever at the end of the month — those with a desire to try this experience out ought to do it soon!
Fans definitely see this as a clear result of a big blunder on Marvel and Crystal Dynamics’ part — with users like @CrinckleCuck openly decrying the amount of potential this Avengers game had:
Had the potential to be one of the best games ever and they folded like a futon.
Had the potential to be one of the best games ever and they folded like a futon.
— Crinkle ? (@CrinkleCuck) September 19, 2023
Do you think corporate greed killed Marvel’s Avengers? Will you be picking up a 90% off copy of the game? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
It appears as if the Avengers will get to ride with fans one last time – and it really looks like it’s the end of the line, this time. Read More