Marvel’s Avengers Got Snapped Away

Marvel’s Avengers is a 2020 action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix. Due to its bad performance, the publisher decided to stop updating and bringing new content to the game after the 30th of September. The game will still be available to play single, and multiplayer.

The demand for an action game about The Avengers was always on the market, but it failed big time. It received very-very mixed impressions from the launch, with articles, and content creators bashing it back to back. On top of that, Square Enix reported lower-than-expected sales figures in the weeks following its release. The company attributed the underperformance to the game’s mixed reviews and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, causing developers to switch to working from home. Also, Square Enix stated that their model of “Game as a Service” didn’t succeed.

I would also note that “Marvel’s Avengers” was an ambitious title for us in that we took on the GaaS (Games as a Service) model. We overcame a variety of unexpected difficulties in the final phase of the game’s development, including needing to transition to work-from-home due to the pandemic. We were able to surmount these challenges and release the game, but it has unfortunately not proven as successful as we would have liked.

Nonetheless, taking on the GaaS model highlighted issues that we are likely to face in future game development efforts such as the need to select game designs that mesh with the unique attributes and tastes of our studios and development teams. While the new challenge that we tackled with this title produced a disappointing outcome, we are certain that the GaaS approach will grow in importance as gaming becomes more service oriented. How we go about creating new experiences by incorporating this trend into our game design is a key question that we will need to answer going forward.

Square Enix’s short section of the game in their 2021 annual report

The arguments that come mostly are the lack of content, boring level design, not enough boss fights, too much grinding, and too expensive cosmetic microtransactions that are mostly re-textures. The only thing praised about the game is the combat, but that alone couldn’t carry the game, unfortunately.

Crystal Dynamics released an article about what’s going to happen to the game in which they state:

• Even after official support ceases on September 30, 2023, both single- and multi-player gameplay will continue to be available.
• Update 2.7, which added the Winter Soldier Hero and Cloning Lab Omega-Level Threat, is the last new content to be added to the game. No new cosmetics are coming to the Marketplace, and all final balance updates will occur in Update 2.8 in March.
• Along with the end of development, they’ll also be turning off the cosmetics Marketplace.
• Starting March 31, 2023, they will make all the game’s Marketplace, Challenge Card, and Shipment cosmetic content available to all players for free. Every single Outfit, Takedown, Emote, and Nameplate from the Marketplace, Challenge Cards, and Shipments will be free for all players.

Besides all that, in the 2.7.2 update released yesterday, a data miner found clues indicating that She-Hulk and Captain Marvel would have arrived in the game.

This game had amazing potential. And we can’t even say it’s bad. It’s just a missed opportunity. Now we can rest, and watch the sun rise on a grateful universe.