EA is working on several Marvel video games, the company announced today.
Earlier this year, there were rumors that game publisher EA had signed a licensing deal with Marvel that included multiple new superhero games. Now, a report by Bloomberg and an EA blog post have confirmed that there are three Marvel games in the works.
The first game was previously announced by EA. It will star Iron Man in a new storyline that includes familiar characters. Marvel reportedly encouraged the EA Motive studio to come up with something fresh and allowed a lot of freedom, so fans should be expecting a new Iron Man plot separate from the movies and comics.
“We (EA Motive and Marvel) both want to make great action games that are innovative,” Bill Rosemann, vice president and creative director at Marvel Games, told GamesIndustry.biz last month. “And we also love bringing to life iconic worlds. On top of that, we want every player to feel like the hero and to deliver on that fantasy, that wish-fulfilment.”
The second game is most likely about Black Panther. It’s expected to be a single-player action-adventure game but not much else is known about this title.
The third game is a complete mystery. It’s currently unknown if it will be single-player or multiplayer. It’s also unclear what superhero will star in this game.
There is currently no timeline for the three games, even the confirmed Iron Man one. EA Motive is working on the Dead Space remake, so the superhero games may be taking a backseat for now.
Gaming community reacts to EA Marvel games
The video game community was largely unenthusiastic about the announcement.
EA was previously the exclusive license holder for Star Wars video games and these games were met with a lot of criticism and frustration. EA has become known for its aggressive in-game microtransactions and some games have been accused of being pay to win.
Now, gamers are concerned that the Marvel games will get the same treatment.
Other gamers are worried that EA could take a long time to release each game, expressing concern about the currently unknown release dates. Many are simply concerned that the games just won’t be good, wishing that Marvel had gone with another studio like Insomniac.
It’s unclear how long the collaboration will be this time around, however. In EA’s official blog post, the developer said it’s a “long term deal.”
“We look forward to welcoming Marvel into the EA family of creators and know this collaboration will produce exceptional experiences for our players,” EA said. “We can’t wait to see players’ reactions when they suit up as Iron Man and do the extraordinary things this Super Hero is known for.”
